EL
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up, speechless. I sighed. Thank God I’d woken
up before I became her.
- 16.
After a month of recovery at Chloe’s, I went
back to work. The trauma of my marriage had killed my faith in romance. I poured all my
energy into my career. My coworkers were
surprised. “Mia, why are you working so late?
Does your husband even let you out of the
house?” I paused, my pen hovering over my
notepad. “I’m getting a divorce,” I announced.
“What?!” They swarmed around me, their faces
etched with shock. “But you guys were so
perfect! What happened?” I didn’t have any
profound explanations. I just knew I couldn’t
stay in a loveless marriage and destroy myself
in the process. Not wanting to discuss my
private life, I just smiled and changed the
subject. They murmured their surprise and
eventually dispersed. Later that evening, a
coworker rushed over, her eyes wide with
gossip. “Mia, your husband’s waiting for you
<
orange, and the setting sun cast Ethan’s figure
in shadow. I could only see his head bowed, his
shoulders slumped, an aura of defeat
surrounding him. I snapped a picture and sent it
to Juliet. I didn’t need to say anything. She’d
get the message. And she did. A moment later, I
saw Ethan answer his phone. I couldn’t hear
what they were saying, but Ethan suddenly
raised his phone as if he was about to throw it. Then, he looked up, directly at me. Our eyes met. He froze, his body tense like a drawn bow. I smiled, a bright, triumphant smile.
- 17.
Thirty minutes later, I received a message from Juliet. It was a picture of Ethan, leaning against a wall, a cigarette dangling from his lips, his expression obscured by smoke. She’d
captioned it, “Don’t get cocky, Mia. I told you, if
I need him, he’ll drop everything and come running.” Ethan used to smoke a lot when we
first started dating. He’d quit when I got
pregnant, for the baby. He’d said he’d only
<
pusit e menUTY asive and replied, 13 wal
supposed to impress me? He didn’t sleep with you, did he?” Juliet didn’t respond. A few days later, during Ethan’s company’s annual party, Juliet sent me another photo. “He brought me to his company party. We’re back together.” “Oh,” I replied. I’d helped Ethan build his company from the ground up. I’d borrowed money from Chloe to help him through a rough patch in the beginning. I’d sat through countless business dinners with him, schmoozing clients. Everyone in the company knew I was his wife. Seeing Juliet on his arm at the party must have raised some eyebrows. The VP, Susan,
approached me later that day. “Mrs. Miller,
haven’t seen you around lately.” “Been busy,” I replied, feigning ignorance. “Right… I saw
Ethan with a woman earlier. Wondered if it was his sister or something.” “What woman? Can you send me a picture?” “I don’t know… wouldn’t want him to think I’m gossiping.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell him.” Susan hesitated, then sent me a picture of Ethan and Juliet together. “Any more?” I asked. Susan sent a
<
Tew more. One of Juliet clinging to Ethan S
neck, taking a selfie. Ethan looked drunk.
Another of Juliet sitting on his lap. And a third
of Juliet practically draped across him. Perfect.
Just what I needed.
- 18.
Then, Juliet crossed a line. She sent me a
picture of them in bed. “Who said he wouldn’t
touch me? See?” The image was so vulgar I
almost threw up. It took me a while to respond.
“How do I know that’s even Ethan?” She
