Those few simple words were distant and indifferent, drawing a final boundary between us.
They consigned our 15 years of entanglement entirely to the past.
Derek tried to speak. He wanted to tell me how much he had missed me, confess his wrongs, and beg for forgiveness.
At that moment, a tall young man with clear, handsome features walked quickly to my side.
He slipped an arm through mine with easy intimacy and rested his head lightly against my shoulder.
His gaze was tender and affectionate, full of trust.
He was still young, vibrant, dazzling, and brimming with energy, in the finest years of adulthood.
The sight stabbed deep into Derek's eyes.
His pupils contracted, and the joy on his face vanished.
Overwhelming panic, jealousy, and devastation took its place.
His body shook vi
