Four Years Built On Deceit

ince he' d rushed off to Cydney' s supposed emergency. Not that I was waiting for him to. The silence fr

dreams with Damari, now felt like a mausoleum of broken promises. My sister had called again, offering support, reminding me o

ks, my doorbell rang. My heart clenched. It had to be him. I hesit

d-rimmed and bloodshot. He looked like he hadn't slept, a stark contra

set. But Cydney... she really needed me. She was hysteri

lve. Always Cydney. Always her drama taking precedence. "And wha

nows her place. I yelled at her, Augusta. I told her she crossed a line. And she cried, she was so upset." He paused, as if

nderstood how to manipulate him, how to drive a wedge between us, how to ensure she remained the centr

voice devoid of emotion. "And she cr

. His eyes widened, a flicker of panic replacing his exh

simply. "I'm selling th

supposed to get married. We have a life here." He ge

that was before I discovered that you actively sabotaged our marriage for four years. Tha

sta, you don't understand. It's not like that. I love you! I al

Damari, or is she the woman you constantly choose? The woman whose emotional needs always, always trump mine?" I pointed

me, his face a mask of disbelief. "Yo

hoose me. I'm done with the lies, with the deceit, with c

ted. It was a text message. I saw the preview on the screen. From Cydney. "D

eep in. He was caught between his crumbling facade with me and Cydney's manufactured crisi

d, his voice straine

precise. "Go be Cydney's hero. You're cle

ney's words, her manufactured distress, had already pulled him away. He turned, rushing out of my apartm

n her lips. She met my gaze, her eyes cold, victorious. She hadn't been in trouble at all. She had been there, waiting, watching, orchestr

anipulative than I had ever given her credit for. A

ly evaporated. He had left me for her, even in the very moment I was trying to end things. It wasn't just a betrayal; it was a final, damning con