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.

urging the crowd to "grieve

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

type to just

was no doctor; he could only cast a suspicious glance towards Queena, who

after

now this family was struck

bored. His people would be here soon and in three days' time, he'd be out

back, he'd investigate who had betrayed him.

gaze swept the area, noticing

eleven, Tobias was the age to crave excitement, yet he was nowhere to

decided to

he spotted Tobias,

ghost-white, obviously scared out

"Tobias?"

drop to

a moment for Tobias

we heading

lips

the dead

"No, no, I just..."

to tell. In a moment of mischief, he'd

argument, followed by

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

he had stayed hidden, not making

was too young to grasp the concept of murder and thought Phoebe might