I lost our baby at four months. I listened to the doctor say what a shame it was. I listened to the nurses complain that they couldn't reach my husband by phone. I listened to the caretaker explain that Mr. Simmons was too busy, but that he'd paid generously for my care.

Even the caretaker had advice for me.

"That's just how it is for women."

"If you want to be happy in this life, sometimes you've got to look the other way."

My heart was being carved open. I broke down in that hospital room, sobbing until I couldn't breathe. I clawed at myself, screamed, did everything I could to make Justin look at me. Just one look. That was all I wanted. He wouldn't even give me that.

Because.

Justin said.

"When you lost the baby, Odette blamed herself. She wanted to break up with me."

"I thought."

"I could let her go."

"But," his voice hardened, "I can't."

"I can't lose Odette. The same way I couldn't lose you back then."

His words ripped through me. Tears flooded down my face, and my chest split open like something had torn it apart with bare hands. Every organ ached. I couldn't breathe. I grabbed whatever I could reach and hurled it at him, watching blood bloom across his skin, watching him refuse to dodge. Then my legs gave out. I collapsed to my knees in front of him, fists knotted in his shirt, choking on my own voice.

"Why!"

"Why, Justin!"

"Tell me why!"

Why did you choose me.

Why did you fall in love with me.

Why did you throw away everything to build me a home, only to burn it down with your own hands.

Why did you hold the umbrella over my head, then shred it to pieces.

Why!

He didn't answer. He didn't hold me the way he used to. When I lunged forward and tried to kiss him, he turned his face away. He wouldn't even look at me.

"Odette said."

"If she can still smell you on me."

"She won't let me touch her."

Ice swallowed me whole. Every nerve in my body went dead, as if I'd been nailed to the floor. Even my tears stopped. I stared at the man in front of me, watched him pick up his coat, walk to the door.

"Louisa."

"Think it over."

Think it over.

I laughed.

I laughed until the laughter cracked into sobs, and the sobs cracked into screaming, and the screaming echoed through the empty apartment until it became the only sound left in my life.

Then Odette's message came through. A wedding design mockup. And her words underneath.

"Louisa, see this?"