Chapter 2
The memory mekkea physical blown in my darkened living room, wine glass trembling in my hand.
Our wedding day
Three years ago, when id still peleved in fairy tales and forever.
I’d been walking down the aisle in my mother restored lace gown, my ap locked on Edward’s face, when the church donutapen
Isabella had appeared like some gothic angel in a flowing whinedress–not quite wedding gown, but loughton wipers appling through our guests
Shedsmbled, claimed to be so sorry” blamed medication for the murup
Edward had gone paks, rushing to
side while I stood frozen at the albic, my bouquet wilting in my sweaty palms
The ceremony had continued, but the damage was
in our wedding photos, Edwards yet ting koward t
Tubela sat, dabbing hereyes with tiss
reyes with tissues my bridgiver
“age” Edward had explained i
on the age of our holl bed in my honeymoon lingerie, feeling more exposed this beautiful.
cidentally messed her up. She red suppo
Three years of
I support
Three years of “Isabella’s having a bad day‘ and ‘She just needs someone who understands her tauma” and “you’re so lucky to be stable, Sophea. Not everyone is as strong as you“.
Edward emerged from the bathroom, his face white as
“Sophia, we need to talk.”
I didn’t look up from my
Dow? I think labella said everything that needed saying”
write thaicomment. You”
He was carefully controlled, meine he used during difficult business negotiations
The single ward hung between us like a challenge
Edward’s reflection appeared in the window behind me, and for a moment, we looked like strangers
He sat heavily on the
nebuch beside me, but not close enough to touch.
The trauma from the car accident, the memory is the amely attacks. She depends on me
I laughed, the sound harsh and bitter.
“Memoryesues? Is that what we’re calling it now?
I turned to face him, seng him clearly for the first time injas.
he remembers your schedule peecy Remembers to call exactly when you’re with members to have agendung very important moment in our man
That’s not far
Far?
i stood abruptly, wine sloshing dangerously to them of my glass
“You about? Let’s talk about how she needs your help exactly the days wery week. How the days always happen day, Wednesday, and Friday–the shule you keep claiming is random”
Edwards jaw tightened.
“At La demander? At the Milet?d that cory little wine bar ino
nd done my homework dung those long, lonelying
That’s some very expensive therapy Edward Very romantic they
siktchen and retneved my laptop, the wine making me bold
With a few clicks. I pulled up Edwards Instagram account–the one he thought I didn’t know about the one where he followed exactly one person
Three months of photos labels at restaus, isabela at art galleries, Isabela laughing jokes only she could hear and look-
clicked on a photo from Lu
There’s your reflection in the window behind her Holding her hand
Edward stared at his more dang than any confession
Twe been much an I whispered closing the laptop with ai
Televing pour les about helping
beleving that i was the problem was understanding enough supportive enough good enough
I moved toward the stairs, each step feeling like waking away from quicksand
Tmidone Done with the les done with being the villain in my own mangi, done with watching you play hero to a woman who more manipulative than traumatized”
I paced at the bottom of the staroase, looking back at the man dance thought I’d spend my life with
“You know what the saddest part actually loved you enough to share you. But sh I love you enough to let you bu happy.”
As climbed the touredmom–soon to be just bedroom heard him calling isabela.
