He had stroked my hair, kissed my forehead and warmed my hands in his while replying softly, "It's worth it, Eleanor. Don't you see how perfectly it matches you?"
Then came the boom of fireworks exploding against the night sky. The dazzling lights illuminated the frost-covered trees, painting them in brilliant, colorful hues.
Gerald leaned in close, his voice dripping with sweetness as he said, "You're all just as kind and innocent."
The birds perched on the branches scattered at the sound of his voice. Snow fell from the trees, stripping the frost from the branches and leaving them bare and brittle against the stark white backdrop of winter. The boy from that New Year's Eve ... he was gone for good.
The shards of the broken pendant necklace dug into my palm, but I couldn't feel any pain.
"Gerald," I said, my voice trembling, "Joanne admitted to killing my brother. You were right here, didn't you hear her? And when she ran into me, causing me to bleed out while carrying your child, why won't you even check the dashcam footage to confirm the truth?"