Six months after losing my husband, Mark, I was a ghost in my own life, scrolling through Instagram when a photo ripped me from my numbness.
It was Chloe' s account, a former intern I' d mentored, but the background-our living room.
My living room.
Only it wasn' t.
The minimalist haven I designed was desecrated by gaudy gold wallpaper, a hideous leopard-print sofa, and a cheap crystal chandelier.
Strangers laughed, red plastic cups in hand, in the space Mark and I built as a testament to our love.
The house, bleeding, was screaming.
Chloe was at its center, champagne flute in hand, her arm around David, Mark' s business partner.
My husband' s friend.
He smiled smugly, possessively, kissing her cheek.
The caption: "New beginnings in our new home! Out with the old, in with the new! #blessed #bosslife."
Our new home?
My blood ran cold.
My kitchen, painted garish pink.
My garden, a frat house with a hot tub and beer bottles.
They had taken my sanctuary, our legacy, and turned it into a mockery.
The rage arrived like a physical blow, a hot spike in my chest.
My hands shook, but my mind was terrifyingly clear.
I called David.
"What the hell are you and Chloe doing in my house?"