The Heart I Gave The Love I Lost

Chapter 4

For a moment, time stood still. Rachel’s words hit Alexander like a physical blow, draining the color from his face. The cruel mask he’d been wearing cracked and fell away, replaced by raw shock and something that looked almost like terror. He stared at me lying there in the blood stained wreckage of broken glass, his mouth working but no sound coming out.

Finally, he found his voice: “You really are desperate, aren’t you, Sarah? Making up such an incredible lie for money?”

1 forced myself to my feet, swaying slightly, and met his contemptuous smile. Of course this was how he saw it. To him, I was just the heartless woman who’d abandoned him when he needed me most. Now that he was rich and powerful, naturally this gold digging ex–wife would say anything, do anything, sacrifice any shred of dignity for cash.

I held his gaze, absorbed his disgust and cold fury. The hollow in my chest where my heart used to be throbbed with phantom pain.

“A heart donation scam?” His laugh was bitter ice. “That’s a new low, even for you.

I gently pushed away Rachel’s supporting arm. My body felt like it was made of lead, but I forced myself to stand alone.

“Guess you caught me,” I said softly, with a ghost of a smile.

The look I gave Rachel stopped her protests. I watched understanding dawn in her eyes, watched her mouth open and close, watched the tears start falling as she realized why I still wouldn’t tell him the truth.

“You haven’t changed at all,” Alexander spat. “Still the same heartless liar.

I just kept that faint smile, saying nothing.

My silence seemed to infuriate him more than any defense could have. Before he could. launch into another tirade, Emily laid a manicured hand on his arm.

Chapter 4

be truly desperate to make up such a story. Can’t we show

some compassion?”

out his checkbook, wrote

Since drinking supposedly kills you, use this to pre–pay your

carefully, to pick up the check. My fingers trembled slightly as I

smoothed it out.

voice was barely above a whisper.

concern, gripping my

dripping with fake sympathy. “Even if you’re desperate, you shouldn’t

she dramatically fell back into

help…” She dabbed at her eyes, manufacturing tears.

He signaled security, and Rachel and I were escorted out

finally broke down. “Why won’t you just tell him the truth?” she sobbed. “You don’t have to endure this abuse!”

point of dragging up Besides, look this would have taken

the

past now?

about this?” Rachel choked out. “After how

was never about weighing pros and cons or measuring worth. I just wanted him to live. That’s all there

to it.