Dear Ex-wife Marry Me by Twin Bridge

"I'll marry you."

Those words, usually so full of promise and joy, hung heavy in the air, as they were tainted by the gravity of the moment and the

price of her freedom. Had they been spoken under different circumstances, she might have wept with happiness.

How could running someone over result in just a year behind bars? But when Fitch said one year, it meant that money would be

used to smooth things over, to gain the forgiveness of the victim's family,and to bargain for a lighter sentence.

One year. Just one year of her life in exchange for a future with Fitch.

Zoey leaned against the wall, oblivious to its chill—perhaps because her own body felt even colder.

She had so much to say, but Fitch's next words froze her in place.

"You wanted to marry me, didn't you?"

He knew. He remembered everything and had deliberately ignored her feelings.

She did have feelings for Fitch, deep ones.

But they were worlds apart. She had never known warmth, and had always yearned for it from others. Her mother's coldness only

fueled her desperate attempts to please her, which was a twisted mindset indeed.

Hfor her was like a decrepit wall, full of holes and about to crumble anytime, yet she stubbornly kept repainting it, convincing

herself it was still solid enough to lean on.

Fitch was different. He had learned early on not to rely on anyone. Affection was superfluous to him.

the insecurities of a girl from a broken home—in fact, he found it almost

probably pull out a gun and finish the

clinging vine, never taught to stand alone in matters of the

helped her escape the shadow of her stepfather, and she clung to the

love.

sentiments. He could marry a stranger—a well-behaved heiress—and not bat

up trouble

Zoey was too dependent on love, Fitch was the

her mindset was unhealthy, and

this longing, she understood his allure better than most

was her

we always chase what we don't

never quite understood why she liked Fitch, but

what she wanted, but

the offer on the table

to marry me? Serve tfor

look up at him, and his face loomed

his way with Zoey

and her hands were captured in his. Zoey was like a butterfly caught in a spider's web, unable

for what felt like an eternity, until her pale lips turned red

in his hands, he waited

had never kissed her like that before, not even during the brief period he had lost

the point.

kissed, and her eyes always

"Okay."

face, she uttered

expression turned cold immediately, as if he

still processing the turn of events, even when