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.

Teague was unmoved. His face remained cold and expressionless. Then, with a sneer, he looked her over, head to toe and

never knew you could lie so easily.

That's not what you said tonight at

He heard it.

He heard everything.

nearly left

darted in panic-confusion, then terror, then

never meant to argue with Madge. Were you watching from the study balcony or something? Is that

make it clear-I wasn't

word, and I finally know what happened to Madge all

back into danger when she should've gotten away. Then you covered

you. You're the reason she spent over twenty years

one who tore

Mom

more distant from you. Maybe they suspected all along just couldn't prove it, and they were

truth laid bare, Kathleen clung to her

what you're talking about. What truth? What cover-up? You know as well as I