Chapter 1
By their fifth year of their marriage, Patrick had fallen head over heels for a college girl called Melinda.
She came from almost nothing, but she carried herself with a quiet pride. When Patrick handed her his black credit card, she looked him dead in the eye and said, “I won’t be anyone’s mistress.”
That one sentence hooked Patrick completely.
He chased after her relentlessly, causing a scandal that everyone in the city talked about. He forgot all about the wife Maisy back home–the same woman he’d wooed with ninety–nine handwritten love letters before she finally agreed to marry him.
Maisy didn’t cry or make a scene. Instead, every time Patrick hurt her for that college girl, she burned one of those love letters,
Ninety–nine letters. When they were all gone, so would she.
The first letter burned on their anniversary, the day Patrick ditched her to sit in a cafe all day, just to wait for Melinda to finish her shift.
She burned the thirty–sixth letter after he left her, burning up with a fever, stranded alone on a rainy highway–just because Melinda was afraid of thunderstorms and he rushed to be with her.
She burned the seventy–second when he took down their wedding photo from the living room wall and replaced it with a silly doodle Melinda had scribbled.
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On the night of the auction, Maisy burned the ninety–fifth letter.
Patrick had gone with her to bid on her late mother’s beloved sapphire necklace. But as soon as the auction started, he spotted Melinda working as a server. She glanced at the necklace, and Patrick didn’t hesitate–he raised his bidder’s paddle and bought it for a ridiculous price, then presented it to her in front of everyone.
“I saw you liked it, so I got it for you,” he said softly. “It’s yours now.”
Melinda, in her server’s uniform, pushed his hand away. “Sir, I told you before. I’m not interested in your world, and I’ll never be your mistress. It doesn’t matter what you give me. Please take the necklace back and stop coming to my work.”
She turned and walked off, not looking back.
Patrick just laughed quietly and chased after her, leaving everyone staring.
Maisy’s heart twisted. After a pause, she ran after them too.
On the windy deck, he was still trying to give Melinda the necklace. She refused again, and
Chapter 1
Patrick simply shrugged and tossed the priceless sapphire necklace over the railing, letting it
sink into the dark sea.
“If you don’t like it, I’ll just pick something else,” he said, volce gentle as ever. “I’ll keep trying until you’re happy”
Then he followed her inside, not noticing Maisy at all.
Maisy, numb, climbed over the railing and jumped into the freezing black water below without a second thought.
As the icy water swallowed her, Maisy remembered: five years ago, Patrick had proposed to her on a cruise just like this. He’d said, “Maisy, if you ever want the stars, I’ll pull them down for you.”
But now, for another girl, he could throw her mother’s keepsake into the sea without blinking
Maisy crawled out of the water at dawn, the sapphire necklace clutched in her frozen hand, her fingers stiff and aching.
On the drive home, she scrolled through social media. The city was buzzing
“Mr. Huffman’s gone crazy. He’s chasing a waitress all over town.”
“He didn’t make this much fuss when he courted his wife, did he?”
Her heart tightened, like someone was pulling it tight with string
Back then, Patrick had written her ninety–nine love letters, told her he loved her ninety–nine times, before she finally said yes. They’d gone from school uniforms to wedding gowns, sweet as honey. Everyone used to say Patrick was crazy about her.
Then, five years into their marriage, he went to the hospital for an IV and met a clumsy intern who left his hand bruised. Instead of getting angry, he just watched her, amused.
After that, he tried everything–money, cars, a fancy apartment–to get her to be his mistress. She always refused, calm and clear: “I’m not interested in your world. Please have some respect.”
She even went to Maisy and said, “Could you please keep your husband away from me? I don’t want him bothering me anymore.”
If it had been anyone else, Patrick would’ve lost his temper. But with her, the harder she pushed him away, the harder he came back.
When Maisy confronted him, Patrick shrugged and said, “She’s interesting. I’m just hving some fun. I’ll come home to you when I’m done.”
He looked at Maisy and said, “Maisy, I do love you. But loving only one person for my whole life?) That’s too much to ask. You have to let me stray, just a little.”
Maisy was devastated, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave.
Chapter 1
So she took out those ninety–nine love letters and decided–every time he hurt her, she’d burn one. When they were gone, so was she.
That night, she lit the ninety–fifth letter. Only four left.
When Maisy got home, Patrick was standing at the top of the stairs, staring down at her.
“You’re back? I need to talk to you.”
Maisy nodded and walked up, just like she always had, never expecting what would happen
next.
When she reached him, Patrick suddenly shoved her–hard.
“Ah-!”
Maisy tumbled down the stairs, hitting her head. Warm blood slid down her face, blurring her vision.
Shaking, Maisy stared up at him in disbelief.
Patrick walked down, knelt in front of her, and wiped the blood from her cheek.
“Maisy, just hold on a little,” he murmured. “She’s looking for a nursing job… If you’re injured, I can bring her into the house. It’s the only way.”
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