From Fake Love to True Bliss

a beer, letting the reality of the last hour sink in. A six-year relationship

nored it. It buzzed again. And again

need to talk about the logis

of me wanted to smash the phone against the wall. Another, colder

`Fine. I'll be

ch, but she wasn't alone. Liam O'Connell was there with her. He s

nd cheerful, as if nothing had happened. "Liam was ju

t meeting my eyes. "Thanks, Etha

or a second, then relaxed into her embrace. She ran her fingers through his hair. "Don't w

ion. It was nauseating. This wasn't about his mother. This was abou

it all. They were sitting in the living room we had furnished together, on the couch w

r," I said, my voice tigh

alled after me. "We need

jewelry store where our wedding rings were waiting. They were custom-made, a design I had s

r, a kind older man named Mr. Abernathy,

I am,"

. A minute later, he returned,

" he said. "The

u mean, it'

up this morning," he said, tapping o

cold. "Ashl

o get them for a final fitting check before the big

managed to say, my jaw

oned our wedding; she had stolen our rings for hers. The s

ent to the security office in the lobby. I was on the resid

security footage from the front entrance and the

No problem. Ev

on something,"

te later, Liam's car pulled up to the curb. She got in. The camera inside the elevator, from ten minutes earlier, was eve

enuine, unguarded smile I hadn't seen in a long time. She leaned in and kissed him. Not a peck on the cheek. A rea

rdly. "You want me to... save

my voice devoid of any

a USB drive in my pocket. The disgust I felt earlier had h

was gone. Ashley was

y. Liam is so sweet... Oh, a dress? I was think

ut her wedding dres

me. "Oh, you're back

I said. "So, you pi

n of a second, a flicker of pa

breezily. "I just wanted to make sure they fi

re?" I asked,

," she lied, gesturing towards the

I see

me?" she asked, a pl

. I saw the lie in her eyes, the casu

and accommodating, a complete mirror of my own from

fiancé. The role I had played for six year

ling at Liam. "Ethan ge

n, man, I know this is weird. But when this is all over, I promi

s car. The condescension, the absolu

s, by the door. "Just to make sure you don't get any silly ideas and leave town," she whisper

ving me in my own apartment with two guards

to the bedroom. I didn't bother with the safe. I went to my l

smile. The rin

sn't about a dying wish. It was

buzzed. It

new bride... C

e video of Ashley kissing Lia

, and devastating plan. Ashley wanted a show. I

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