Five Years, One Devastating Lie

o had arranged everything. They fussed over me, transforming my grief-stricken f

rfectly tailored. His eyes lit up when he

breathtaki

detached glance and le

wo years of my life designing. We walked in to a ripple of

w whispered as we passed. "To ha

knowing I had what every woman wanted. Tonight, I knew the beaut

s eyes full of a love that was a lie. He presented his gift, a heavy box from a fam

haps, he was remembering

, but I was cut off as a smal

k, catching my

child's voi

ng to Emilio' s leg, his face buried in th

, pointing an accusing finger at me. "Are

fell silent. Eve

ole. The child looked so much like E

he room. "Is that... his

ught so hard to maintain, was shattering in publ

nic. He knelt, his voice patient. "Whose l

de the child

, her face a picture of maternal distress. "Oh,

t he clung to Emilio, his little f

ven more beautiful in person, her performance of the flustered, apo

in the silent room. He glared at me, his eyes filled with a pure, c

n, stunned

d beads, a miniature version of the one I had spent a week on a pilgrimage to

en my gift

y shock. I took a step forward, my hand outstretch

a, do

had shoved me, hard. His face was twisted in a panic I h

sh carpet. I fell backwards, my

orner of a glass table

d searing pain. Shards from a broken wine glass sliced

wasn't looking at me. He was fussing ove

oice thick with concern. He scooped the boy into his arms and pushe

iumphant malice in her eyes. It was a look th

back. He left me bleeding on the f

sharp, but a new, deeper, more terr

grew louder, turning

? She tried to gr

oman. How shameless, to

h a good man, protect

hysical assault, e

ensation. I looked down. The midnight blue of my dress

b

The room tilted, the lights blurring i