After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 8

In that moment, the world around her seemed to blur as she collapsed to the floor. Her phone rang, and she answered mechanically, hearing Alistair's voice.

"The baby's stable now. I've released the blood supply back to the hospital."

She let out a hollow laugh as tears streamed down her face."Too late. My father just died."

Silence stretched between them, broken only by her quiet sobs. Finally, Alistair spoke. "I... I didn't think it would turn out like this."

The pain behind her eyes was unbearable. Elaine stared up at the ceiling, seems seeing her father's face looking back at her.

"God, Alistair, if only I'd never fallen for you," she whispered. "My dad would never have let me marry you. He wouldn't have gone after you when he found out about Vivian. He'd still be alive."

"I hate myself for ever loving you."Her voice-flat, lifeless.Something was slipping away from him, something he suddenly realized he wanted to hold onto.

gone dead. For the first time ever, she'd hung

turned to her father's

sorry. I failed you.""Dad, I'm

arrangements. Her eyes were swollen from endless crying, her chest hollowed out as if someone had physically carved her heart away. And

a call to her lawyer about

he told her gently. "Just three more days. And

days, Alistair tried to see her several times, but she refused

at the cemetery, his face

I've apologized

the warmth and longing that had once filled her eyes

me, Alistair."He froze,

regret."He stormed off without

Elaine's eyes rimmed