All Chapters of BETRAYAL: The Day I Died.: Chapter 81 - Chapter 88

The phone rang in the kitchen just as I was rinsing Daisy’s cereal bowl. I dried my hands on a towel and picked it up, half expecting it to be Benjamin calling from the office.“Hello?”“Elizabeth?” The voice was warm, a little breathless. It took me a second to recognize it—Carla, one of the women who had worked with me back in Florida when I first opened my little shop. My heart skipped.“Carla? Oh my goodness, hi. It’s been so long.”“I know,” she said quickly. “I thought you would be busy. Elizabeth, people are talking about your products again. The shop is… it’s busy. Really busy.”For a moment, I thought I heard her wrong. “What do you mean busy?”She laughed softly, almost in disbelief herself. “Someone posted about your rose lip balm online. Do you remember that batch you made right before you left? She posted a picture saying it was the only thing that helped her chapped lips, and it spread like wildfire. Now people are asking where they can buy it. They’re coming into the sh

The air in the therapy office felt warmer this time. I didn’t know if it was the heater or something inside me, but walking in didn’t feel as heavy as the first time. I sat down on the couch, my hands resting in my lap. I wasn’t gripping them together like I used to.The therapist smiled at me, kind and patient as always. “Elizabeth, how have you been since our last session?”I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Better, I think.”Her eyebrows lifted slightly. “Tell me more.”I thought about it. “I remembered my appointment today without Benjamin reminding me. I wrote it down on the calendar in the kitchen, and when I walked past it this morning, I saw it.”“That’s wonderful,” she said softly. “That’s progress. A small victory.”Her words sat with me. Small victory. I hadn’t thought of it that way, but maybe she was right.I started telling her about Daisy’s homework. How she had spread her worksheets across the dining table, her pencil tapping as she worked through her

The sun was already warm when we pulled into the park. Benjamin carried the picnic basket in one hand and Daisy’s kite in the other. I walked a few steps behind them, watching Daisy skip ahead in her little sneakers, her laughter spilling into the air like music.It was one of those rare mornings when everything felt light. No appointments, no rushing, no worries pressing on my shoulders. Just us.Benjamin glanced back at me, his mouth curving in that quiet smile that always settled me. “You okay back there?”I nodded. “Just enjoying the view.”His smile grew wider, and he adjusted the basket. Daisy spun around, her curls bouncing. “Come on, Mom! We have to find the perfect spot before other people take it!”I laughed softly and hurried to catch up.We found a patch of grass under a wide tree, its branches stretching over us like an umbrella. Daisy dropped her little blanket with a proud sigh, as if she’d chosen the most important place in the world.“Perfect,” Benjamin said, setting

I thought it was just another Saturday.Benjamin told me in the morning that Marcus wanted us to come by the garden venue he was managing. He said Marcus needed an opinion for an event. I didn’t question it because Marcus has always been there for me. Benjamin told me to dress nicely, “just in case there’s a photographer taking sample shots.” His words made me roll my eyes, but I went along with it.I put on a soft cream dress I hadn’t worn in months, simple but comfortable. I didn’t feel like I was dressing for anything more than a walk through a garden. Daisy wore a pale pink dress with little ribbons in her hair, skipping around the room while Benjamin tried to get his tie straight.When we pulled up, I realized something was different. The garden was quiet, but not in the usual way. There were flowers everywhere, more than what I thought a normal event would need. White roses lined the walkway, and the chairs were arranged in two neat rows, facing a small wooden arch wrapped in vi