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.

of a girl from a broken home—in fact,

that wall, he'd probably pull

up a clinging vine, never taught

her escape the shadow of her stepfather, and she clung to the most beautiful illusions

love.

could marry a stranger—a well-behaved heiress—and not

up trouble

Zoey was too dependent on love, Fitch was the

knew her mindset was unhealthy, and she longed for Fitch's

she understood his

that was her

always chase

never quite understood why she liked Fitch, but now it was

knew what she wanted, but

offer on the table was

me? Serve tfor

to look

way with Zoey because he knew

Zoey was like a

what felt like an eternity, until her pale lips

cradling her face in his hands, he waited for her

during the brief

the point.

and her eyes always begged him for

"Okay."

his face, she uttered

let her go, and his expression turned cold immediately, as if he had conducted a

feeling she was still processing the turn of events, even