ly

ging from the kitchen counter. Alex had forgotten it in his hurry to leave and destroy me. The sound cut thro

ging. And ringi

legs shaky and weak. When I saw the name on

that dreamy look in his eyes when he mentioned her name. The o

ded a heart em

rembling as I a

d you finally tell her?" Her voice was sweet, excit

band baby. The word hit

n't Alex," I man

ised laugh, but a knowing one. "Oh. You must

made my skin crawl. Lik

asked, even thoug

like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Is

echoed in my head.

ou about the divorce. We're so excited to finally be together prop

slumped against the kitch

been planning our wedding for months. He just had to get rid of you first." She laughed

t the phone, my hands shaking

:

pstairs to our bedroom like a zombie. Alex's laptop was still sitting on the

e anything from me because he thought I w

here at the top was a message f

long for this moment. The wedding planner called - she can fit us in next month if we want. I know it's fast, but I can't wait another day to be your w

hem together at restaurants I'd never been to. Hotel receipts from weekends when Alex said he was worki

Alex made me

mpared to you - she's plain, boring, needy. She cries at everything and has no backbone. Sometimes I look at her and wonder how I ever thought I could love someone s

le, something to be disposed of. They shared intimate details about our marriage, laughing at my attempts to

t of her face. You come home from our dates and she just smiles at you like nothing happened. How ca

ing down my face, when I heard his key in the front do

ught it might burst. He was in the kitchen, humming to himself as he mad

our phone," I

ook guilty or ashamed. He looked annoyed. "What's

h cal

to guilt. To anger. "You answered my p

fiancée." The words c

ffee mug and cross

she said you

ke he was talking about the weathe

drop out from unde

cked up his coffee again, taking a sip like this was a normal conversation

uld barely breathe.

d. "You're a mistake I made five years ago. Sarah is my

ur mar

for commitment." He set down his mug and looked at me with such disgust that I actually ste

ved with every fiber of my being,

beautiful, successful, intelligent. She doesn't whine and cry about every little

, ple

p lying to both of us?" He started walking toward the stairs. "I'

rate. "We can work this out. I

, his face twisted with disgust. "You can't change in

Why did you marry me

droom and started throwing clothes into a suitcase. "You worshipped me, and

eeling like another piece of my heart being ripped ou

about Sarah the entire time. Even when I was saying my vow

e like physical

ery anniversary, every birthday, every holiday - I was going through the

oing to throw up. "

rabbed another bag. "You wanted to know why I'm leaving you. T

k past me. "Alex, wait. Don't do thi

f me." His voice w

listen to me f

squeezed them so hard I cried out. "I'm done listening

his grip was too strong.

I felt something in my wrist pop. "I don't love you. I never loved you. I love Sarah. I'm g

I sobbed. "I won't

ompletely dark.

atch my balance, he shoved me hard in the chest. I flew backward, my stom

warm and wet was spreading beneath me, and when I l

voice weak with shock

ith complete indifference. "Maybe next time y

omething's really wrong.

ward the door. "I have dinner

y stomach was so intense I collapsed back to

d looked back at me one last time.

eps on the stairs, heard the front door

roken, and the man I had devoted my entire adult

ssed my hands to my stomach, trying to stop the bleeding,

ad pushed away most of my friends because Alex alwa

en in my life, I realized that this was what seven years of loving the wrong man had br