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.

with a sneer, he looked her over, head

you could lie so easily. Or that you're

That's not what you

He heard it.

He heard everything.

nearly left her

panic-confusion, then terror,

never meant to argue with Madge. Were you watching from the study balcony or

"Still not telling the truth? Let me make it clear-I wasn't watching from the balcony went outside for some

hear every word, and I finally know what happened

she should've gotten away. Then you covered it up, stalled for time and because of

reason she spent over twenty years lost, unable to

the one who

Mom and Dad

more distant from you. Maybe they suspected all along just couldn't prove

laid

you're talking about. What truth? What cover-up? You know as well as I do, Madge and I