Chapter 1

1

I was at a bar, keeping my newly divorced best friend company while she drank her sorrows away. She was crying, telling me how much she envied the ten years of wedded bliss I had with my husband.

Just then, I heard suggestive flirting coming from the booth next to us.

The man who had hugged me and given me a sweet morning kiss just hours ago...

Was now shamelessly pinned under another woman, lost in a heated make-out session.

Eventually, he became the laughingstock of our entire social circle.

"Some people have kids who can run now, while others are still stuck pining for their old flames," someone joked.

...

It started on Valentine's Night, when my best friend, Becca, officially signed her divorce papers.

She and her husband had been together for years, surviving every storm, only to be defeated by the mundane passage of time.

On a special night like this, I should have been home with Dwight Dawson.

But he'd sent me a last-minute text saying a major case at the office required his attention, so I ended up at the bar with Becca instead.

After a few drinks, her tears started flowing.

"Summer, I never thought he'd leave me. We were so in love. How did we get here?"

"Is it true that even the best love can't beat the craving for something new?"

"Summer, you and Dwight have to hold on. You're the only reason I still believe in love."

I sighed, feeling a bit helpless.

Dwight and I were indeed the couple everyone envied.

From high school sweethearts to a wedding dress, we were each other's firsts.

We'd argued, fought, and struggled, but we never chose to walk away.

In today's shallow, flashy world, a bond like ours felt like a rare gem.

While I was daydreaming about what Dwight might be doing at work, a soft moan drifted from the booth next to us.

The arm I had around Becca froze. My entire body felt like it had been turned to ice.

That voice...

I would recognize it anywhere, even if the world were ending.

Because the owner of that voice had woken up in my arms this morning, pulling me close for a sweet morning kiss.

His sugary words were still ringing in my ears.

"Happy Valentine's Day, honey. I hope you're by my side for every one of these for the rest of our lives."

I stood up, my mind reeling. Through the gaps in the decorative plants, I saw him clearly.

There was my husband, the man who promised me forever this morning, now offering his lips to another woman like a sacrifice.

Between kisses, he murmured sweet nothings I'd never heard before.

"Yara, hold me tighter..."

"You have no idea how much I've missed you. I think about you every second."

My blood felt like it had frozen in my veins. I couldn't move.

Becca noticed my reaction and stood up to follow my gaze. Her jaw dropped.

"I―mph!"

I instinctively reached out and covered her mouth.

Then, I dragged her out of the bar as if we were escaping a fire.

It wasn't until we were outside that I collapsed against a wall, tears finally streaming down my face.

Why...

Dwight, why?

My heart was full of resentment and questions, but I didn't have the guts to confront him then and there.

I didn't have the courage to face that scene. I was terrified of reaching the point of no return.

Becca was fuming, pacing back and forth.

"That bastard! How could he do this to you? Why did we run? We should've gone in there and caught him red-handed!"

"We should have made those two scumbags lose face in front of everyone!!!"

I slid down the wall, burying my face in my arms and sobbing uncontrollably.

How was I supposed to face him in a situation like that?

That was Dwight...

My first love of seventeen years, my husband of ten.

He was the golden boy in a white shirt who walked into my life and eventually stood by me as I wore my wedding gown.

We exchanged rings and promised our lives to one another.

We went through so many storms and hardships together. He was my best friend and my partner.

More than that, he was my most cherished love.

How could I admit that the man I'd held so dear in my heart was now completely rotten?

I simply couldn't face it.

I went home like a zombie. I sat on the sofa, staring at our wedding photo on the coffee table.

The tears wouldn't stop.

I sat there from the middle of the night until dawn. It was only then that the front door finally opened.

Dwight jumped when he saw me on the couch. "Honey? Why are you sitting here?"

I looked up at him.

He was wearing a sharp suit, but the dark circles under his eyes were obvious.

He probably hadn't noticed the faint hickey on the side of his neck from last night's activities.

A sharp pain stabbed at my heart. I forced a smile and asked him a question.

"Dwight, was work that busy last night? So busy you couldn't even come home for Valentine's?"

He thought I was just annoyed that he hadn't spent the night with me. He walked over and hugged my neck.

"What's wrong? Is my little Summer upset?"

"Don't be mad. Something urgent came up at the office and I couldn't get away."

"I'll spend the whole day with you today, okay?"

The scent of a woman's perfume wafted off him. Suddenly, I felt like vomiting.

I stood up abruptly.

"Something just came up at my office. I have to go."

Without looking back, I walked out the door.

I hated myself for being so cowardly.

But for now, I just needed to escape.

I truly didn't have the courage to face any of this yet.