Dear Ex-wife Marry Me by Twin Bridge

Abner had already made the call; his ride would be swinging by to pick him up shortly.

He had just finished a cigarette, a furrow creasing his brow. He didn't mind the cheap nicotine kick, but it always left a bitter

aftertaste in his mouth.

The sound of panicked voices drifted over to him, followed by the thudding footsteps of someone running in a frenzy.

"Queena, you gotta check this out, Phoebe just keeled over. She's in a bad way."

Pretending she was just hearing the news, Queena immediately dropped the axe she was holding.

Without giving Abner another glance, she bolted towards the commotion.

Abner kept his spot, puffing away. In his other hand, he fumbled with a match he'd nicked from the stove.

He sauntered toward the scene of the incident, only to find the cook who had given him the cigarette sobbing over a woman's

lifeless body.

The faces of the onlookers were grim; Queena had delivered the bleak news with a blunt, "She's a goner."

In just a short span, another life had slipped away—the gossipy Phoebe, of all people.

Murder wasn't a thought that crossed their minds; they simply couldn't fathom it. They chalked it up to a sudden, inexplicable

death.

let out a heavy sigh, urging the crowd to

the fringes, studying the pallor of the deceased woman. Her robust frame, borne of years

type to

he could only cast a suspicious glance towards

look after their

mourning Fabian, and now this family was struck by another

be here soon and in

he'd investigate who had betrayed him. None of this was his

swept the area, noticing the absence of

Tobias was the age to crave

on his cane, Abner decided to head over to

there, he spotted Tobias, huddled and

ghost-white, obviously scared out of

"Tobias?"

to the ground like

moment for Tobias

are we

onto his face; the boy's lips were bitten raw, a clear sign

dead body spook

"No, no, I just..."

a moment of mischief, he'd hidden away and

followed by

been so cold and detached, nothing like her usual gentle demeanor

he had stayed hidden, not

concept of murder and thought Phoebe might have died from the