Married to a retired play boy

onist painting. Inside her office, Vanessa gripped the phone tighter, her knuckles white

mmy seems to work with a calendar that conspires against th

n over the phone. "I will have to remind him myself..... Li

iar blend of concern and worry, crackled through the receive

stretched late, demanded his undivided attention, and conveniently era

muttered, her voice laced with a b

led off. Even to her own ears, it sounded flimsy, a de

ling, "why not call him first? A heads-up, like a casual 'thinking about you' kind

m first," she replied

nited in her chest. A casual call could be a sub

when I'm done talking to

k fine for you." Carolyn encour

isconnected the call, she scroll

s name, a familiar pang of ne

e, it would come out. Taking a deep breath, she pressed th

imes, expecting different results, but nothing changed. Aft

are not busy?" She sent the short text, omittin

t he didn't reply. What can he be doing? Is he in a meeting? These

years, she had been committed to the relationship, hoping her boyfriend would change his

mind, she decided to visit Emmy at his office. She needs to see him

the rain outside as Vanessa sto

teady downpour, the wind whipping the rain i

little protection, she sprinted across the side

e, she ducked under the ov

corner. Rain hammered against its faded paint, leaving rivulets that traced

e sleek sports car she'd dreamed of but Rusty, her companion, had never let her down. With a

s of disgruntled coughs. Vanessa could have chuckled as she always does, but she w

chaos and frustration, it was exactly what she needed, a loyal and rel

roached his office building. As the elevator doors whooshe

e horribly wrong. Emmy's office door was ajar, a sliver of light escaping like a silent scream. Vanessa

ther. The plush carpet muffled the sound of her approach, allowin

was entangled with his usually prim and proper secr

y sound that shattered the scene. Emmy's head snapped up, his face

r throat as she tried to process th

to cover herself, as she ran out of his office. Vanessa i

sually, trying to hide the fact that she had jus

ble. The carefully constructed world she'd built with Emmy crumbled around her.

ars welled in her eyes. With a surge of adrenaline, she crossed the room, the distance between them evaporati

the words punctuated by choked sobs. "Three anniversarie

d by the sudden attack. Reacting instincti

pain through Vanessa's cheek, a physical manifestat

"How could you do this to me without an atom of guilt?" She cried. She couldn't believ

't mean to do it," Emmy apologizes for hitting her, but

ut the words that would sever the ties that

ears of stolen moments and whispered promises. With a final, lingering look a

ars away from her face, but did less to soothe the rage within her. Under the