Whispers Turn to Whimpers: Could He Ever Change?

Seeing Rebecca White trembling with emotion, Francis Johnson frowned and reached out, grasping her wrist.

His voice was low and steady. "Rebecca, this was a coincidence. An accident. Caroline Bennett didn't mean to go the wrong way, and I never thought you'd get hurt."

Rebecca let out a cold, bitter laugh.

"So you're both innocent? And what does that make me—just someone who deserved it?"

"That's not what I meant-"

Rebecca's eyes brimmed with tears. "What did I do to deserve this? Why do I have to pay for it?"

"Rebecca, it's over now."

Francis tightened his hold on her wrist, his tone softer, almost pleading. "I'll take care of you. For the rest of my life—always."

"No..."

Rebecca shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut in pain. For a moment, she simply couldn't accept this reality.

"No what?"

Francis's expression darkened, his gaze growing colder. "I don't get it. How does any of this change things between us? Whatever happened, we're together now. We have James. We can have a good life—"

"You don't understand. You just don't understand..." Rebecca's voice broke as she shook her head, her lashes wet with tears.

"Then what don't I understand?"

let out a short, humorless laugh. "Are you saying everything I've done for you is fake? I never

"Francis!"

off sharply, her lips

met, and suddenly,

eyes and

sudden change is it because of Eddy Jones? He's the one who told you all this,

paused, his smile turning

tell you these things? He still wants you, Rebecca. He's trying to come between us, to break us

for it? What, are you planning to get

on

to me, Rebecca. You're James's mother, my girlfriend, and soon you'll be my wife. There

motion, he pulled

he scooped her up and

struggled in his

the master bedroom door,

"Francis!"

heart pounded as she pressed her hands against his chest, trying to

been together long enough; she knew exactly

don't want this! I don't want

her, startled. "Why not? Nothing's changed-haven't we been

Ine

Francis was in his prime; once he'd tasted her, all his passion belonged to

"Is this about Eddy?"