The Unseen Cost of Love

come home fo

eeling to fix it, captioned "My hero." A photo of them sharing a ridiculously expensive dessert, his arm draped casually over the ba

suitcases. All my possessions were practical, worn. There were no luxuries,

ft from Damien from our first year together. It was the only gift he'd ever bought me with his

n the fourth day, look

es by the door. "

I lied, unable to meet his eyes. I could

out question. He was too wrapped up in hi

t in his voice. "The company is giving me a new

eiling windows, the state-o

see it," he said,

w the locket at him. But another, weaker part of

I said

farewell tour of the li

of the city's most expensive district. As we stepped out of the elevator into the

e," she said, her smile bright and

she chirped. "Isn

apartment. "You have to see it.

of Damien's new place. The same minimalist furniture, the same colo

We were thinking, since the layouts are identical, we could even kno

ear. A shared life

looking pleased. "Ca

stomach, but this time it was diff

e list longer than my arm. She handed me the menu, a subtle, cruel gesture. I stared at the French word

hands. "Blanche doesn't like rich food," he said to C

oice dripping with false sympathy.

What do you want,

ture, the intricacies of her work. He had spent t

is fine,"

I knocked over my water glass, the crystal shattering on the marble floor. The

could hear their whispers as I left. "Who

the ornate mirror. The woman looking back was a stranger. Pale

y world. It n

the restaurant. Panic erupted. Peopl

only though

pushing through the panic

His chair was pushe

d lef

ng, my ankle twisting painfully. I fell t

e was holding Carson, who was coughing dramatically into his shoulde

" he said, but he didn't mo

, her voice muffled against his suit. "She

torn. But it was only for a second. He scooped Cars

ound, in the middle of chao

nkle screaming in protest. I watched his car

made hi

at moment

then went straight home. I pulled out my phone and booked

young and broken. I saw him in our cramped apartments, studying late into

rom a burning buildin

standing by my bed, a silhoue

e was holding

s voice a low growl of disbeli