A Second Chance At True Love

ersary, I planned to tell

et down on one knee and

he shoved me down a fl

sing our baby. The doctor cal

heard my husband's voice say over the

pital, comforting his mistress ove

es and five broken prom

d my miscarriage diagnosis, signed the divorce

pte

ra

watched my husband get down on one

Regis. It was a party Ethan had thrown, ostensibly to celebrate a new funding round for his tech company, but he

d him. I

l of my belly. Three months. Our secret. Our tiny miracle. I was waiting for the

n the "dar

back. "Carlson! I dare you to prove you' ve still got it. Recreate the most ep

ippled through the c

ay. Her perfectly curated life was a constant, sh

ng every bit the social media angel in a blush-pink dress, he

her voice a sweet, breathy melody that I kne

of "Do it! Do it!" fueled by expensi

le. He caught my eye for a fleeting second, a silent apology in hi

are' s a dare," he said,

en he

ring space, suddenly felt cavernous and cold. All I could hear was the franti

phone cameras created a strobe effect, capturing the grot

hand, intended for him. He always got a headache when he drank too mu

yet. I was a ghost at m

omeone shouted. "Kis

letting go," she murmured, just loud enough for those nearby to hear. Her eyes flicker

on. "Besides," she added, her voice laced with a cloying, fal

The "condition." My secret, now

ess his lips to hers as the crowd demanded. My feet were roo

The final, sh

tha

ble over the din, but it cut thro

e sea of smiling faces parted, and su

od up abruptly, dropping Chanel

his tone clipped. "

venture capitalist, Mark, slurred, trying

"No harm done?" I repeated, my voice flat and

crowd. People started to back away, their p

s jaw tight with anger. The charm was gone, repl

he said, striding towards me. "

d for tonight. I' d imagined us leaving the party early, curled up in bed, my head on his che

e, her face a mask of concern. She reached for the coffee c

" I said, p

whisper. "Everyone was saying how much Ethan still loves me, h

te provocation. Malice dr

n it ha

out a piercing shriek, stumbling backward. The hot coffee fl

ed, sinking to the floor, tears

I was the jealous, hysterical wife, la

shoulder shoving me aside, and knelt beside

fury directed entirely at me. "Kiera, what th

but my voice was drowned out

purpose, Ethan!

to the bone. He looked at me, at my hand still resting on my stomach, and his face

sical blow. The worl

head resting theatrically on his shoul

blocked by the grand, sweeping sta

was a frantic bird beating against my ribs. "It wasn

Kiera," he growled,

voice cracking. "Don'

ared, his patience snapping. He had

"business trips" that coincided with her influencer events. The lies. The excuses. I

l, desperate attempt to reach the man I once

his face a mask

time for your

a violent shove

trying to get me out of his way, to clear his path to

off-balance. Pre

on the edge o

ed to stop. I saw his horrified face, the flick

ainful blur as I tumbled, end over