on of the few employees still lingering. She reached out, her hand lingering on Ben's arm, a possessive gesture that ma

t... making do. Some people just aren't cut out for the fast lane. They prefer the slow, steady path, perhaps back to their quiet, unremarkable l

t his shoes, unable to meet either of our gazes. His silence was deafening, a louder confirmation of his betrayal than any words co

a stark contrast to the chaos in my heart. This was it. The end of an

ed. He couldn't even face me. "You know, Ben," I said, my voice cutting through his shame, surprisingl

p, knock-off gifts, pretending they were rare treasures. He'd made a big show of finding that specific watch in a dus

"It's a fake. A cheap replica. Just like you

standing there, exposed and humiliated. The heavy glass doors o

wind howled, a reflection of the storm churning inside me. I took a dee

crolled to my father's contact – Wi

steady, stronger than I thought pos

n unexpected relief. "Finally, Isolde. It's about time. We've been waiting for

uching my lips. "I'm ready." I hung up, th

hree years of playing a part, of dimming my own light for a man who saw me as a means to an end. The naive girl

ss of our shared apartment. There

. I walked directly to our bedroom, pulling my packed suitcase from under the bed. I started putti

he'd run all the way from Apex. "Isolde! What was that? What was Haylie talking about? Why di

"Haylie just misinterpreted things. She's manipulative,

d my wrist free. My eyes met his, cold and unwavering. His lies wer