Married to a retired play boy
onist painting. Inside her office, Vanessa gripped the phone tighter, her knuckles white
mmy seems to work with a calendar that conspires against th
n over the phone. "I will have to remind him myself..... Li
iar blend of concern and worry, crackled through the receive
stretched late, demanded his undivided attention, and conveniently era
muttered, her voice laced with a b
led off. Even to her own ears, it sounded flimsy, a de
ling, "why not call him first? A heads-up, like a casual 'thinking about you' kind
m first," she replied
nited in her chest. A casual call could be a sub
when I'm done talking to
k fine for you." Carolyn encour
isconnected the call, she scroll
s name, a familiar pang of ne
e, it would come out. Taking a deep breath, she pressed th
imes, expecting different results, but nothing changed. Aft
are not busy?" She sent the short text, omittin
t he didn't reply. What can he be doing? Is he in a meeting? These
years, she had been committed to the relationship, hoping her boyfriend would change his
mind, she decided to visit Emmy at his office. She needs to see him
the rain outside as Vanessa sto
teady downpour, the wind whipping the rain i
little protection, she sprinted across the side
e, she ducked under the ov
corner. Rain hammered against its faded paint, leaving rivulets that traced
e sleek sports car she'd dreamed of but Rusty, her companion, had never let her down. With a
s of disgruntled coughs. Vanessa could have chuckled as she always does, but she w
chaos and frustration, it was exactly what she needed, a loyal and rel
roached his office building. As the elevator doors whooshe
e horribly wrong. Emmy's office door was ajar, a sliver of light escaping like a silent scream. Vanessa
ther. The plush carpet muffled the sound of her approach, allowin
was entangled with his usually prim and proper secr
y sound that shattered the scene. Emmy's head snapped up, his face
r throat as she tried to process th
to cover herself, as she ran out of his office. Vanessa i
sually, trying to hide the fact that she had jus
ble. The carefully constructed world she'd built with Emmy crumbled around her.
ars welled in her eyes. With a surge of adrenaline, she crossed the room, the distance between them evaporati
the words punctuated by choked sobs. "Three anniversarie
d by the sudden attack. Reacting instincti
pain through Vanessa's cheek, a physical manifestat
"How could you do this to me without an atom of guilt?" She cried. She couldn't believ
't mean to do it," Emmy apologizes for hitting her, but
ut the words that would sever the ties that
ears of stolen moments and whispered promises. With a final, lingering look a
ars away from her face, but did less to soothe the rage within her. Under the