I turned off my phone.
Six years with Stewart. To protect his pride, I hid who I was. I lived with him in a run-down studio apartment, survived on dry bread.
I even went through five abortions in those six years.
All because he said he wanted to wait for the right moment to give me and our children a stable, happy home.
In the end, he kept that promise for someone else.
I finished copying my files, then got up to make coffee in the break room.
I stopped in the doorway.
A few coworkers were huddled at the counter, whispering.
"Did you hear? The bride isn't Leonora. It's his childhood sweetheart."
"Apparently this Vivian girl is the one he's been hung up on for years. I saw her in the office once. Way prettier than Leonora. No wonder he could never let go."
"Ha! Leonora spent all those years chasing him, and she ended up with nothing. That's hilarious."
Every word sliced into me like a blade.
I pretended I hadn't heard a thing and walked straight back to my office.
Then I began placing my belongings into a box, one by one.
These same employees used to call me "sis" to my face.
Now that they knew I wasn't the bride, I'd already been downgraded to the desperate ex who couldn't take a hint.