Chapter 3
I stormed over, grabbed Sarah by the hair, dragged her out, and threw her to the floor.
She screamed, landing next to the coffee table. Her glass hit the floor and shattered, glass shards scattered everywhere.
Everyone froze.
The next second, My wrist was seized in a tight grip.
It hurt so much, like my bones were about to break.
“Kayla, what the hell are you doing?” Anthony’s voice was icy cold.
He frowned, his eyes flashing with disgust and blame.
I tried to break free, but he was way too strong. His grip was so tight that it felt like he was crushing my wrist, Making it hard to even breathe.
The garish, Multicolored lights in the private room flickered over my face, so bright they made my eyes ache, almost bringing me to tears.
Anthony was still gripping my wrist, My hair wild and loose, My face contorted with anger and pain. I probably looked awful.
He stared at me for a few seconds, then slowly frowned.
“Why do you look so pale?” His tone shifted, suddenly sounding concerned. “Is Something wrong?”
I almost wanted to scoff at that.
Just a minute ago, he was staring at me like I was crazy, and now he’s acting all concerned.
“Looks like you’ve got your hands full Comforting people tonight.” I sneered.
He froze for a Moment, caught off guard.
“You’re misunderstanding.” he said, frowning, his tone tinged with impatience. “It’s not what you think.”
Not what I thought?
I looked at him, standing there, impeccably dressed and acting so calm, like nothing was out of the ordinary.
Sarah, I’d just dragged out of his arms, was still on the floor, and now he was gripping my wrist, telling me it was not what it looked like.
It really felt like I was just making a scene for no reason, like I was the one who’d gotten everything twisted.
I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh, my shoulders shaking from how bitter it felt.
“Anthony,” I said, “you really do take me for a fool, don’t you?”
I didn’t say another word. I just yanked My hand out of his grip.
And walked out without looking back.
That night, he didn’t come home.
I stared at my phone. No messages. My eyes stung, and I almost started crying.
At the club entrance, before I started the car, I waited a few more seconds, but I never saw him come after me in the rearview Mirror.
That was my last chance. He didn’t come after me, and that was the Moment the last bit of my naïve hope broke for good.
That night, I barely slept. Restless and in a haze, Memories kept flooding back.
Back when Anthony and I had just gotten Married, we went to one of his childhood friend’s weddings.
It was supposed to be just another ordinary night.
While he was off making toasts, I was standing in the corner with My drink when I overheard someone whisper, “Hey, you know, she really does look a bit like her…”
The guy next to him nudged him hard. “Dude, shut up. She’ll hear you.”
I wandered over with a casual smile and
asked, “So, who do I look like?”
No one said a word.
Later, when the bride got a little tipsy, she grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go. “Honestly, back then, Anthony only went after you because his family wanted it. You’re from a good family, perfect for the role of his wife.”
She leaned in close, squinting at me for a long Moment. “Seriously, when you smile, you really remind me of her.”
I was honestly confused and pressed her, “What do you Mean? Am I just that generic?”
She just giggled, covering her mouth, but wouldn’t say another word.
On the way home, I turned to Anthony and asked, “So, who was this ‘her’ everyone kept talking about?”
He just frowned and replied, “They were drunk. Don’t take it seriously.”
I could sense something was off, so l pushed him for an answer.
But he just kept his eyes glued to the road, frowning, and sped right past the turn for home, like he didn’t even notice.
He was clearly lost in thought.
Later, while I was tidying up the study, I found a photo tucked away in a book on the back of the shelf.
In the picture, a girl was leaning on his shoulder, her smile bold and carefree, and Anthony was looking at her with a tenderness I’d never seen from him before.
That was when it finally hit me. So that was what had felt wrong all along.
I held my breath, and it slowly sank in: Anthony did have someone else in his heart.
Back then, I was young and had a lot of confidence. I really believed My love could Make him forget everything that came before.
If I just treated him well, one day he’d see that I Mattered More than any old Memory.
I tossed that photo in the trash.
Honestly, it was partly because I was pissed at being treated like a stand-in, and partly because I just couldn’t accept it. I wanted to see if he’d even notice.
I waited to see his reaction, but he never bothered to look for it.
To be honest, I felt relieved. As time went on, I slowly forgot about that photo, and I thought I’d finally moved on, that the thorn in my heart was gone for good.