Chapter 10 Emily’s POV After Zane left for a week with his grandparents, I felt an uncomfortable emptiness settle in. This was the longest time we’d ever been apart, and I wasn’t used to the quiet that filled the house. It was eerie, almost suffocating, without the sound of his laughter or his little feet … Read more
Chapter 09 Emily’s POV Keith’s jaw tightened. “Cancel it. I’m driving.” I felt the anger rise in me, the old frustration of him trying to control every situation bubbling to the surface. “You don’t get to order me around anymore, Keith. Not after everything.” Zane looked back and forth between us, his expression shifting from … Read more
Chapter 08 Keith’s POV “What are you doing here?” Emily coldly asked me when I pushed my way into her house. Emily’s indifference unsettled me. The way she smiled as the police officer left–it wasn’t directed at me. The contrast between her coldness towards me and her warmth toward him gnawed at me. Like I … Read more
Chapter 07 Emily’s POV I woke up to the dull ache in my arm, a stark reminder of yesterday‘ s events. Zane had slept beside me, his small body curled up close, his presence a comforting anchor in the quiet of the morning. The house was silent, save for the soft, rhythmic sound of his … Read more
Chapter 06 Keith’s POV – The moment I heard the gunshot, my body moved on instinct. I didn’t think I just threw myself toward Lily, my mind filled with only one thought: protect her. The world around me blurred into chaos, people screaming, the police shouting as they arrived on the scene. The attacker fled, … Read more
Chapter 05 Emily’s POV The church was filled with a sea of faces, all gathered to say their final goodbyes to my father. The soft murmur of voices blended with the solemn hum of the organ, creating a heavy atmosphere that pressed down on me. I had made all the funeral arrangements myself, seeing it … Read more
Chapter 04 Emily’s POV My heart felt like it was being torn to pieces. Watching Keith and Lily together was more than I could bear. They didn’t kiss, but the way their foreheads touched, the way they exchanged words of longing–it was as if I was witnessing a scene meant for someone else. Someone who … Read more
Chapter 03 Emily’s POV My mother hadn’t stopped crying since the news broke. Her grief was raw, an open wound that seemed impossible to heal. I watched her, feeling a strange mix of emotions. Despite everything, despite hating my father for all the ways he neglected me, I still loved him. He was my father, … Read more
Chapter 02 Emily’s POV I found Zane playing in the yard, his laughter a bright contrast to the storm swirling inside me. After telling Keith about my father being shot, he looked up, concern etched on his face. “Do you need anything?” he asked, his voice softer than usual. I knelt beside Zane, forcing a … Read more
Chapter 1 Emily’s POV My husband didn’t love me. He never had, and he never would. So we divorced. The divorce decree trembling in my hands. Now I was here to give him the final papers and pick up my son. Now I was here to give him the final papers and pick up my … Read more