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

Chapter 86

The slap knocked Gloria onto the marble floor. Her lip split, cheek burning red.

The room spun, voices blurring into white noise. Her trembling fingers touched her face, and the pain sent tears streaming down her cheeks. In all these years, Elijah had never hit her. Before she could process what happened, he'd already stormed

out.

Gloria scrambled up and ran after him. She'd seen this before—she knew exactly how Jenna's accident could play out.

Thunder cracked overhead as rain pounded the streets. Through the downpour, she spotted them: Elijah crushing Jenna against his chest.

"It was supposed to be my night," Jenna sobbed, pushing at his chest. "And she pulls this psycho move? I can't show my face in there again. If she's still this obsessed with you, I'm done competing. Go back to your little stalker-"

Elijah gripped her tighter. "That's never happening. I could never want her. You know I've been yours since day one. Pushing me away like this? You might as well put a bullet in my heart."

He leaned in for the kiss, but headlights suddenly cut through the rain.

in her throat as

ER exploded into chaos. Medical staff swarmed Elijah with equipment,

rasped, voice weak but

you've got

That's

rushed Jenna into surgery, but minutes later a doctor

stumbling off the

"Sir, you're already critical-"

"Just do it!"

drained him until he looked like a ghost. Only when they confirmed Jenna was stable did he finally pass out, letting them wheel him

another second. She fled the hospital, reality hitting harder than the slap. He didn't just love Jenna—she was his everything. If she'd understood that in her past life, maybe she wouldn't have ended up

and sketches she'd destroyed. Only one person could have saved them for tonight's show-Jenna herself. But why? She already had Elijah completely devoted to

Elijah checked out of the hospital. His first move? Having security