Chapter 6
They remembered those days–Lynne remembered them too.
After Balfour’s “death,” Lynne had survived by clinging to those memories. But now, every recollection stabbed through her chest like shards of broken glass, each breath slicing her heart with fresh pain.
“So, what are you all gossiping about now?”
A familiar, warm arm slipped around Lynne’s waist. Balfour’s voice sounded right beside her ear.
Her friends exchanged knowing glances, grinning as one of them teased, “Look at that! Leave you alone for five minutes and Balfour’s afraid you’ll run off without him!”
Balfour’s lips curled in a soft smile. He was about to reply when the grand doors of the banquet hall burst open.
A figure, wild–eyed and desperate, locked her gaze on Balfour and rushed toward him like a storm.
She threw herself into his arms, clutching him with all her strength.
“Balfour, I thought I’d lost you forever!“}]
Balfour stood frozen. But when he realized Cynthia was barefoot, her face streaked with tears and a raw scrape across her cheek, the laughter in his eyes vanished. Instinctively, he pulled her closer.W
“Who’s that girl?”
“No idea. What’s going on between her and Balfour?”
Whispers broke out around them.
Balfour’s gaze snapped to Lynne.M
E
The moment Cynthia appeared, Lynne’s fingers curled into trembling fists. Today was supposed to be her birthday–a quiet farewell with old friends before she left for good. Even that, Cynthia had managed to ruin.
In a single moment, every last shred of Lynne’s dignity crumbled.
Balfour watched as Lynne swayed unsteadily, a flicker of panic in his eyes. But before he could speak, Cynthia, her makeup a mess of tears, buried her face in his chest.
Balfour’s eyes lingered on the angry red marks around Cynthia’s neck and the scattered bruises. Rage flashed across his face; his entire body seemed to radiate fury as he barked, “Who did this to you?“M
Trembling, Cynthia finally lifted her head and whispered so only the three of them could hear, “It was… Uncle Brown. He said you were just… just toying with me. He…. he tried to-“W
“That bastard!”
Balfour yanked off his jacket, wrapping it around Cynthia’s shoulders, then swept her up into his arms.
Lynne instinctively grabbed Balfour’s sleeve, trying to stop the storm brewing in him.
Not long ago, Balfour had already gotten himself arrested for fighting. Lynne had worked herself ragged to keep the story out of the papers. This time, he couldn’t afford another reckless outburst.}}
She opened her mouth to plead with him, but Balfour shot her a glare so cold it cut her off.
“Lynne, I’ll make it up to you. You’ll have your birthday dinner another day. But you’re a woman–can’t you at least try to understand?”
Lynne’s words lodged in her throat. After a moment, she let out a brittle laugh. “So that’s what you think of me?“>
Balfour’s face set in hard lines. Cynthia clung tighter to his shirt.
His voice dropped, heavy and dark. “Isn’t it true?“#
He shoved past Lynne and strode out of the hall with Cynthia in his arms.
As the doors slammed shut behind them, the room exploded with voices.
“See that? All that lovey–dovey stuff was just for show!“%
“What does it matter, anyway? Time flies, and there’s always a new pretty face waiting in the wings. Lynne can’t possibly fend them all off
Their words scalded Lynne’s ears like boiling water
She forced a smile, mechanically seeing off guest after guest. Even under the worried gazes of her friends, she clung to the last ragged scraps of her dignity. The slap Balfour had just dealt her–she would have to cover that up herself.
Only when the crowd had gone, leaving the scent of flowers lingering in the empty hall, did she collapse. She dropped to the floor like a kite with its string cut, battered and broken by the storm Every ounce of anguish burst from her as she lay there, sobbing without any
pretense left.
The man who once swore to protect her for a lifetime had deceived her, shattering her entire world.
