This Time, Let Them Fall

Synopsis

Blaire Shaw, the seven-year-old orphan of my husband Matthew Nolan's comrade, leapt off our balcony. I had loved her as my own for three years, cared for her with everything I had. But she left a diary behind. Angry, hurting words on every page, calling me two-faced. She wrote: [Mrs. Nolan always calls my mom a tramp and even hits me, saying I'm just a burden.] [She says when I'm gone, she won't have to pretend to love me anymore.] Each sentence was a verdict. My execution order. Blaire's mom, Cynthia Evans, collapsed into Matthew's arms, sobbing. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at me, then slapped me hard across the face. "Evelyn, how could you be so cruel?" He just held Cynthia, letting everyone condemn me without saying a word in my defense. "The worst mistake I ever made was marrying you," he spat. Everyone I loved turned away. My life and work fell apart. In the end, I jumped. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the second day of my wedding with Matthew. He was looking at me with concern. "Evie, bad dream?" I looked at him, and for a split second, deep in his eyes, I saw a flash of coldness that mirrored my own.