city behind, I finally allowed myself to feel the full weight of the past few days.

am kept hidden in the back of his closet. In a moment of spite, I had taken it. I told mysel

dn't have the key, but a nail file from my

It wasn't full of old documents or fina

es of them at prom, on vacation, laughing, kissing. Underneath the photos was a

eting, their first kiss, the pain of their breakup when she left for college. He wrote about how he never s

ries from the last f

e's nice. Looks a little like Sarah if y

old her we have to keep things quiet because of company policy. It's an e

to beat out of my chest. It's all I've ever wanted. I have to end things

friend, or even a person to him. I was a substitute. A stand-in for the real thing. Our entire five-year relationship was a lie, a wa

the past few days paled in comparison to this. This was the ultimate betrayal. He

to meet me. The sight of their worried face

y mom said, pulling me into a hug. "

eard Liam got a big promotion. That's wonderful news! He's

ike another slap in the face. My own family, compl

other day about his high school sweetheart, Sarah. She said Liam never rea

r, my eyes wide. "His

They were the perfect couple. It wa

ll in love with her. I was the only one who was kept in the dark. I was the secret, the fool who actually believe