Chapter 1
Cup1
Ampla Carter had spent the entire day making sure thing was perfect
checked the time agan O
a small speech she had rehearsed in her mind. Show tight to be it was their Twentieth wedding anniversary amestone that symbolized love, andurance, and commitment
7th chic, and support her husband’s car. Through sandalstruggles, slight with sick back and long years of playing the role of the perfect wife, she had endured it all But she believed it was worth it. Because love
Fingers curled around my wge of the tat
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y hiding the growing discomforting up her spiral.
iter breath caught in her throtic walked
but their dinner plan. He had responded with a short, Busy w bry to make.
glasses A water hovered newby, casting her a sympathic glanc
The woman was young Tall Accade of golden h
defeatures Shemsed
the kind that dung to seryou, the kindahan’t worn in
People turned to look as they passed. The matt’s shocked the chand’s her body pressed dost her las curved into a knowing smile.
Chapter 1
This couldn’t be real.
Richard stopped in front of her table, his expression unreadable
if greeting a colleague, not his wife of nearly two decades Meet Charlotte”
Her fingers trembled as they pripped the edge of the table. She searched his face, waiting for the punchine the explanation
Charlotte tended a manicured hand, her voice light. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
Truly!
Amelia’s chest tightened.
around them
“What?” she whispered, her voice barely carrying over the soft clatter of silverware and hushed conversations arou
Richard exhaled, and he was the one burdened Twanted to do this properly.”
Do what properly?”
His remained cold, distant. “Charlotte and have been together for two years
Two years
Two years. While she had been waiting for him to come home, while she had been rang their children while she had been celebrating has successes and picking up the pieces of hires, he had been with her.
Her throat felt chat this is our minary.
know.“Histone was indiferent detached. That’s why thought it was the perfect me to all you
A slowing homered into her bones
The perfect tim
Chapter
Not an accident. Not a drunken mistake choice Deliberate and cruel
Amela’s fingers curled into her lap, her niks digging into her palms keep from breaking down in front of them
“You’re leaving me she stated her voice emily calm
Pichand pulled out a chatting down as if this was a casual dinner and not the destruction of her entire Charlotte sat beside him, her hand resting on his
He did even hestate.
Asharp breath hitched in her throat
“Why are you doing this Here cracked.
Tecause I love hochard said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the w
Charlotte smiled, her fingers brushing over his knuckles. “We didn’t mean for to happen, but sometimes, love finds you when you least expect at ”
Amela swallowed the bile rising in her throat
“You’really doing that she whispered.
Richard and back, studying her th something that resembled boredom. ‘s already done. Your things are packed. The house to Charlo
Asharp, suffocating silence settled between them.
Amman move, Couldn’t breathe.
“You packed my things? The words barely made it past her lips.
Richard nodded, completely unaffected. The driver is outside. Hel take you wherever you need to go.”
Her stomach twisted painfully
She wasn’t even worth a conversation. A warning. Nothing
The betrayalso deep was unbearable
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her phone vibrated Amessage.
“Mom, please don’t make a scene. Dad deserves to be happy.”
Her fingers trembled as she read the words again
Another message popped up. Wetalked about We’re happy for Dad. Please don’t make this out.”
Lihan.
Tears stung her even
She scrolled her heart pounding. Ms. Her youngest
Charlotte a
Maybe you should just this go
The restauram wab bund
Her hands went numb
Her children had sided with them
Her own flesh and blood, the ones she had carried, ralsad, nurtured, they had thrown her away as easily a
bashard had
Something inside her cracked.
She looked up, and for the first time in her life the saw Richard for who he truly was. Not the man she had loved. Not the man she had ficed for
A stranger
A solish, ruthless man who had taken everything from her without a second though
Har gaeckered to Charlotte, who watched her with that same auded pitying smile.
Amelia Richard said, checking his watch Let’s not drag this out. The driver’swating”
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Something inside her snapped
She stood slowly her chair scraping against the floor. Every muscle in her body ached from the sheer weight of betrayal, but she refused to part here
She turned, waking away without another word
Richard leder her, but she didn’t stop
Not when she stepped out into the old night
Not when she reached the wading cat
Not even when she sank into the backseat, her hands curled into fists on her lap
The driver tamed Wheato, ma’am?”
She had no home. No husband No children.
She had nothing.
A single tear doped down her cheek
“Drive,” she whispered
As the car pulled away. Amelia stared out at the city lights
Onthought burned through the agony consumingh
Oneday. They would regret this
And when that day came, she wouldn’t be the one being
