Chapter 2

2

He said it was for his younger sister.

We exchanged contact info right then and there.

After that, we talked every day and went on dates every weekend.

Falling in love was the most natural thing in the world.

Every day of our relationship was sweet.

However, he never introduced me to his family, friends, or coworkers.

Outside of knowing Lennon himself, I knew nothing about his world.

He traveled for work constantly. Sometimes, he wouldn't contact me for an entire day when things got "busy."

My best friend always told me something felt off. She warned me to keep my guard up.

But I was blinded by love. I didn't doubt him for a second.

Looking back now, I was pathetic and naive.

I snapped out of my memories and climbed onto the sofa to tear down the wedding photo.

Clutching the frame, I finally broke down into hysterical sobs.

My cries filled the empty rooms of our home.

I didn't stop until I was physically exhausted and my tears ran dry.

I couldn't accept being a homewrecker.

This relationship had to end immediately.

But as I headed out to find Lennon and demand a divorce, a realization hit me.

Lennon and I had never actually gone to the courthouse for a marriage license.

Even our son's birth certificate listed me as a single mother.

At the time, Lennon told me his family was controlling his every move.

He claimed he couldn't legally marry me or have a public wedding yet.

He had cried in my arms, repeatedly calling himself useless and weak.

I felt so much pity for him. I told him the paperwork didn't matter to me.

We had planned a honeymoon in Bali once.

But the night before the flight, he claimed his mother was sick and he had to go care for her.

No matter how upset I was, I couldn't stop him from being a "good son."

So, our "marriage" was nothing but a beautiful lie.

A year later, our son was born. Without a marriage license, he took my last name.

Using the GPS tracker on his phone, I drove to Lennon's current location.

It was a high-end French bistro.

The doors were closed, looking like they weren't open for regular business.

As I reached for the handle, a server stepped out and bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry, ma'am. The entire restaurant is booked for a private event today."

I asked instinctively, "Is it Lennon Sterling?"

The server blinked in surprise. "Yes, Mr. Sterling. It's his eighth wedding anniversary. They look so in love, it's truly enviable..."

I couldn't hear the rest of the server's words. I stumbled back to my car, my world spinning.

So today was Lennon and Luna's actual anniversary.

No wonder he told me this morning he'd be too busy to see me.

Through the window, I caught a glimpse of the two of them.

The view was blurry, but I could see them feeding each other and laughing.

I couldn't take it anymore. I pulled out my phone and called him.

Lennon declined the call at first, but I didn't give up. I kept calling.

On the fifth try, he finally walked outside the restaurant to answer.

I leaned against my car, staring at his back. "Lennon, where are you?"

Lennon looked back nervously at Luna through the glass before replying. "I'm at the office working late. What's up?"

My face remained expressionless. "Nothing. I just missed you."

His voice turned soft and tender. "I miss you too, babe. Once this project is over, I'll take you and our daughter on a trip."

I didn't say a word. I just started walking toward him.

"Jenna? Are you there?"

His voice crackled through the speaker.

I quietly stepped up right behind him. I called his name in a flat, icy tone.

"Lennon."

Lennon jumped, spinning around in sheer terror.

When he saw me standing there, his face went pale with horror.

He grabbed my arm and shoved me toward a corner, his voice a frantic whisper. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He treated me like I was a piece of trash he needed to hide.

I looked at him and felt like I was staring at a complete stranger.

I asked, "Lennon, how much longer were you planning to lie to me?"

He frowned, pretending not to understand. "What are you talking about?"

"Your wife enrolled Cece in my school today."

"You've been married for eight years and have a six-year-old daughter. How long were you going to keep that from me?"

Lennon suddenly clamped his hand over my mouth.

He dragged me further away, trying to pacify me.

"Jenna, listen to me. I can explain. I didn't mean to deceive you."

How hilarious. He had lied for six years, and now he claimed it wasn't intentional.

Just as I was about to scream at him, the restaurant door swung open.