From Betrayal to Bliss

wers did you original

etween us. We were supposed to be "wedding planning," which, according t

off guard. "It doesn't

ip of her latte. "I need to know wha

dmitted quietly. "And lilies of t

through a botanical garden a year ago. She'd probably forgotten it instantly, bu

... predictable," Chloe m

the ceremony. A jazz t

tored a painting of. I' d even contacted a composer to have it arranged. She knew none of this. I had wanted to surprise her. All these li

country club by the lake, right?" Chloe continued,

, the word co

ooking back, I realized she had been passively accepting, never actively contributing. I was the architect of the relationship, and she was just a resident,

hitting me with the force of a physical blow.

e don't want a partner. They want a project manager. It sounds

naged our entire relationship, pouring my energy into it, while she remained a passive recipie

I said, leaning

er now. So, no peonies, no string quartets, and definitely no stuffy country clubs.

ey also held a surprising comfort. This new plan was

s carrying. I was free. Free from trying to please a woman who was impossible to please. Free

ouching my lips. "Scratch it a

ith fairy lights. A taco truck. A 90s cover band. And for flowers.

everything I had planned. It was

I said, and

d warehouse space, the bell on the coffee shop do

Ava a

Instagram photo was gone, replaced by a look of pure shock. Ben' s arm was draped around her shoulder again, a gesture that looked less l

shop seemed to

y smile on her face. "Well, look who it is," she said, her voi

.. you must be Chloe," he said, steering Ava toward our table

at the floor, at the sugar packets o

e first time I'd spoken her name since sh

my eyes. The guilt and confus

she wh

hloe asked, her tone sweet as poison

ond. "She's a fighter. Hanging in there. Hav

ve a lot of planning to do. You would not believe how much goes into a wedding." She picked up her latte

pounding. "The first thin

a small, involuntary step back. The casual, happy way we were talking abou

's voice was b

didn't let any of my old pain show. My expression was calm, happy, a

She looked from me to Chloe, then back to me, her

l, congratulations," he said, his voice stra

, her mouth slightly

ur coffee," Ben said, pull

her forward. For a fleeting moment, I felt a pang of the old protective instinct. But it was gone

e goes to us," she whispered, a triumphant gleam in her eye. "She had no id

e had jumped into this mess with me without hesitation,

aid, the words f

said with a grin. "The fun

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