She looked at Jamie, this man she'd been married to for over a decade, who'd given her Luke, who'd also controlled her, diminished her, and treated her more as a possession than a partner. Then she looked at Luke, her son, her baby, the child she'd raised and loved with her whole heart.
The child who'd just offered to trade her to save himself.
Something shattered in her expression. Some fundamental belief about her family, about her place in their lives, and about what they actually valued.
She'd thought Luke loved her. Had believed that her son's affection was genuine, that despite his flaws, he cared about her as a person rather than as an object that provided maternal comfort and social status.
But when death threatened, when his survival required choosing between her and himself, he'd chosen himself without hesitation. Had offered her to Jorghan like she was currency, something to be traded for his life.
