Now, those photos–where I was leaning against him, and he was beaming so carefreely–were like jokes.
He told me, “Your name sounds like ‘smiley‘, and I promise, for the rest of my life, I will do my best to always make you smile.”
My brother was close by, so he arrived rather quickly. He fraze when he saw the mess. He walked over, and without another word, he pulled me up from the ground and hugged me tight.
The scrawny little kid who always latched himself to the hem of my shirts when we were kids was now a head taller than me.
He consoled me like how I had consoled him before. He gave my back gentle pats and, as if he was comforting a child, said, “Let it out, Miley. Let the tears out, and you’ll feel better.”
There was a crack in his voice, and when he walked in earlier, I saw that his eyes were completely bloodshot. So, I knew he had already cried in secret.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 4.
The tears that I had been holding back since last night finally broke through the dam, and I bawled so much I got a bit light–headed.
A flurry of footsteps sounded from outside the door. I snapped back to my senses. I had only just raised my head when my brother was already using his hand to wipe my tears away.
“Don’t worry. I’m right here with you.”
Then, with a stony expression, he winded his arm up and sent his fist flying straight into Shane’s face.
Susanna shrieked, then nervously took a step to the side. Shane groaned in pain, and it took several beats before he could get his bent–over self upright again.
“Where’s Robyn? Where did you hide her? She’s too scared to even answer her phone now?” spat my brother before raising his arm again.
Susanna hurriedly planted herself in front of Shane.
“Leonard, he’s still your brother–in–law.”
I chuckled bitterly. “Not for much longer.”
Shane turned his head toward me in surprise.
I took out the divorce papers I had prepared earlier out of my bag and placed them on the table. “Shane, let’s get a divorce.”
He narrowed his eyes at me–eyes that were filled more with disdain than shock.
Susanna was already in a panic. She walked over and grabbed hold of me.
“Miley, did you really get rid of the baby?”
When she did not hear a reply, she thrashed her fist on her chest repeatedly and wailed, “My heavens! That’s a child! A life! How could you just get rid of it just like that?”
Today’s Bonus Offer
