The Man She Thought She Owned

“Tonight, under the spotlight at AuraConnect's 10th-anniversary gala, I was ready to make Jessica, my high school sweetheart and business partner, my wife. We had built a multi-billion-dollar empire from nothing. But as I knelt, ring in hand, her eyes weren't on me; they were glued to her phone, a private smile playing on her lips. Then came her dismissive laugh, echoing through the silent ballroom. "Oh, Liam," she scoffed, in front of everyone, "That's... sweet. But really? Now?" She dismissed our proposal as "awkward," then coolly walked away, texting, towards a handsome model. Later, I overheard her calling me "stifling" and heard her say, "Younger men are just so much more... appreciative." Watching her kiss him, the absolute betrayal ripped through me. How could the woman I dedicated my life to, built everything with, treat me with such casual, public cruelty? My decade of devotion, my love, meant utterly nothing. She truly believed I' d come crawling back, declaring I couldn' t live without her. But she was wrong. I shredded the wedding tuxedo, boxed up all her gifts, and left a note: "Goodbye." Then, I booked a one-way ticket to Boston, determined to build a new life, far from her toxic shadow, and never look back.”