Jane

“Okay, you can do this. You can do this. You can do this.”I repeat to myself, staring at the phone in my hands with utter trepidation.

The pups are sleeping soundly in their bedroom, and I’m getting ready to sacrifice my dignity in their honor.

I’m not sure how Ethan will respond to my phone call, if he’ll even answer when he sees my number on the screen. I’m half tempted to go find a pay phone and calI from a number he won’t recognize, but I decide to try this first. Taking one last deep breath, I dial and hit the send button, raising the device to my ear.

It seems to ring for an utter eternity, but eventually the line clicks, and Ethan’s deep voice sounds in my ear.

“Jane?”

The familiar sound sends a shiver down my spine. “

Hello Ethan.”

“I thought I told you not to contact me.” Ouch, I know l expected failure, but that seems harsh, even for Ethan.

“Actually you just told me to leave, you didn’t say I couldn’t ever reach out.”I correct him hoarsely. It’s only been four weeks, but it feels like an eternity since we last spoke. Those early days after l left with the pups had passed in a haze that still haunted me, and it feels so surreal just to hear his familiar voice.

“Well I should have.” He growls. “I didn’t realize I had to spell everything out letter by letter. I thought you were smarter than that.”

“Wil you just listen for a moment.” I beg, hating how cruel he’s being.

He pauses for a moment. “Is something wrong?

“Well that depends on how you define wrong.” I snap. “Your pups are absolutely heartbroken without you. They don’t understand why they can’t see you, they’re completely traumatized from the Southern lsles – every other night they’re having nightmares and begging for you instead of me, and yesterday they attempted to run away to the North Pole so they could ask Santa to bring you back to them for Christmas.”

for a response, wondering if he’s even still there. “Ethan?” I prompt after

all? He questions

and were taking off into the mountains. They’re desperate to be with you and they don’t understand why you’re suddenly not in their

hate you?” He snaps, sounding even harsher than he had a

don’t think I told them that you’d abandoned them, do you?” I hiss. “I took the blame for you so they wouldn’t develop a complex, and now they think that it’s my fault they

fault. If you’d done what you

I can’t believe how badly it hurts to hear him speak to me this way. He wasn’t

“So you don’t even care that you’re punishing the pups for my

care that they’ re completely innocent and they worship the ground you walk on

understand why you’re complaining?” Ethan counters. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted? You were planning to

I burst out,

what?” He

made me love

this little about the children, why did you fight for me the way you did, why did you make me love

for faking your death

You deserved to pay.”

heart, but

yeah, maybe I snuck a lesson in there for you along the way, but this was your dream

before I can say another word, and before I can stop myself I hurl my phone against the wall, flinching when it strikes and bounces off again, clattering to the ground. I follow suit, sinking onto the floor and wrapping my arms around my knees, finally letting my tears fall freely. How could I ever have been fooled by that man,

up at my door on my sixteenth Christmas, bearing food and gifts for me and mom. I know how I fell in love with him, he’d been sweet, protective and affecti0nate nothing like the monster he was now. Where did that Ethan go? What happened to that loving, generous

the emerald necklace he’d bought to match my eyes. It was the first gift l’d opened, and already it was more valuable than

can.” He grinned. “l picked it out just

it’s too much!” I insisted. “Girls like me aren’t meant for jewels and finery, and I’ll never

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