agony. Aliyah played her part. She stayed in her room, t

me replaced Aliyah's in the master bathroom. Aliyah would hear the front door close late at night, a signal that they had returned

rity gala Benedict insisted they still at

own life. She wore a simple black dress. She

sh of color in the muted ballroom. She walked straight to Bened

enough for those nearby to h

he looks, the whispers that rippled through the crowd. She was the grieving widow. Kendall

herself cornered by

h," the woman said, her eyes full

ted, but the words c

hand on her arm, his grip a little too tight. K

id, his voice a smooth performance of c

dall to help you through this," the woman

all said humbly. "Ben and Leo.

k, to say something,

smile never wavering. "Kendall, would you be a dear and get

yone. He made it clear her voice didn't matter. She

ah was in the kitchen, pouring a glass of water, w

, Ben," Kendall was saying

n unspeakable tragedy," Benedict snapped. "And th

idden by the re

yah... she's still here. In the ho

" He sighed, a long, theatrical sound. "Look, I know this is hard. But her grief... it's becoming pathological. It's

"Do you think... do you think she might have had something to do with it? Postpartum de

y. Aliyah held her breath, her knu

. He didn't defend her. He let the poison hang in the air. "She's not a m

nhinged. A danger. It wa

n he saw her. His eyes widened for a fraction of a

didn't see

tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear whenever

l, who had followed him in. He gently tucke

on its axis. He h

fixed on Aliyah, watching for her reaction. "It's what's b

s happiness over the

s smug one. She felt nothing. The pain had been bu

ive them wha

manufacturing a loo

, her voice a hollow ech

m see the look in her eyes. She went to her room and packed a single bag. It wa