“Oh,” Miles says. “That.”I have so many questions that I’m unsure where even to start. Why? How? My mind is a mess.Fortunately, Miles takes pity on me and starts talking without any prompting.“Thea and Garnar have cost you your normal life, Esther. I wasn’t going to let them take away your family
Three hours later, Miles has satisfied me in almost every way a man can satisfy a woman. All of my bones are liquid, I don’t think I could find the strength to move from my spot on this bed if a fire broke out right next to me.Miles, however, already seems ready for another round, his vitriol unmat
“Esther?”“I’m okay,” I say. “Better than okay.”Miles’s grin stretches wide. “Good. That’s what I was going for.”“I would have thought it would be obvious,” I tell him. I set aside the water and settle back down onto the blankets. He tosses aside the washcloth and joins me.“I’ve never given it so
Life continues on for a while as it ever does. Pressing forward whether you are ready for it or not.Garnar continues to whisper poison into my daughters’ ears. I try to correct it when I can, but I can see their growing distain in their day to day interactions with me.I try to do things with them,
“Who is that?” Violet asks.“Politician,” Iris replies.“That’s Representative Miles Hamilton,” I tell them. “He’s running for president.” I want to impress them so I say, “I can wave. Maybe he’ll come over and say hi.”“Yeah, right, Mom,” Iris says, rolling her eyes.Iris nudges Violet away and the
I’m heartbroken and humiliated. Even the producers and handlers working for Miles can see that, and start ushering the camera crews away.There are conversations that need to be had, likely therapists that need to be hired. But none of that needs to happen right here.“I love you, Iris, and you, Vio
Not sure what else to do, I turn and walk right out of the room.“I’ll call you when dinner is ready!” he says after me.And not all that long later, he does.“Food’s on! Everyone to the table!” Garnar announces at the base of the stairs.I step out of my room, still confused.The girls are confused
My realtor, Mrs. Pine, is a stout woman in her late fifties. Like me, she was a homemaker for much of her life, though unlike me, she has a supportive husband who encouraged her to find a job once their kids grew up and left the house.Still, she is personable and reliable. She’s never late, always
“We should watch the rest,” I tell him, though my voice is shaky. “No,” Miles says, more firmly. I breathe a sigh of relief. For my job, I know we have to hear it. But personally, I would like to go the rest of my life without even thinking about Edward Zimmer again. “The numbers are already u
Edward’s response comes in the form of a video message. Crystal set it up on the television on the wall, while Miles and I huddle closer to the screen. Miles holds tightly onto my hand. “Whatever happens. Whatever he says. We will stand against him and we will win,” he says. I believe him. Last
How could I say anything but yes? A thousand times over, yes, yes, yes. I’ve tried so hard since that first night, sleeping with Miles while thinking him a call boy, to not fall in love with him. Yet, as hard as I tried not to, my heart kept pulling me straight back to him. My love for Miles is so
We hold the press conference in front of the headquarters, setting up a podium outside the double doors. The news media organizations have been notified, so they send reporters and cameramen, who have set up around the podium. The release we sent out already told them that the conference would be
Later, I’m going to have to have a meeting and call in all the employees to discuss this. Their care is appreciated, but I need to be able to do my job. For now, though, it seems as if Crystal gets the hint. With a shallow nod, she continues her report. “Mr. Zimmer has been quiet since the inter
Garnar, knowing I was giving a difficult interview tonight, offered to watch the kids. Since they are at Garnar’s house, I expected the house to be empty when I finally returned. Instead, I see Miles’s car parked in my driveway and the additional security staked out around the premises. It’s a rel
Jean was warned about the story, but she still gasped. My eyes went a little wide. We came here to talk about this, but Daphne’s direct wording leaves me speechless. Daphne didn’t come here just to tell a story. She was ready to reveal her truth, once and for all. “Esther and I were victims,” Da
In the Harbinger HQ, in one of the studio sets arranged to look like a fancy living room, Daphne and I sit side by side on a white couch, facing an interviewer, a woman interviewer named Jean, who sits on an arm chair facing us. The setting is intimate, and Jean is a kind, middle-aged woman, who i
“Miles…” Emotion overflows within my heart. There are so many things I want to say, to express – my gratitude, my own affections, explanations about why this has been so difficult for me to accept – yet in the moment, everything gets tangled up in my throat. “Miles…” My tears fall from my chee