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“He won’t. He... needs me for whatever his plan is.” I wipe my eyes, taking a deep breath. “I have to play along until I can get those damn divorce papers signed. Then it’ll be over.”

Mary and Lil exchange a worried glance.

“I understand you want to protect them,” Lil says. “But they deserve the truth. Don’t you think Elijah at least has a right to understand why you lied?”

My stomach twists. She’s right, but the thought of telling Elijah everything fills me with shame. He looked so betrayed when he found out Oliver and I are still married.

“I... I can’t face him,” I say. “Not yet. Give me some time to figure this out.”

Mary nods. “Okay. We’re here for you. Whatever you need.”

“But you have to promise that if Oliver tries anything, you’ll tell them right away,” Lil says. “No more secrets.”

I hesitate. The thought of Oliver getting anywhere near them chills me to the bone.

“Please,” Lil says. “We want you to be safe.”

“Okay.” I let out a shaky exhale. “I promise.”

Lil pulls me into a fierce hug, and Mary joins in, sandwiching me between them.

“It’ll be okay,” Mary says. “We’ve got your back.”

I cling to them, allowing myself a tiny sliver of hope. With my best friends by my side, I can find a way through this mess, after all.

Mary decides to lighten the mood by putting on a rom-com movie, my favorite feel-good genre. A warm glow from the TV screen illuminating the living room as I rest my head on a mountain of cushions. Lil is curled up on my left side, Mary on my right. We share a bowl of popcorn, giggling over the character’s antics and swapping favorite quotes, and, for a little while, I lose myself in the story.

The doorbell rings, pulling me from my sleep on the sofa, and I glance at the clock. It’s noon. Mary should be at work.

“Lil?” No one answers.

The ringing grows more persistent as I make my way over to the door.

Maybe.… I’m filled with dread as I peep through the peephole. It’s not Oliver. Much to my relief, it’s Bash in a polished black suit with his blonde hair tousled.

“Hey, Bash, come in.” I step aside after opening the door.

“Thanks, sis.” He walks past me, sets his briefcase down near the couch, and examines the pillow paradise Mary and Lil had arranged for movie night.

“I ran into Elijah earlier today.” He turns, worry written all over his face.

I try to ignore the fear that creeps up inside of me. “Really?”

“He looked like hell, Gem.” Bash studies me for a moment, hesitating. “We talked about what happened with Oliver.”

“And?”

“I’m worried about you both. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but he’s hurting, and so are you. So, please tell me. What is going on? And why did you leave with Oliver, that scumbag?”

“Elijah and I... we’re over. For good this time. We’re over, and Oliver and I made up.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.” Bash studies me. “You two have been through too much to throw it all away like this.”

“People change. Feelings fade.” I wrap my arms around myself. If I say it enough, maybe I’ll start to believe Elijah and I are truly over.

“Gem, don’t do this. Don’t shut me out. I’m here for you, whatever you need. I’m your brother, and Elijah loves you. But we can’t help you if you don’t tell us what the hell is going on.” His words cut deep, ripping open wounds that have begun to scab over.

I blink back tears, breaths coming fast. “I’ve gotten back together with Oliver. That’s what’s going on.”

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