Never Forgive, Never Forget His Betrayal

to the man who helped me overcome my fear of commitme

betrayal-a luxury apartment he shared with his mistress

e had promised me. At the police station, my fian

ted him, he sh

loor and lo

city to beg for forgiveness, pro

er every asset we owned as penance. The moment the money wa

unding m

pte

son

al that would unravel my seven-year relationship with Damien Travis, a man I wa

re featuring a fluffy white poodle that looked suspiciously like the one Damien' s cousin owned. I dismissed the thought, chalking it up to a common breed. My life felt stable, almost idyllic. Damien, a successful divorce attorney, was charismatic and suppor

e had instructed. I stepped inside. The apartment was impeccably furnished, modern and minimalist, yet something felt unsettlingly familiar. A fai

exactly like the one I'd bought Damien for his last birthday. A knot formed in my chest. Then, I saw it: a framed photo on the side table. It was Damien. Not a professional headshot, but a candid

s now burned into my memory. Her arm around his. The intimate pose. The coffee mug. The cologne. Every detail screamed betrayal. A sharp, icy pain pierced through my chest, slici

checking in. Did you make it to the apartment okay? Bruno is

hed tears. My fingers felt clumsy as I typed back, forc

h water. And he's a picky eater, so only give him the expensive salmon

ention of his name, her almost flippant command regarding the dog's food, twisted the knife deeper. She knew.

of a diamond ring inside. It wasn't my engagement ring, the one Damien had given me just weeks before. This one was different, a more intricate se

had chosen a strange way to orchestrate this discovery. Why hire me? Why not just confront me d

fingers flew across the keyboard. "Ca

is. We've been together for a year now. He says he's finally leaving his long-

ar of lies. A year of shared dinners, quiet nights, future plans, all while he built another life with another woman

on she had wrought. "He also says his girlfriend has this weird hang-up about commitment beca

. My parents' divorce. My deepest fear. The very thing Damien had spent years reassuring me about,

ars, but I typed out a reply, each word a shard of glass in my throat. "

e, her carefully constructed facade momentarily cracking. A tin

ou serious? You're Addison?" Her tone s

nging my skin. The moment of weakness passed, replaced by

a steady hand. "And I'

g to regain control. "He's a white poodle, right? A m

tively. It was indeed a miniature poodle, a fluffy ball of white fur and big, d

ys he needs special care because of his allergies

utt named Buster, had been a compromise. Damien had always wanted a pedigree dog, a show dog. He had insisted on a small, hypoallergenic breed, citing h

dog, with her. I had changed my life, my home, my routines, all to accommodate a lie. I had given up the dream of a big, boisterous family dog for a man who secretly kept an

orning sickness. It was the bile of betrayal, rising in my throat.

ing for a response. "I'll take care of Bruno." I h

p at me with trusting eyes. I forced a smile, stroking his head. His fur was soft. I

eak. She had no idea who she was dealing with. This wasn't just about Damien anymore. This was about her. And I would make her regret every single meticulously planned deta

just declared herself my opponent.