He Saw Her, Not His Wife

yah

y credit cards were declined. My bank accounts, frozen. He had cut me off complet

arranged her entire life around his disability. That

hat Harrison could never touch. It wasn't his billions, b

e and built a new life, I allowed myself one last act of

e of fashion I had once frequented with H

the bewildered personal shopper.

gnizable from every news site on t

hat felt alive. I shed the skin of the blue ghost and found myself again, piece by

g a vibrant scarlet dress in the

her face. She was flanked by two security guards,

over my dress. "Trying a new color? Does

r, my expression unreadable

inst the doorframe. "It's pathetic, really. You had everything. A handsome, powerf

my husband didn't know wh

Oh, he knows who you are, Aliyah. You're the sad, clingy woman

t, but they were nothing I

e sees." She ran a hand down the sleeve of her own dress, a pale, forgettable beige. "He's buy

but a profound sense of pity. She thought she had won. She had no idea sh

" I said to the hovering sales associate. "In fac

altered. "You ca

"Charge it to the Potts family trus

wide. She knew the name. Everyone

sie, Harrison's money was just a convenience. I never needed it. But you? You're not

contorted

zed at the commotion. "I am a private client of this establis

respond, a familiar voice

going

ing area, his eyes immediately finding Kas

d burying her face in his chest. "This woma

g into the fitting room. He looked right at me, at

oice dripping with contempt. "I don't care who s

"Mr. Lang, sir, this

ng out his own black card. "And I am paying to have this... pers

with a sneer. "Some people

f his arms, a victorious smirk on her fac

nder look I hadn't seen in years.

e, was defending the woman who had stolen her life, against the very wife he couldn

oom, walked past them both without a glance, and left the

ike home. The grand, sprawling mansion overlooking

w something was wrong. There

ut my key in the lock. It didn't

. After a long mome

my silk robes. My favorite one, t

sked, her voice drippin

foyer, I could see movers

e, Kassie?" I asked, my

He said he couldn't bear the thought of me staying in a hote

She had taken my name. And

said, the words fallin

e playing on her lips. "I'm a winner

t. It glinted in the afternoon sun. My wedding ring. The simple

id, her voice laced with triumph.

eet. It landed with a soft, metallic cli

The heavy oak door clicked shut, se

, at the ring lying on the ground. I didn't feel sadness. I

ing. I left it there, a relic of a

the life inside it, and walked a

a number I knew by heart. My olde

when he answe

w the news. A

mile finally touching my lips. "I'm coming