“They loved me. They wanted me.”
“But he kept me from them because they knew the truth and he couldn’t risk them telling me.”
She looked at Andrew again.
He was hunched over now, shaking.
“You built your whole life on my mother’s grave. You erased her. You replaced her.”
“You made me call her murderer… Mom.”
“I didn’t murder her,” Jennifer whispered.
“You laughed while she died,” Madison said. “You took her husband. You took her daughter. You took her life.”
“Maybe you didn’t kill her body, but you killed her memory. You killed everything she was, and you smiled while you did it.”
Andrew finally found his voice.
It came out broken—destroyed.
“I’m sorry… God. Madison, I’m sorry. I was weak. I was selfish. I made terrible choices.”
“But I love you. I’ve always loved you.”
“You loved yourself,” Madison said. “You loved your mistress. You loved your comfortable life.”
“But you didn’t love her. And you didn’t love me enough to tell me the truth.”
She picked up her purse and started walking toward the exit.
“Madison, please.”
Andrew was on his feet now, stumbling toward her.
“Please don’t leave like this. Let me explain. Let me—”
He stopped.
His legs buckled.
