NA

with the lights. I drop my bag by the door, kick off my he

let mysel

d with Sebastian. The wedding I'd started planning in my head, even though he'd never offic

the time it took to

as different. I search for the moment it all went wrong, and I can't find it. Because it wasn't one moment. It was all of them. Every lie he to

ars come. Ugly, gasping, broken sobs that shake my whole body. I cry until my throa

phone

y, expecting Sebastian-hoping, maybe, that it's Sebastian, tha

Oli

er the

ith worry. "Where are you? I'

y voice comes

oming

u don't

engine turn over. "Don't move. Don'

going to

be there in

up before

n on the lights. I just sit there in the dark, feeling the weight of ev

way, still in her work clothes, her hair escaping its ponytail, her face set

the sympathy in her voice

o a hug. I cling to her like she's the only solid

per. "I didn't know

er hands on my shoulders, her eyes searching

I

r and the shoes and the sound of Sofia's laugh. About walking in and seeing them together, tangled in sheets I pick

amage control and my father's silence and the way the

s tighter and tighter, and by the time I'm finis

to kill him

in

I'm going to marc

er arm. "Please. I can't ha

self to calm down. "Okay

st the sofa. "I don't know what I need. I

ed to take car

cracks. "I built my whole life around him, Liv. My whole

e not n

im I

ed you. He lied to you. He cheated on you. That's not a refl

How do you always

you are." She takes my

ed on you with his

I thought I'd never be happy again.

eels di

my hand. "But here's what I know: Sebastian is a coward. Sofia is a s

ed a lot

e you a lot o

It's a weak, watery so

ivia says. "Now. Wha

t I'd interrupted his evening. I think about Sofia's smirk and my mother's cold voice and my father's

to regret it,

ret

et ever thinking they could do

t up. "That's what

cry to my parents until they take my side. I'm not going

oo

find a way to

ward. "What did

oom. The anger is back, burning hotter than before. "But I know S

hat's

mily. About the pressure he felt. About the uncle who controlled

Thomas,

"His uncle? T

of him. Richard controls the family money, the family business

ould be screwed,"

act

half-formed, barely more than a spark, but it

d Richard has the power to challenge him. To

ice is cautious. "Wh

first time tonight, I feel

, "about paying a vis

s widen. "Yo

steady for the first time in hours. "Sebastian thinks he's won. He thinks he's hurt me and gotte

the city lights flickering outside my window, I begin to think abou