His Secret, Her New Beginning

he screen glowing in th

as at the top

e y

n-again, off-again lover. The one he called when he w

lder brother, a successful tech

gling artist who ha

d buzzed again. A n

u u

very time, I told myself this would be

e in my apartment was heavier, fille

had been excited about. I thought maybe, just maybe

n his arm, a woman named Jessica. He int

n on my face, he just gave me a small, dismis

et hallway, the smell of expensive ch

matic. It's just for sh

e given you five years

they?" he' d said, his eyes col

my life, my love, my self

calls or texts for two

zzed again,

y typed

ing marri

e I could secon

most immediate. A s

y, "Is thi

arah, pick u

g call, my heart poun

n't j

avid Chen had

had come to my studio to see my latest work, just as he always did. H

ked at me with a sad, knowing expression

and speech, no dramatic gestures. Just a quiet

re I would

rted ringing

ep breath a

arah? Married? To who?" H

nymore," I said, my own v

s me! After everythin

"Everything we've been through? You

I need more

ter as an excuse anymore. You were never going to ch

nd of the line. For a moment, I th

at had always been my weakness. "Baby, don't do this. Don't throw

finger, a solid, real thing in my chaotic world.

he?" he

id C

"Chen? The architect? You're

ctable, so Liam. To him, ev

," I said calmly. "He wants to build a l

, Sarah. You're mak

ng five years for a man who

up th

locked hi

ling the air. My art was my passion, the one thing that was truly min

e else sent to him. He was Chloe' s cool older brother, untouchable and impossibl

de me feel like the only woman in the world. Afterwards, he

ld. But soon, the rules became clear. We could never be seen in public. He

s so protective of you. It would ruin your

an who waited by the phone, who cleared any trace of herself

icly. He'd call me after a date, telling me they meant nothing, that I

t public. The most definitive. Seeing him look at me like I was nothin

own my cheek, not of s

as o

ights. For the first time in a long time, the future didn't fe

y ready to paint

ain, my fingers scrolli

vi

tton. He answered

s everyth

e spreading across my face

acc