Five Years, A Cruel Deception

ear' s gala, a professionally shot photo where they both looked impossibly happy. The caption read: "Counting down the minutes

while living a completely separate life. Hundreds of their friends and acquaintances had liked the post. Comments poured in

rang. It

torm here is just awful," she said, her voice filled with

ctly sunny sky. "It' s okay, Chloe," he said, his voice a monotone. "Just be saf

she cooed. "The bed fee

period of intense work stress months ago. He just wanted to turn his brain off. To stop the relentless loop of memories and betrayals.

knew, he was being shaken awake. He opened his heavy eyelids t

She was holding the empty pill bottle. "Why would you do this? Is it because I was gone for a

nal blackmail, painting him as the unstable one, her as the long-suffering wife. He looked past her and saw her

ce. There was no flicker of emotion inside him. The part of him that would have been hurt or

lf say, his voice slurring slightly. "I

loe, you poor thing." "He shouldn' t put you through this." They

llows, brought him a glass of water, and tucked a blanket around him, all while her friends watched admiringly. "

her phone, lying on the coffee table, lit up with a text.

kay? Don' t let hi

es closed, she subtly angled her body away and typed a quick re

ake tenderness. "I' m going to throw a small welcome-home

l, that all Liam felt was a deep, profound weariness. He

l party" was in full swing. He lay on the couch, feigning sleep, listening to

getting off the couch and moving silently through the house, an uninvited ghost at his own wake. He saw Chloe by the bar, laug

final, undeniable piece of evidence. He followed her, st