The Fiancé He Severely Underestimated

apartment. He stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with a mixture of anger and con

ng her face into his chest. "She's tearing everything a

he moonlight, were now covered in cold, grey tile. The exposed brick, a symbol of our raw beginnings, wa

my voice flat, my eyes fixed on Ja

ething like that, Ava? It's just an old trinket." He tried to sound dismissive, but a flicker of unease

," I said softly, the quietness of my voice more dangerous than any shout. "And your 'fresh start' involved e

! And it was in our space!" She glared at me, her fragile facade

ution, Ember? Let's talk about the pollution of a fifteen-year partnership, a shar

his arm around Ember, a clear sign of where his loyalty lay.

apartment where we planned our future. The decency of replacing me with a woman who throws out my mother's keepsakes because they 'pollute' her sp

," I continued, my voice dripping with ic

ist, trying to hide it behind Jax's back. "What? No! This is

Jax to me, on our tenth anniversary. It's a one-of-a-kind piece, custom-made." I looked at Jax, whose fa

"Ember... I... I told you it was new. A special gift." He tightened his gri

t. "The time for truth. Or are you going to let her continue to pa

u want your mother's precious music box? Fine!" She stomped over to the open window, grabbed a small, nondescript wooden

down to the street below. Without thinking, I lunged, my injured arm screaming in protest, bu

, running after me, hi

on the dirty pavement. My heart, which I thought had no more

mber, my eyes blazing with a raw, primal

f fear and defiance. "Why do you care so much about material things? You'

e doesn't call you 'ruthless' while it embraces a lie." My gaze flickered to Jax, who stood frozen, his face a canvas of conflicting emotions. "You want to know what real l

streaming down her face. "You're jealous that Jax fi

nger. I'm simply... disgusted." I looked from her, a manipulative child playing dress-up, to Jax, the man I had loved, now an empty shell

tire block, it's mine now," I declared, my voice cold and unwavering. "And you two," my eyes landed on them, side by si

at me. His jaw was clenched, his eyes fille

f, my voice sharp. "You made y

chest. The rain had intensified, soaking me to the bone. I knelt beside the shatter

mind was a raging storm. I saw young couples huddled together, sharing an umbrella, laughing softly. A memory, sharp and cruel, of Jax and me, sharing a single jacket on a cold nig

shared ambition. Now, they felt like a monument to my solitude. I sank to the ground, the cold concrete seeping into my bones, and for the first time in what felt like