Chapter 4
“If you ever betray me, I’ll walk away from you.”
“Darling, I would never betray you.” Eddy took her hand and pressed it gently to his lips. “We’ll share the same bed in life, and the same grave in death. I won’t ever give you the chance to
leave me.“–
For years, Blanche had let herself be fooled by his devotion.
She gave a cold, silent laugh inside, before softening her voice. “But I trust you.”
Blanche was growing painfully aware that leaving Eddy wasn’t as simple as just making up her mind.
She’d barely been out of the city for two hours before Eddy tracked her down.
After all, in all of Novandria, the Simmons Group owned every major airport and ferry terminal. There was nowhere she could go that he couldn’t reach.
If Eddy refused to let her go, then she was truly trapped.
All she could do was wait–wait until the Director–General sent someone to take her away.
Eddy held her gently. “Thank you for trusting me, darling. But, just now, when you said you were taking Mom away–where exactly did you mean?”
Blanche pulled away. With her eyes downcast, Eddy didn’t notice the disgust flickering across her face. “Mom’s grave has been neglected for years. I want to move her ashes to a funeral home for now, somewhere they can be properly cared for.”
Eddy let out a breath of relief. He slipped off his jacket and draped it over Blanche’s shoulders, handed her the umbrella, and crouched down to clear the weeds growing around the
headstone.
“The ground here is getting soft. You’re right–it needs work. I’ll have the caretaker move her
ashes out first.”
“Actually,” he continued, “a few years ago, I bought a plot in your name. I built a memorial garden there, just for your mother. In a few days, I’ll have an expert choose the best day to move her.”
“It’s right between the hills and the sea. I had them plant tulips–all your mother’s favorites. There’ll be staff to keep it clean, and security to watch over it. I know she’d love it.”
“I wanted to wait for her anniversary and surprise you.”
Eddy stood, reaching for Blanche’s hand.
Thunder rolled overhead, lightning split the sky.
“It’s not safe here,” he said softly. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 4
He shielded her with the umbrella as they walked down the hillside.
Blanche glanced at Eddy’s familiar, earnest expression, and her thoughts drifted back to the hardships she’d shared with her mother a decade ago–how it was Eddy who had stepped forward to help them then. Her mother’s final days had been peaceful, all because of him.
He’d given her so much. So why had he turned around and betrayed her?
Blanche’s mouth trembled around the truth she desperately needed to claw out of him. But then Eddy pulled open the car’s passenger door.
Sitting there was Jeannette.
Every question, every word of pain, caught in Blanche’s throat and died there.
Jeannette wore a white sundress with a little shawl thrown over her shoulders. The bare skin of her neck and collarbone was mottled with bruises–unmistakable marks of someone else’s affection. Around her neck, a chain glinted, a ring threaded on it, half–hidden beneath the fabric. Blanche’s wedding ring.
Not long ago, Blanche had lost that ring and been devastated. Eddy had even removed his own, promising to have both melted down and reforged into a new, more perfect pair.
Now, on Eddy’s left hand, the ring he still wore caught the storm’s light, cold and sharp–a blade that sliced into Blanche’s chest, tearing her heart to shreds, leaving her raw and bleeding.
He had brought Jeannette to her mother’s grave.
He’d given Jeannette her wedding ring.
A moment ago, she’d almost let herself believe there was still some truth in his affection, had even thought of confronting him–how laughable, how pitiful.
Eddy wasn’t worth a single tear.
Blanche’s heart shattered. She turned and walked away.
Behind her came a furious shout: “Get out! Who said you could sit in my wife’s seat?”
