One step, and the ache inside me would finally stop.
A car sped past, headlights sweeping across me. The driver honked and shouted: “Lady, are you insane? Get away from the edge!”
The words pierced my fog. My breath caught. Slowly, trembling, I let go of the railing.
My legs gave out, and I sank onto the cold pavement, hugging myself as sobs tore out of me. There was no child to anchor me, no family to come running—only me. And somehow, impossibly, that would have to be enough.
By the time I reached the townhouse, hours had passed. My heels clicked dully against the floorboards as I stepped inside, the silence pressing in like a suffocating blanket.
The door to the study opened, and there he was, loosening his tie, looking as if nothing had happened.
“Evelyn,” Matthew said, his tone laced with casual disappointment. “You couldn’t even bother showing up for my birthday dinner? Do you know how that makes me look?”
My lips parted, but no words came.
He didn’t pause. “Claire’s back in town. She’s hosting a brunch tomorrow. Don’t make things awkward. She’s been trying to help you patch things up with your parents for years—the least you can do is show her some appreciation.”