Shattered Illusions: The Wife He Left for Dead novel · Chapter 5 of 24
Chapter 5: Kind Chantal
Chantal put the boy down, and he stood at her knee with his fist in her coat.
"I'm leaving," she said. "I know the rule. Killian told me on the drive up, and I understand, I do. I only had to see with my own eyes that you were safe."
She crossed the shop in six quick steps and took my hand across the counter before I could pull it back.
Her fingers were cold.
The real bracelet slid down her wrist, and the tiny silver ship on the clasp swung against my knuckles.
"I am so sorry," Chantal said, and tears ran down both cheeks. "About the fireworks. About all of it."
"Chantal," Killian said.
"Let me say it." She did not look at him. "I begged him not to do it. I said, call Mireille, take her to dinner, don't make a show of me. But a reporter was already on the roof, and Killian wouldn't tell me no. He never can, when it's about Sammy."
She kissed the back of my hand.
I had not seen that coming, and I did not know where to put my face.
"Anything you want," she said. "I'll go on every channel. I'll say it was my idea and your husband's only fault was being kind. I'll say you were never unwell. I'll take Sammy to Milan tomorrow and you'll never hear my name again."
The old woman by the door sniffed and wiped her eyes.
The man in waders looked at Killian and shook his head.
I felt the whole shop tip toward Chantal.
"You'll do none of that," I said.
"Mireille..."
"You'll go back to your car. That's all I want."
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