The Woman Who Died Waiting

I looked directly at Declan. "Is this your idea too, Declan Ramsey?"

As she tilted her head, I saw it—a dark cluster of bruises on her neck, unmistakably a hickey. The sight sent a sharp, numbing pain through my chest.

This agarwood bracelet was Declan's engagement gift to me. We had picked out the raw material together at a spice expo in Seattle years ago. On our engagement day, he had personally polished and strung the beads, placing it on my wrist and promising we'd be together forever.

I knew Hazel had coveted it for a long time, but Declan had always refused her.

This time, however, he just averted his eyes, calculation and guilt warring in his expression.

"If you're not willing—"

"Fine."

With a short, harsh laugh, I unfastened the bracelet and held it out. I watched as Hazel slid it onto her own wrist, her face glowing with triumph, and offered a tight, polite smile. "It looks perfect on you."

Then, under Declan's bewildered stare, I left the manor with Julian in my arms.

Back at our villa, Julian was still crying softly. My own heart aching, I knelt and asked him, "Julian, do you want to leave this place with Mommy?"

He cried even harder. "Can't we stay, Mommy?"

"But Julian, if we stay, your father won't be happy. Do you really want to call him 'Uncle Declan' for the rest of your life?" I looked at him gently, holding back my own tears.

Julian clutched the box of LEGO bricks in his arms, a birthday gift from Declan last year.

"Mommy, can I celebrate my birthday with Daddy one more time? Just one last time, please?"

Looking at his pleading eyes, my resolve softened. I closed my eyes, pulled him into my arms, and nodded.

"Okay."

...

Julian's birthday was on February 12th. I made sure to remind Declan two days in advance, praying he would spend this last birthday with his son.

On the morning of his birthday, Julian changed into new clothes and asked me cautiously, "Mommy, Daddy will come back to celebrate with me, right?"

"Of course," I said, reassuring him as I sent a message to Declan.

"It's Julian's birthday today. Where are you?"

The message went unanswered. Silence.

Julian's hope slowly withered. He lowered his head, tightly gripping the ribbon on the cake box.

"Daddy's... not coming, is he?"

After a moment, he seemed to accept it. "It's okay. Uncle Declan is very busy. We shouldn't bother him. Let's cut the cake, Mommy."

It was the first time Julian had called Declan "Uncle" on his own.

He seemed to have finally accepted reality, but his forced smile couldn't hide the raw disappointment in his red-rimmed eyes.

Seeing Julian try so hard to be brave, a shard of ice-cold anger lodged itself in my chest.

I grabbed my phone, opened my chat with Declan, and was about to demand an explanation when a new message popped up.

It was from him.

"Come to the Ramsey Manor now."