Chapter 8

"Penelope, my darling, our little one and I shall reside in this spacious mansion acquired by the child's father in days to come."

I ignored her message. Instead, I gathered all the rosy-hued presents Killian had bestowed upon me through the years and listed them for sale on an online marketplace for pre-owned items.

The following day, Anastacia bombarded me with countless images of Killian slumbering, each one meticulously dated.

"Penelope, I'm curious if Killian has remained the same over the past couple of years since we became an item. Could you assist me in determining this?"

It seemed like a heartless prank. I retrieved the ten heartfelt notes I had composed for Killian over the past ten years. Each bore his name, carefully inscribed by my hand. As I perused every word, memories of a once-genuine love flooded back.

Yet now, I felt nothing but a void. I shredded each letter and cast them into the fire pit.