In that moment, staring at the face I'd once loved down to the marrow of my bones, the face I'd been utterly captivated by, all I felt was revulsion.

Every word out of her mouth was love—but from Daniel's promotion to the shares to manufacturing an identity for her unborn child, every single step had been calculated.

What a joke.

Bella Simmons!

Since you were so good at scheming, how could I not lend you a hand?

The next morning, Bella kissed my forehead gently before leaving.

"Honey, I left breakfast in the microwave for you. Remember to eat when you get up. I also laid out your outfit for tonight's promotion ceremony. Don't forget to change into it."

I kept my eyes closed and let out a soft "Mm."

"See you tonight, honey!"

She kissed my forehead once more.

I listened to her footsteps fade, listened to the door open and close, then opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling for a while before getting out of bed to wash up.

Inside the microwave sat a bowl of oatmeal and some stuffed pastries—my favorites. On the hanger hung a white suit, pressed to crisp perfection without a single wrinkle.

I never actually liked white. It reminded me of hospitals, reminded me that I wasn't really a man anymore.

But Bella liked it. So for five years, I'd forced myself to swallow the discomfort and pretend I liked it too.

Now I could finally be myself.

I didn't touch the oatmeal or the pastries. I didn't put on the white suit. Instead, I pulled a black suit from the closet, changed into it, grabbed the old share transfer agreement, and walked out the door.

When I arrived at Melody's office, she looked me up and down before breaking into a smile. "You look very handsome today!"

I pulled a chair across from her and sat down. "Are you saying I wasn't handsome before?"

"You were, but today there's something different. Something..." She searched for the word.

"Like a new beginning?"

"Yes! Exactly!" Melody clapped her hands together. "Before, no matter where you showed up, you were always trailing behind Bella like some accessory hanging off her arm. But now you're just... you."

"An accessory? Is that really how you saw me?" I let out a self-deprecating laugh.

She wasn't wrong, though. Back then, Bella was the only thing in my world. I couldn't see anyone else. I couldn't even see myself.