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 laughable. If

probably

grown up a clinging vine, never taught to

fifteen, she met Murray, who helped her escape the shadow of her stepfather, and she clung

love.

could marry a stranger—a well-behaved heiress—and not bat an eye, as long

up trouble

was too dependent on love, Fitch was the epitof

mindset was unhealthy,

of this longing, she understood his allure better than

was her

chase what

understood why she liked Fitch, but now it was

what she wanted, but

the table was like candy to

me? Serve tfor my

her to look up at him, and his face loomed over

way with Zoey because he knew

in his. Zoey was like a butterfly caught in a spider's web, unable to

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

his hands, he waited

even during the brief period he had lost his

the point.

loved to be kissed, and her

"Okay."

his face, she uttered the

turned cold

was still processing the turn of