Chapter 9
Esme couldn’t stand another word. She turned away and headed straight for the backyard
pool.
The night air was sharp and cool. She had barely settled on the edge, feet skimming the water, when Joy appeared behind her.
“Mrs. Mitchell,” Joy called out, her hand resting on her pregnant belly, her smile all honey and poison. “Mr. Mitchell promised me a beach house in South Bay once the baby’s born.”
She leaned in, lowering her voice to a secretive whisper. “Oh, and do you know why Mr. Mitchell lost control that night after taking his medicine? At the party, I wore that white dress you always love–the exact same style. He thought I was you. So really, I owe you for everything I have now…”
Esme turned, about to reply-
A loud splash cut her off.
Joy suddenly tumbled headfirst into the pool, water exploding everywhere.
“Help! My baby-!” Joy screamed, flailing in the water, her voice shrill and terrified.
By the time the rest of the Mitchell family came running at the noise, they saw Joy struggling in the pool and Esme just standing there, face unreadable.
Chaos erupted.
Liam jumped in to pull Joy out, but before he could, Grandma Mitchell stormed up and slapped Esme across the face. “You heartless girl! Apologize right now!”
Esme’s head whipped to the side, blood appearing at the corner of her mouth.
Slowly, she turned back, a strange smile on her lips. “Fine. I’ll apologize.”
Then, without hesitation, she grabbed Joy–who’d just been dragged out–and shoved her right back into the pool.
A scream ripped from Grandma Mitchell.
Esme yanked off the Mitchell family’s heirloom bangle–the one Grandma Mitchell had given her on her wedding day–and threw it to the ground.
The bangle shattered with a sharp crack, fragments scattering under the moonlight.
As she walked away, Liam’s voice echoed behind her, calling her name in disbelief.
But this time, she didn’t look back.
Esme had just gotten home when the front door slammed open.
01.12
Chapter 9
Liam burst in, rain–soaked and out of breath, his jacket dripping, hair still wet. He must’ve chased after her without even stopping to think.
His eyes were wild–anger, panic, something else battling inside him.
“I did nothing wrong.” Esme’s voice was cold. “If you want me to apologize, then let’s just get a divorce.”
The word hit him like a punch. His face went ghostly pale.
“Don’t say that!” Liam’s voice shook. He rushed over, pulling her hard into his arms. “You know a divorce would destroy me!”
She looked up at his red–rimmed eyes and suddenly found it funny, in a sad sort of way.
“And what about me?” she whispered. “Liam, did you ever think about me?”
He froze, at a loss for words.
“I know you hate that Joy and the baby are here. But Grandma threatened to kill herself, and Joy… she did save my life once. How could I ask her to get rid of the baby?” His voice was rough. “Esme, please, try to understand…”
“So you thought about Grandma. You thought about Joy.” She gave a tired, crooked smile. “But you never thought about me, did you?”
He opened his mouth, but whatever he wanted to say never came out. He just held her tighter.
“It’s over now,” he murmured, his hand moving gently along her back, as if she were a child who needed calming. “I’ll talk to Grandma. Once the baby’s born, everything will go back
to normal…”
She leaned into his chest, breathing in that familiar cedar scent, and felt an overwhelming
tiredness settle in her bones.
His arms were still warm, his heartbeat steady and close. But her own heart felt colder
with every second.
There was no going back.
Never again.
Liam, I’m moving on with my life–and from now on, you’re not a part of it.
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