After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

His voice cracked with nervousness, but his smile crashed when he saw Elaine's face remain completely blank.

She slowly shook her head. "You still just hear whatever the hell you want to hear, don't you?"

Her voice was quiet but razor-sharp. She stared at him standing there looking lost and repeated herself more

clearly.

"Did you honestly think this was just about the baby? I already told you-you broke your promise first. We can't

just rewind and pretend nothing happened. Terminating spregnancy doesn't erase what you did to me."

"No, wait that's not fair-you said if I—" he stammered, grasping for words that wouldn't come.

He'd screwed up first. He'd hurt her. He'd done this to them.

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But how could he just let her walk away?

He tried to keep it together, but his eyes betrayed him, turning red at the corners. His breathing got heavier as

he looked up at her.

"I know | messed up. Can't we just... move forward? We'll build something better. Create new memories. | swear

to God, Elaine, I'll get it right this time."

He thought if he just sounded desperate enough, she'd cave. He was sure she must still trust him.

But her face might as well have been carved from stone.

"Just drop it, Alistair. | don't need anything from you except distance. Everything you've done ‘for my sake' has

only made things worse."

She turned to leave. At the door, she paused just long enough to glance back over her shoulder. "I'll find my own

way."With that, she was gone.

The room fell dead silent with just Alistair and Vivian left. After what felt like forever, as he turned to escape,

Vivian's weak voice stopped him.

"Be honest. If she didn't exist... would you ever have actually wanted me?"

Her voice was barely audible. He didn't even turn around.

"No," he said flatly. "The plan was always to dump you once | had the baby."Without the baby, there was no point

in the charade anymore.

It never occurred to Alistair Chase to consider how his hot-and-cold routine might destroy someone. She

despaired when she watched him rush out.

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Rain tapped against the window like impatient fingers. She dragged herself across the room and pushed the

window open, letting cold drops splash her face.

Storm clouds gathered overhead as she held her hand out into the rain. The chill crept into her bones, but she

barely noticed. Through blurry eyes, she watched Alistair hurry through the parking lot with his umbrella, never

once looking back at her.

A thought formed in her mind, what if she jumped? Right now?Would she die right in front of him?

Would he feel even a fraction of the regret for her sfor Elaine?

She leaned forward, her upper body crossing the windowsill. The rain intensified, shocking her back to

reality.Why give him the satisfaction of an easy ending? If she went to the hell, she'd make damn sure to drag

them both with her.

A cold, calculating look crossed her face. She ran her hand over her empty womb and locked away any

remaining emotions behind dead eyes.