tiseptic smell stinging my nostrils. A dull ache t

l I passed out. He hadn't called an ambulance. He'd called his private doctor, the one who pre

d by the window. "Mrs. Gardner? I'm Sa

full of a pity

sign," she said, placing a thin file on the be

e night before. Just some pape

s a stack of documents, dense with legal jargon

ion for

signatures. Tucked beneath it was another document, a power of attorney, givi

e me declared mentally incompetent

all the yellow tabs,

nt. He trusted his power, his ability to make people do what he wanted. He wouldn't have

teady, "my husband and I discussed this. I'

lled out the d

heart pounding. "He said h

for a moment but the

eyers Gardner. I signed it. Then I pu

n it too," I sai

on, in his haste and arrogance, had only filled in the details. He hadn't signed his p

e right after I signed," I lied

he took out her phone. A few minutes later, an e-signature from

was now leg

er," Sarah said, gathering the papers. She le

as a small victory, a tiny crack

xi not home, but to the small community garden my mother had tended for

the empty air. "I'm so sorry I co

"I will make them pay. B

. If the world thought I was unstable, if Garrison

y own

uld discredit me, institutionalize me, and no one would believe me. But if I

e, I would launch my revenge. I would become the viral nightma

use was quiet, but I could hear fain

d, marble-floored living

earing one of my silk robes, sipping a mimosa. Garrison was laughing at some

nd saw me. The

" he said, a flicker o

aying on her lips. "Oh, darling, you look simply aw

here, Garrison?" I

trial," he said smoothly. "I invited her t

hot back. "Celebrating g

ically. "Garrison,

his body blocking my view of her. "That

ds. She's allergic to gluten, lactose, and she only drinks Fiji water at exac

g me, ordering me, to cook and serve the woman

ing arrogance of it

us," I said, my voi

patient parent scolding a difficult child. "We need to keep t

id, a bitter laug

htly worn cashmere sweaters over her shoulders. A swea

a bit dated, don't you think?" She look

company party. Garrison had stepped in front of me, put his arm around my waist, a

et this woman insult m

or the plan to work, I had to endure. I had to play t

sleep, that the house was "creepy." She wen

oo eager to

me to the guest room

is very sensitive. She feels more comfortable in t

ee Keyla leaning against the master bedroom doorframe. She met

y voice devoid of emot

his way. "After all," I added, pausing at the door

t inside me. It wasn't just love that had died. It was hope. The last, stupid,

nd in his plac

ith him. Utterly