The Unseen Scars of Her Lies

ure of scrubbing away her touch, her scent,

iture, her colors, her life. I was just a temporary

picked it up and found the numbe

HR at a prestigious in

tfolio at a small, independent show. A show Sophia

n, a residency at their main

inging to the foolish hop

d the ca

Her voice was pr

's Ethan

from you. Have you given an

it," I said

We're so excited to have you. I'll email you the details rig

d for the first time in

job at a marketing firm owned by one of Sophia's fathe

e, I could feel the star

artist Sophia H

total gold-digger.

Peterson now. A m

acking my personal items into a small box. A few bo

epartment. I placed it on the desk of

d, my voice steady. "E

led with a kind of pitying recognition. "Oh

the building wit

th no destination in mind. The streets were crowded, full of people rus

drifte

sh when I was eighteen. Back to being

meetin

Lily had a piece in the show. Sophia bought it. She had been so kind then, s

try clubs. At first, she was proud of me. "This is Ethan

y, things

Why do you paint such sad things, E

et a real job. My father can find you somethin

de jokes I wasn't privy to. I tried to talk to her about it, but she would just

e engagement party. I came home early and

saying, her voice impatient. "He's suitable. Ethan... Ethan was j

en t

l I ever