LOGINThat night, long after the last of the guests had left for their rooms, Andrew and I returned to the presidential suite to find that the staff had decorated it in preparation for our stay. All the décor, right down to the bed sheets, had been switched out for matching red and gold pieces. The light
Andrew’s eyes met mine as I approached the altar. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. He looked so handsome in his classic black tuxedo that I could hardly wait for after the reception to be with him. As I took my place across from Andrew, I handed my bouquet to Lily. The priestess bega
One month later, I stood in a suite at a private beachside resort, admiring my wedding dress. It hugged my curves in all the right places while still gently brushing against the ground like a low-hanging cloud. Crystals glistened in the room’s fluorescent lights, and the train flowed behind me effor
“Let’s continue this in the bedroom,” I said, breathless. Andrew nodded his agreement. I pulled Andrew to his feet as he stuck the ring box back in his pocket. Then I dragged him back to the bedroom, leading him by the tie. Not that he needed to be dragged; he would have followed me anywhere by th
Andrew texted me and said his flight was delayed by a few errands he had to run, so I waited. And waited. I waited for an entire day, and even began to worry that Andrew had changed his mind. Then I heard a knock at my door. I leapt off the couch and rushed to answer it. Stopping just short of the
Noah left the next day. I took him to the airport, we exchanged a hug and a brief farewell, and then I watched him walk through the gate. That was the last time I ever saw him. With a heavy heart, I returned to an empty apartment. All our furniture and my belongings—what little I still had—were the
The article detailed my manslaughter conviction and release from prison, as well as where I worked and for how long. I couldn’t believe all the details that the writer had gotten. I looked at the journalist’s name. Matthew Shoemaker. Who was this man, and where did he get all this information? I
Halfway through eating, though, I started to feel nauseated and foggy. I had a hard time moving my muscles, and I felt disoriented. I hadn’t had more than a glass of wine, but I felt incredibly drunk. I couldn’t remember much of what happened next, but I did remember Lisa and Bob taking me to my b
I was enjoying a nice evening at home when I heard a pounding at my door. I looked out the peephole and saw that it was my landlord. Confused since I had already paid that month’s rent, I opened the door only enough to show my face. “Good evening, Mr. Schmidt,” I said in the most cheerful voice I
I smiled softly. There really was no arguing with that assertion. “Very well. I accept your proposal,” I said. “Thank you.” Andrew smiled back at me. “Good. I know that it must be hard to accept help right now—” “It’s not that. Well, it’s not only that. It can just be hard to believe sometim







