"Monica got divorced. But I have my own family now. Albie's a good person. I don't know what to do."

...

I had always known there was someone else in Thaddeus's heart.

But seeing these words laid out in front of me, I finally understood. His love for Monica was far deeper and far longer than anything I had ever imagined.

I swiped the tears from my face and kept searching through the study.

Now was not the time for grief. There was something more important I needed to find.

At last, in the bottom drawer of the desk, I found a document envelope.

Inside were organ donation consent forms for Marilyn and me.

My hands trembled so violently I could barely hold the two flimsy sheets of paper.

So it was true. My heart and Marilyn's kidney hadn't been damaged in the accident at all. It was Thaddeus.

All of it was because of Thaddeus.

The memory of Marilyn crying in humiliation because she couldn't hold her bladder seized my chest like a fist clenching around it, so tight I couldn't breathe.

It turned out an artificial heart could ache, too.

I photographed both documents with my phone, then dialed my brother overseas.

"Dominic Jenner, please help me. Please save me and Marilyn."

After I choked my way through the story, his voice came back through the receiver, shaking with fury.

"Thaddeus! He actually dared!"

"I'm sending a plane for you tomorrow night. Until then, do not make any sudden moves. Don't give Thaddeus any reason to suspect anything. Leave the rest to me."

After I hung up, I put the study back exactly the way I'd found it, returned to the bedroom, and lay down as though nothing had happened.

The next morning, Thaddeus was already gone by the time I woke up.

After lunch, Marilyn sat quietly at her little desk, drawing something.

I walked over to look, and she held up her picture like a treasure she couldn't wait to show off.

"Mommy, look! I drew our family."

"See? This is Daddy, this is Mommy, and this is me."

Looking at her face, my vision blurred with tears.

My sweet Marilyn. Her whole world was nothing but Mommy and Daddy. How could Thaddeus have had the heart to do what he did?

Just then, Thaddeus walked into the room.

"There's a banquet tonight. Let's all go together as a family."

I was about to shake my head and refuse, but he pulled me gently into his arms.

"Today my probation period is officially over. From now on, we're a family again."