Chapter 3

Pulling my coat tighter around myself, I crouched on the curb, shivering. Cars streamed endlessly down the road, yet not a single one had come for me.

I called Ryland again and again.

By the time my body felt numb with cold, a deafening boom exploded across the night sky. Brilliant fireworks bloomed overhead. The glowing declaration of love lit up the skies above Kingsley.

Passersby stopped to admire it, speculating about which lucky girl had managed to capture Ryland's heart.

Then they lowered their eyes and noticed me sitting there in disarray. Covering their mouths, they hurried away.

I let out a self-mocking laugh and looked up at the dazzling display.

Each burst of color felt like a death sentence for my marriage to Ryland.

...

Maybe it was the alcohol, but that night, I slept terribly.

One strange, fragmented dream after another drifted through my mind, until I thought I heard Ryland's voice.

"Cammie... Cammie..."

It had to be a dream. Ryland hadn't used my nickname in years.

Half asleep, half awake, I heard his voice again.

"Cammie, you have a fever. Why didn't you tell me? I'm taking you to the hospital right now. Don't be scared."

Before I could react, a sudden sensation of weightlessness swept over me.

The next time I became aware of my surroundings, I heard a car engine starting. Perhaps people are more vulnerable and more lucid when they're sick.

The entire drive, he seemed to be making call after call.

"I'm almost there. Don't worry.

"Don't be afraid. Everything will be fine.

"Be good. Listen to me."

When we arrived at the hospital, I forced my eyes open. I saw Ryland jumping out of the car and hurrying toward a slender woman standing at the top of the hospital steps. He wrapped her tightly in his arms.

I finally pieced together all those fragmented words I'd heard along the way. I now understood that none of them had been meant for me.

The distance between the car and the steps wasn't far. I watched as Ryland gently comforted her as the woman cried in grievance.

"This is my child. How could I not want it? Our baby will be born. He'll carry the Webster name. No one can change that."

Pain flooded every part of my body.

In that instant, I finally understood what made this girl different and why Ryland had been so public about their relationship.

Every step and gesture had been made at the expense of my wounds. He was stepping directly onto every scar I carried, crushing me completely and leaving no chance for me to survive.

During the first year of our marriage, we had a child too.

Because of my health, the pregnancy had always been unstable. For a while, Ryland even moved his work home so he could stay with me. He did everything he could to take care of me and the baby.

Until one day, he had to leave town for an important business meeting.

Wanting to surprise him, I secretly traveled to the city where he was staying, but I never made it there.

There was a car accident on the way.

When I woke up, the doctor told me our baby was gone. Because of the damage to my body, I might never be able to get pregnant again.

I would never forget the coldness and fury on Ryland's face that day.

"Your parents were right! You're useless! Completely useless! I never should've married you! You killed my child! My child!"

The man, who had once loved me so warmly, used the cruelest words imaginable, tearing my heart apart one sentence at a time.

Maybe our marriage had started falling apart from that moment on.

Nevertheless, for years, I clung desperately to the hope that somewhere inside our marriage, there was still a trace of love left to find.

After eight years and nine divorces, I was tired. I didn't want to keep searching anymore.

Maybe it would be easier to pretend we'd never loved each other at all.

I thought I had reached the point where nothing could hurt me anymore.

When Ryland returned after comforting her, he found me staring at him with bloodshot eyes.