Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Chapter 838

"How dare you?" The veins in his forehead bulged, each word forced out through clenched teeth.

Kathleen's eyes flickered, but she quickly masked it with confusion. "Honey, what are you even talking about?"

Teague let out a cold, hollow laugh. "Honey'? If you weren't feeling guilty, would you call me that right after I slapped you? Wouldn't you be screaming at me instead?"

Kathleen's face went rigid, a chill crawling up her spine to the back of her neck. "I... I just thought you must've been drunk to hit me..."

"I haven't had a drop tonight," Teague shot back.

Kathleen swallowed hard, her voice tinged with hurt. "What on earth happened that you'd lash out at me like this? I just don't understand..."

She broke off, a single tear sliding down her perfectly kept face. Even in distress, the corners of her eyes and mouth hinted at a mature beauty that time hadn't erased.

"I grew up loved and sheltered, you know. And you just hit me, like that. How am I supposed to hold my head up after this?"

Her voice grew softer with each word, her head bowing lower, the picture of a wounded wife complaining to her husband-half sulking, half pleading, and maybe, just maybe, trying to win him over.

a sneer, he looked her over, head to toe and back again, as if seeing her for the first

knew you could lie so easily. Or that you're

princess, all pampered and perfect? That's not

He heard it.

He heard everything.

nearly left her

darted in panic-confusion, then terror,

to argue with Madge. Were you watching from the study

icy. "Still not telling the truth? Let me make it clear-I wasn't watching from the

hear every word, and I finally know what

danger when she should've gotten away. Then you covered it up, stalled for time and because of you, the police missed their only chance to save

You're the reason she spent over twenty years lost, unable

You're the one who

Mom and Dad

along just couldn't prove it, and they were too busy searching for Madge to

the truth laid

know as well as