MARRYING HIM WAS A MISTAKE

the kind of place Juanita and I used to visit every other day befo

tasted like real coffee, r

d. Marcus had texted me three times since this morning, asking if I was okay

and

s, layered ornaments that effortlessly conveyed her grace. Her blonde curl

hing I

a tight hug that s

aid, pulling back to study my

w. I'm

waving away the apology. "You had

attention back to me. "But I'm here now. So tell me everything. How's Jaden? H

slight yet discern

fine," I said

le, " come on now girl, we bo

ntouched coffee. "What

e tr

th is com

eezed my hand. "But I've just been away, not dead.

ghtened. "Th

ut Jimmy and some women." Juanita's eyes searched m

everything was fine. But this was Juanita, my oldest friend. The

ted quietly, I don't eve

Her grip on my

fee. We sat in silence whil

r," I said, desperate to

light at sunrise." She scrolled through her camera roll, finding image after image of vibrant, powerful paintings. "I met

Women in bold colors, taking

beautifu

"That's what I kept thinking the whole time

comparison h

u," she said. "And don

ath and let i

t summer? Before Jimm

rable sandra." Juanita smiled

e, So certain

were i

s an i

lusive." She tilted her hea

re partners, that we were building a life together. But somewhere along the way, I stopped

d Ji

ful, successful, untouchable." I finally took a sip of my

as quiet f

e the wedding, I said he was too ambitious, too focused a

smiled bitterly.

t want to

much. I thought if I just loved him enough, su

id. I was always just... useful. A convenient p

across and squeez

t blame yourself f

ou saw it. My parents saw it, that's why they refused to come to

e enough," Juan

ead. "I keep going back through the years, trying to figure out when

does

anything, always changing the subject and evading the questions.

s gasli

es. "I did give up everything. I did step back from the company.

on't you dare. You didn't give up, you

do you

fought for every deal, every contract, every inch of respect in rooms full of men who underestimated

t something d

red. "You told me he was us

ndra

old you that you just didn't understand what we had." I stopped, shame flooding throu

rything. Even at your engagement party, he spent more time networki

e was being p

were building together." She took a sip of h

on the table. A

ed to see you no

he message, he

it?" Jua

." I texted back: Moon Café

mediately. I'm 10 min

nita. "I'm so sorry

when I did, pulling me int

t. "Thank you, I r

you need me for anythi

rse and left mon

the door, Juanita

and

tur

u," she said quietly.

ht, and pushed out in

rrived. His hair was disheveled. Shirt untuc

, what's

lled me down the street,

's gone,

o you me

apartment this morning but he wasn't the

opped. "When d

fine. Then this morning, nothing." Marcus ran a hand t

my, r

blackmailing him, has evidence that could destroy him. And now, right be

t know tha

o an urgent whisper. "Jimmy has The connections, the motivat

he way Jimmy approached ev

this was

call the po

-law is missing?" Marcus shook his head. "They'll ask questions we can't answ

asked, though

aunted. "Or whether Jimmy

ung in the a

city didn't flinc

alk, looking at my brother's face

liver, if he was capable of that,

aid quietly. "If Jimmy did do somethin

hat do

all. About playing the perfect wife one more time

hat ball tomorrow night. We smile and play