Chapter 16

"I'm home." Even though no one answered, Tristan still said it as he took off his shoes. In the past, Leticia would come to greet him just as he entered. She would take his coat and give him a loving kiss. He should have been used to her absence by now, but somehow, he felt lonelier than ever. Tristan set the bag of pastries down. He glanced at the center of the living room, where a woman was kneeling and arranging lilies on the coffee table. She wore an airy, white dress—one that looked all too familiar. She flashed him a shy smile. "Tristan." For a fleeting moment, Tristan thought he was seeing Leticia as she had been when they first got married. His throat tightened. He took an unconscious step forward, only to notice the woman's shoulders shrink in fear as a chain around her ankle clinked. He stopped in his tracks, and Chelsea's face paled instantly. She threw herself at his feet and called his name pleadingly, "Tristan..." Tristan bent down and gripped her jaw hard, a vei