James chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh, don’t be like that. I came all this way to check on you. How are you feeling, Val? Enjoying your perfect little marriage?” His tone turned bitter, his smirk twisting into a sneer. “I left you? Come on, you know I love you and I didn’t ditch you instead you did. How does it feel to ditch someone who actually cared about you for… this?”

His words stung more than she wanted to admit, but she straightened her posture, refusing to let him see her ...