Todd

part of the supportive fiancée," Dante said, his kn

lied, my voice d

ted my divorce lawyer, a woman I' d found online months ago during a particularly lonely night. I

was the center of it all, a vision in a scarlet dress that clung to her like a second ski

the night in a hospital bed. I was still in the clothes from yesterday, m

man next to me gushed to her friend

ed her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Unlike

er, her smile never quite reach

id, her tone dripping with false sincerity. "D

e," I sa

e to liven up the party. A bottle was sp

clared with a d

you could give Dante one piece of advice a

Someone who understands that legacy isn't just about personal happiness... it's about what you build for the future." She paused, letting

of them looking at Kamala as if she we

had screamed, I had accused. Dante had always, always taken her side, calling me

sed to break down in tears over their late-night "strateg

y voice steady. "If Dante and I don't wor

s eyes blazing with fury. "Eliza,"

You can't possibly think you're the on

fore he masked it with a tight, forced smile. "Darling, let's not air our

bottle spun again. This time

ould even speak. "I dare you to go

nched. "She's n

game, Dante,"

ly, grabbing a glass of whiskey from a passing t

another man touching his property, but he was perfectly fine with forcing al

od up

Eliza," he seethed, his g

every waking moment with another woman, bu

said to the crowd with a patron

m mine. He brought the glass to my lips, forcing

r the rim, spilling down my chin and onto the front of my dress. Some of it

gile life I was so desperately trying to protec

tumbling backward. My heel caught on t

ll h

piercing, was ripped from my lungs as an agony unl

n quickly replaced by annoyance. "For God's

ne in the c

ered, her hand flying to h

-