“And he was forever hers. No matter whom he loved, or was loved by, the shadow of her always remained.”

“That he would love her no matter what she told him, and that he was the kind of man who loved her already and would love her forever.”

“‎When she looked up at him, it was suddenly easy for her to imagine that her fears were pointless. That he would love her no matter what she told him, and that he was the kind of man who loved her already and would love her forever.”

“She remained silent. There was nothing left to say. He'd said it all the night before. He had to end it. He could never leave his wife. And, in fact, she had known this. Although she loved him - and truly she did - he wasn't hers. He belonged to his wife. She'd earned him. It didn't matter that he was her first love or that she was his passion. It didn't matter that they had loved one another for more than half their lives. It didn't matter that he had married his wife on the rebound. It didn't matter that he didn't love the woman. It didn't even matter that they had turned into some soap-opera cliche. He was married to someone else and that meant that she was leftovers and destined to remain on the periphery in the shadow of another woman's marriage. But no more. She was well and truly sick of it. ”

“Melanie O’Leary” he said as he kissed her lips softly. “I love you so much.”“I love you too, Sam Cooper.” Melanie replied and smiled.“Forever and always?” He asked.“Forever and always.” She replied.”

“He was deciding whether to cut her throat or love her forever.”