Dangerously Sweet Sacrifice

When Desmond Wyndham pushed open the door, the kitchen was so silent that only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard. His childhood sweetheart, Aurelia Blackwood, stood with her back to him, her spine taut, gripping the gleaming knife from the kitchen counter. A couple of days earlier, Desmond Wyndham had talked a bit too much with a girl from the next class, and Aurelia Blackwood had caught him. She hadn’t cried or made a scene; she had simply stared at him and smiled—a gentle smile, yet one that sent a shiver creeping through Desmond Wyndham’s heart. Now, the slanting sunset streamed through the window, making the blade flash with a cold, flickering light. Aurelia Blackwood finally turned around, her voice so soft it seemed dazed: “Zezhou... you’re back?”