His Secret, My Shattered World

ract, Scarlett.

olished mahogany table. His voice was as cold

ith me. It will only ma

ut his eyes were sharp, calculating. I felt no warmth from him. That was good.

I said, my voice steady. "I

lvet box towards me. "My grandmother will

der the office lights. It felt heavy in my hand, a beautiful shack

at the family dinner,"

of it. The bus ride home felt unreal. The massive diamond on my finger felt li

air was stale, smelling of his leftover pizza. He was on the couch, playing

t taking his eyes off the screen.

orked three jobs to support us. I was a photographer by day, a waitress by night, and I edited photos for a wedding studi

graphy studio, Brenda, had sent me to cover a high-end charity auction. I

ha

an my car. He was sitting at a front table, a beautiful woman in a slinky red dress beside him. Her n

zen, as he rai

ght a diamond necklace, the one Sophia had been admiring just moments before. He leaned over and clasped i

my hands felt like it weighed a th

fice, a news article pulled up on her computer

iller Celebrates Fiancée Sophia Thorne

an

is immense personal wealth. It mentioned his three-yea

feel anything. I just kept seeing his face, his smile for her. The three years of my

idn' t even have the d

had to know you' d be loyal. Sophia was married before, she wasn' t avail

placeholder.

diner where I worked. She walked in like she

her voice dripping with contempt. She looked me up

ive girl who would do anything for him.

e. People like us don' t mix with people like you. Know your lane and stay

d at my reflection in the polished chrome of the napkin dispenser. I saw a tired, foolish girl. I didn' t recog

in the wreckage of my heart. He didn' t just break my hea

would mak