Tear to wither away

Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Confrontations Brew

Liam confronted Vincent at a family barbecue, the air thick with grill smoke and corn on the cob. Anne’s parents hosted, string lights twinkling, kids running through sprinklers. Liam cornered Vincent by the cooler. “Treat my sister right, or else,” he said low, voice like gravel. Vincent laughed it off, cracking open a beer. “Mind your business, Liam.” But unease crept in—he started locking his phone, deleting messages.

Anne, meanwhile, dreamed of Theodore, waking with his name on her lips. Her heart was torn between loyalty and desire, a tightrope over a canyon. At the gallery, a buyer—a wealthy collector in a linen suit—praised her new work: “It’s alive with passion. Who hurt you?” Anne smiled tightly. Clara suspected a romance: “Good for you, girl. Take what’s yours".

Anne’s days blurred between pretense with Vincent and stolen moments with Theodore. He took her to a secluded cabin for a weekend—pine trees, a crackling fireplace, no cell service. They talked for hours, made love slowly, traced constellations on each other’s skin. Anne felt reborn. Vincent, suspecting nothing, planned a surprise getaway with Aria to a beach resort, lying to Anne about a “work conference in Miami.” He packed sunscreen and condoms, kissed her cheek goodbye. Mrs. Harlow saw Anne with Theodore in the park, their heads bent close over a shared book. She smiled knowingly, pruning her roses.