Back at our ce, my phone buzzed twice-message from Kaden:
[Cora, don’t stay up toote chatting with Harper. I’ll pick you up bright and early.]
[Love you.]
Seeing that word “love” just made me sick.
Didn’t text back. Just deleted and blocked his ass.
At this moment, my emotions were all over the ce and I needed a drink. Opened the fridge and saw rows of wine coolers lined up perfectly-
Same exact brands as in Tessa Sterling’s bar fridge.
downed two whole bottles. Once the alcohol hit, I finally lost it.
Smashed every piece of furniture in the ce.
All those photo albums full of our memories, those hundreds of love letters he wrote me-stuff I’d treasured like gold-went up in mes.
Looking at the destruction, I left that house of lies.
The second I stepped outside, Harper called:
She teased: “Cora, your boy just called asking if we were hanging out.”
Where’d you go? Why am I your alibi?”
couldn’t hold back anymore and broke downpletely.
Harper, can Ie over?”
What happened?”
I don’t want this engagement.”
I’m breaking up with Kaden.”
When Harper heard the whole story, she was more pissed than I was.
That BASTARD! How dare he cheat!”
By then I was calm. Even grateful I’d found out when I did.
f I’d married him first and THEN discovered all this…
couldn’t even imagine how pathetic I would’ve looked.
That night, Harper and I talked for hours.
My emotions gradually stabilized.
After the pain came the anger of betrayal.
didn’t tell anyone to cancel the engagement party-just turned off my phone and slept straight through until noon the next day.
When I turned my phone back on, I had a million missed calls.
Meanwhile, someone was pounding on the door non-stop.
Harper pulled out her earplugs and groaned. “They’ve been at it for an hour. I’m worried the neighbors will call the cops.”
Ically brushed my teeth and washed my face before slowly opening the door.
When Kaden saw me, his face was pure rage.
“Cora, do you know what day it is?”
TODAY is our engagement party! You disappear right before it starts?”
He grabbed my wrist and tried to drag me out.
“The apartment’s trashed too. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Everyone’s waiting for us!”
yanked my hand away.
I’m not doing this engagement.”
…Cora, have you lost your mind? Do you hear yourself?”
went back inside, pulled out nail clippers and cut off each fake nail.
Kaden went from raging mad topletely frozen-his pupils dted in shock as he stood there like a deer in headlights.
Kaden, I gave you a chance.”
If you’d been honest with me, I would’ve broken up with you peacefully and canceled the party. At least it wouldn’t have been this ugly.”
But you kept treating me like an idiot. So I don’t need to spare your feelings anymore.”
Velvet bar. Have funst night?”
Kadenpletely panicked. He dropped to his knees and grabbed my hands.
Cora, let me exin…”
I don’t want to hear it!”
All the buried hurt and rage exploded at once.
pped him as hard as I could, again and again.
My nails left bloody scratches on his face, ripped the buttons off his shirt like a madwoman, taking out all my pain on him.
He never dodged, never said a word.
Not until my wrists went numb and my palms stung did I finally stop.
was panting, staring daggers at him.
Dead silence.
Finally, he grabbed my arms, trembling. “Cora, you done being mad?” <fn1905> This content belongs to Find?Novel</fn1905>
Fifteen years. Just this once. I only slipped up this one time.”
“…Forgive me, okay?”
I didn’t answer, just stared at him with empty eyes, tears streaming down my face.
“Cora, you can’t give up on me. You can’t leave me.”
“Don’t you get it? I love you down to my bones.”
Those sweet words felt like spoiled cake-disgusting.
You’re my whole life. How am I supposed to live without you?”
I looked at him and said, word by word: