Seven Years, Instant Regret

as a screenshot of a hotel booking. Presidential suite. Two ni

turned thick and heavy, and the expensive vase on the mantelpiece, the o

perfect, lifeless thing. My hand trembled, and then

ipped through the silence. White shards explode

unching under my feet. The custom-made cushions he' d designed for our sofa, I ripped

ght, he found me sitting

just looked at the broken pieces

what i

irt. My fingers felt clumsy, stupid. I just wanted to feel him, to erase the image

for his. For a second, he was still, a statue of surp

op

were fla

lt worse than anger. He looked down at me, at my desperate attempt to hold on

it of hope drained out of me, leaving a hollow ache in my ch

illed now with the ghost of his rejection. I could feel the

ving kind that hurts your throat. My mind, against m

odles because that was all we could afford. We were drawing up the business plan for

nate belief that I had swallowed whole, "I'm going to buy you a

a poor nobody, over a strategic marriage, Liam held me all night. He pro

id my insights were the reason his ideas could beco

was the bandage. He was the cure. His love was the only thing

either of us dreamed. He kept his promise. He bought the mansion. He bought the va

n who ran his home, who organized his parties, who waited up for him

, a new name started poppi

er dinner. "She anticipates every

is new a

his amazing ne

we should expa

Chloe

r conversations became shorter. He'd look at his phone and smile, a private, secretive smile that was never for me.

embling. "Is there something

culous, Elara. She's my assistant. Are you that insecure? I'm bu

eel small. J

ve him. I wanted

ht. Until t

ne, my hands shaking as I pulled up the social media prof

ne in her hand. Behind her, through the window, the city lights twinkl

he corner of the frame, was the cuff of a man'

'T' . Fo

roof. My world, which had gone quiet, now filled with a roaring sound,