He sighed, his tone casual. "It's fine. I was never going to register the marriage with Hilda anyway. She won't find out. We'll just go ahead with the ceremony as planned."
"Keep your mouth shut about this, understand? If Hilda finds out, you know how she is. She'll cry and throw a fit and demand we break up. We've been together too long. I don't want any trouble."
His friend agreed without hesitation.
Hilda felt as though she'd plunged into an ice bath. In the last seconds before Jasper opened the door, some shred of survival instinct sent her stumbling back to the bedroom, where she locked herself in the bathroom.
She gripped the edge of the sink. Matching towels and toothbrushes sat on the counter. That very morning, she'd been leaning against Jasper right here, playfully swiping at him with his razor while he laughed.
Hilda stared at her reflection. Then she raised her hand and slapped herself across the face.
It hurt. God, it hurt.
She looked in the mirror, and the tears broke free all at once.
It wasn't a dream.
Why wasn't it a dream?