A Woman Scorned Rises

“He spent $9.99 million to put my name, Chloe Miller, on every billboard in Times Square. "Chloe, marry me." The proposal of the century, they called it. For ten years, I had been the perfect fiancée to Liam Sterling, heir to an empire. That proposal was supposed to be our grand finale. Then he vanished. Thirty days of chilling silence, broken only by paparazzi photos. Liam, in Paris, Rome, Tokyo – with her, Sarah Jenkins, his "white moonlight." The tabloids spun a tragic romance: Sarah, terminally ill; Liam, the noble savior on a farewell world tour. He became a saint. I became a footnote. Today, they returned. I stood at the private jet terminal, not to cry, but to end it. He strode out, tanned and relaxed, she frail and clinging. "Chloe," he said, annoyance flashing in his eyes. "What are you doing here?" "We're over, Liam." Sarah peeked from behind him, watery-eyed. "Chloe, please don't be mad at Liam. It's all my fault. I just wanted to see the world one last time before I go." Her performance was flawless. But I saw the healthy glow beneath her pale skin. "Upset her?" I asked, my voice dripping acid. "She looks healthier than I do." I held up my phone, showing a lab report. "Sarah, according to this, you are in perfect health. Not a single marker for any terminal illness." Liam snatched the phone. "Chloe, stop it! You've lost your mind! You're being cruel and manipulative!" He didn't want to believe me. His eyes, once full of trust, now saw me as a monster. "There's a sick woman who needs me," he said, stroking Sarah' s hair. "And then there's you, acting like a psycho." He offered me a crumb: "We'll get married as planned. Just... give me some time to handle this." He thought he could have us both. But looking at the man I had loved for ten years, I felt nothing. No, I thought. We will not be getting married. Not now. Not ever. I walked away, leaving him standing there. He didn't believe I would actually leave. He would soon learn just how wrong he was.”