Elissa’s eyes were clear as ss, her voice feigning innocence. “Didn’t <i>you </i>say there was something urgent when you left? I figured it must be important, so I didn’t want to bother


    you.”


    Frank fell silent, caught off guard by her words.


    For a split second, he wondered: if stopping Marcia from going on that date meant Elissa would get hurt like this, would he still have done it?


    His hesitation was written all over his face as he nced up, meeting her gentle, obedient


    expression.


    A heaviness settled in his chest. He grabbed the first aid kit, and as he dabbed antiseptic on her wounds, he asked quietly, “Why didn’t you ever tell me about being hurt before?”


    Elissa didn’t answer.


    She had truly wanted to be Mrs. Frank Atwater, to make a good home with him. She’d believed–maybe naively–he’d make a good partner. In everyone’s eyes, the Murphy family was her family, after all. Who wouldin to their husband about how terribly their own family treated them? She wasn’t that foolish, nor did she ever believe she was especially cherished by Frank.


    <i>She’d </i>always known he didn’t really love her. Only recently had she realized he never loved her at all.


    But she’d never nned to live her life relying on anyone’s affection.


    Her hands rested on her knees, picking absently at her fingertips. Her voice was quiet, almost apologetic. “I just didn’t want to put you in the middle between me and the Murphys.”


    “After all, Atwater Group still needs to wor


    with them.”


    She couldn’t tell him the truth. So she lied, but it was the only thing she could say with any sincerity.


    Frank listened, his throat tight with guilt. Her thoughtfulness shouldn’t be the reason he kept hurting her.


    He took a deep breath, forcing down the ache in his chest, and gently ruffled Elissa’s hair, his tone soft and coaxing. “I’m sorry. I really messed up this time. I even forgot our anniversary the other day. Little Elissa, is there anything you want? I’ll get you anything.”


    A house, a car, jewelry, designer bags–he’d always been generous with those things.


    12.20


    Elissa thought for a moment, her answer barely above a whisper. “Then, I hope you’ll like the birthday gift I got you.”


    “That’s it? That’s all you want?”


    She nodded lightly.


    At twenty, Elissa’s birthday wish had been to marry Frank. At twenty–four, all she wanted was to leave him–cleanly, without regret.


    When her eyes met Frank’s sincere gaze, she felt a twinge of guilt, for the first time.


    But before she could say anything else, Frank’s phone rang. The ringtone was different from his usual one–personalized. She nced at the screen. Marcia.


    Frank answered. Whatever was said on the other end made his expression turn serious. He shot to his feet. “Is it bad? Why didn’t you call a driver? How did you even twist your


    ankle?”


    “Send me your location. I’ll be there right away!”


    He hung up, ready to leave, but he’d only tended to half of Elissa’s wounds. The cotton swab in his hand, still damp with antiseptic, left him momentarily torn.


    Elissa reached out and took the swab from him, her voice calm and reassuring, as if offering him an easy way out. “I can do the rest myself. If you have something to take care of, go ahead.”


    People always said that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. But Elissa’s life was different. Whenever she cried orined, it never broughtfort–only more punishment.


    Still, she believed that one day, she’d buy her own “candy.” As much as she wanted.


    “…Alright.” Frank let out a breath, relieved, then added almost defensively, “It’s Marcia. She’s hurt, and she’s got the kid with her. I should go check on them.”


    With that, he turned and hurried out.


    Almost without thinking, Elissa called after him, “Frank–howe I’ve never heard you


    call her ‘sister–inw‘?”