The Bound Between Us

Chapter 981

Tavon's face was tight with anger, barely holding it together.

When he spoke, his jaw clenched and a muscle twitched in his cheek. Deep down, he was scared. If Sandy really had something to do with this... that was too much to handle.

Sandy turned and met Tavon's eyes, calm and unflinching, almost indifferent.

Then she smiled-soft, almost sweet, but cold enough to send a shiver down his spine. "Dad, once bitten, twice shy, is that it? You think I made Mom jump? After all these years, you haven't changed a bit. It's always someone else's fault. Why don't you ask yourself what you did to her? What you said to her?"

Sandy's voice grew sharper, her anger building. She stood up, staring him down. "Why don't you think about how Salma and Anastasia treated her? Mom begged you to come home, but you wouldn't. You kept waving divorce papers in her face. You broke her, Dad. You were the last straw."

Her words landed hard. She looked delicate, the picture of a classic Willowbrook girl, but there was nothing soft about her now-just ambition and ice.

Sandy drove Tavon into a corner with every word, her gaze fierce. "You, Salma, Anastasia—you're all responsible."

That was it. Tavon's bluster faded away.

in front of everyone. He'd meant it, too. As soon as Pattie's surgery was done, he'd planned to end things with Ashley. Letting it drag on was just

at Sandy, all he saw was anger and hurt. He felt a chill. "I wanted to divorce your mom," he admitted, his voice low. "But I never thought she'd... do

been talking about divorce for a year. Ashley just refused to

wanted," Sandy said, her voice trembling just a little. "Mom's lying there now. Nothing left to get in your way. You and your precious firstborn can finally play happy family."

a moment, it was like he'd caught

whispered. "I failed your mom. But this... it wasn't Salma or Anastasia's fault. I went to Riverdale to get away

Sandy's eyes Softened, sadness

f

much, tried to control everything. And you... you didn't marry her because you wanted to. The Stanton family forced your hand. Mom never saw things clearly. All these years,

so grown-up. For a second,

wasn't mean. You're right, I was selfish. I hurt her. I hurt Salma too Sandy, I just want to sit with

about the letter that ended

at her eyes. "The doctor said talking to her might help. Maybe there's still

giving Tavon