Chapter 3

The doorman at our upscale condo building looked uncomfortable.

"Ms. Carter, I... I have instructions."

My belongings – suitcases, boxes of clothes, a few pieces of art we' d bought together – were piled unceremoniously in the lobby.

Like trash.

"Instructions from whom?" I asked, my voice dangerously calm.

"From Mr. Harrison. And Ms. Albright."

Jessica. Of course. This had her petty, vindictive fingerprints all over it.

She emerged from the elevator then, arm in arm with Alex.

She was wearing a new dress, something expensive, and her smile was radiant, triumphant.

"Oh, Emily! You' re still here?" she chirped, feigning surprise. "We just thought we' d give you a hand with... moving out."

Alex looked away, a muscle twitching in his jaw. Still the amnesiac.

"My things could have been put in storage," I said, my voice level. "This is unnecessary."

Jessica laughed, a high, brittle sound.

"Don't be so dramatic. It' s just stuff. And honestly, Alex needs the space. We' re redecorating."

She gestured vaguely around the lobby. "Your taste was always a bit... much."

I ignored her, focusing on Alex.

"Alex, a word?"

He finally met my gaze, his eyes carefully blank. "I' m sorry, I still don' t..."

"Right," I cut him off. "The amnesia."

I turned to the doorman. "Can you call me a cab, please? A large one."

As I waited, Jessica continued her performance.

"We' re heading out for a drive," she announced brightly, jingling a set of keys. "Alex bought this gorgeous new SUV. It was supposed to be... well, never mind what it was supposed to be. It' s our adventure car now."

The luxury SUV. The one he' d bought as our "wedding car," the one we were supposed to take on a road trip up the coast.

He was letting her drive it, flaunt it.

The cab arrived. The driver helped me load my things, piece by humiliating piece.

Alex and Jessica watched, standing close together.

As I got into the cab, Jessica leaned down, her face close to the window.

"Don' t worry too much, Emily," she purred. "Some people just aren't meant for happily ever after. Especially with men like Alex. He needs someone... stronger. Someone who knows what he wants."

She tapped the window. "And he clearly wants me."

The cab pulled away from the curb.

I didn' t look back.

The anger was a cold, hard knot inside me now, pushing out the last vestiges of heartbreak.

They thought they had won.

They had no idea what was coming.