“Is this for real? What a bastard!” Peter mmed his hand down on the table, his voice full of rage. It was terrifying. He was usually so gentle, so calm-it was rare for him to lose his temper.


    Even though his anger wasn’t directed at me, I couldn’t help but flinch.


    Michelle, too, trembled as she held my hand. Then she started cursing. “That bastard! I’m calling him right now! I’m going to ask him what the hell he’s thinking! Didn’t he say there was nothing going on with that Thea?”


    Finally, she let go of my hand and grabbed her phone.


    I shifted my hand, sore from her tight grip. “Michelle, I’ve already talked to him at thepany. He agreed to break up with me, but…”


    I paused. “He’s even gotten Thea a job at thepany.”


    As soon as I said it, I realized how much like tattling it sounded. But since it hade to this, I wasn’t going to hold anything back. I was going toy it all out-every single thing Alvin had done.


    “What?” Now, both of them were stunned.


    Peter’s face darkened immediately, and Michelle turned on him, her voice sharp. “You said you knew everything about thepany. How could you not know about this?”


    Just as I’d thought. Peter might be the head of thepany, but he didn’t follow every little detail-like who wasing and going. Those things were beneath his radar.


    Peter didn’t respond, but the fury in his eyes was crystal clear. Michelle, seeing that, quickly added, “I’m calling Alvin back. We need to get to the bottom of this.”


    I didn’t want them to call him. If he showed up now, it would just make everything worse.


    “Peter, Michelle, I know this is hard to ept. But if it’s difficult for you, imagine how I feel. He just had a scandal with Thea, and now he brings her into thepany. He clearly doesn’t take me-his fiancée-seriously.”


    “Zoe, we’ll make him get rid of that woman,” Michelle said, squeezing my hand again.


    “Michelle, the day before we were supposed to register, he blocked all contact with Thea right in front of me.


    “But the very next day, he still went with her to her prenatal checkup. Getting rid of Thea won’t fix anything,” I said, my voice quiet but firm.


    “The real problem is that Alvin has feelings for her. For her, he’ll lie, he’ll ignore everything else,” I continued.


    Those words stung. They felt bitter in my chest, and I felt embarrassed. I’d been with Alvin for so long, yet I couldn’t evenpete with a widow’s hold over him. In the end, I had lost.


    I had said what I needed to say. No more hiding. No more pretending. And it left Peter and Michelle without an argument.


    “Peter, Michelle, Alvin and I are done. Even if you force him to stay with me, his heart won’t be in it,” I said.


    “A man who’s not invested-marrying him would only hurt me. If you truly care about me, you wouldn’t want me to stay in a loveless marriage, crying myself to sleep every night, would you?” I asked.


    “Zoe…” Michelle’s voice cracked, and her eyes filled with tears. “Alvin must have… been confused. Can’t you give him another


    chance? Wait a little longer and let him reflect?”


    “Wait for what?” Peter interjected sharply. “He’s the one who’s wronged Zoe. Why should she wait for him?”


    Peter’s words hit me hard. It was like hearing a father stand up for his daughter. My nose tingled with emotion.


    “Zoe, if Alvin doesn’t cherish you, don’t give him another chance. You need to move on.


    “If you don’t have anyone in mind, I can introduce you to some good young men-there are plenty around me,” Peter continued, his tone now one of a protective father.


    Michelle, however, was getting impatient. She shot a re at Peter. “What nonsense are you saying? Zoe is only going to be my daughter-inw. I won’t have her marrying anyone else!”


    The heavy conversation had somehow taken a light turn, and their yful bickering added some levity to the otherwise tense atmosphere.


    “Oh, so you want to have another son, do you?” Peter joked, his humor cutting through the tension.


    Before Michelle could respond, a familiar voice came from the doorway. “I think that’s a good idea.”


    I looked


    up and saw Philip standing there, backlit by the light. He was dressed casually, a suitcase in hand. His eyes were locked on mine, sparkling with a certain intensity I couldn’t quite read.