He never introduced me to his friends. Never made us official. But I didn't mind. Since the day I added him on social media, his feed had been empty. I convinced myself he just wasn't the type to post about his personal life. I told myself our connection didn't need a digital paper trail to be real.
But now, sitting in his idling car, my world crumbled.
My nose stung. A dull ache spread through my chest, making my limbs tremble. Tears escaped despite my best efforts.
"Matthew... you could have rejected me. You could have just not liked me. But why did you *lie* to me?"
He paused, his brow furrowing as if *I* were the one being unreasonable. "You were the one who said you'd never leave me."
"If you love me," he continued, his tone clinical, "then just pretend you don't know. We can keep things exactly as they are. Isn't that enough?"
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
I loved him, yes. But I wasn't a doormat. I wasn't a clown for him to juggle.
I had *dignity.*
A shaky breath. I forced my voice steady. "When did she come back?"
Seeing that I had stopped crying, Matthew relaxed. He put the car in gear and merged into traffic, his tone casual. "Two months ago. I picked her up from the airport."
Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.
"The elders restored the engagement," he added. "My hands are tied."
*Two months ago.*
No wonder he vanished on my birthday without a single text. No wonder he suddenly started posting photos for a week straight—shots taken from low angles, featuring a smile brighter than anything he'd ever given me.
He had been with Julia Fox.
I turned toward the window. The city blurred past. I didn't say another word.
That night, I slept on the very edge of the bed, leaving a vast, cold expanse between us.
When Matthew finished his shower, he reached for me out of habit, leaning in for a goodnight kiss.
I turned my face away.
His frown deepened. He pulled me forcefully into his arms. "What? Still mad? I told you—I won't let her find out about you."
My eyes burned as I looked up at him. "So you expect me to be your dirty little secret for the rest of my life?"
Matthew froze. His thumb brushed my cheek, his voice dropping to a seductive whisper. "Don't make it sound so ugly, baby."
He hooked my legs around his waist. His lips grazed the tip of my nose. "Can you really bear to leave me? Or was last night not enough for you?"
It was always like this.