Chapter 3

Brittany's eyes stayed fixed on me — guilt, shame, and unease all tangled together in her expression.

Once I was free, I stumbled to my feet.

The pain inside me was overwhelming, but Brittany kept shooting me desperate, pleading looks.

She was begging me not to say a word about our marriage, to save everyone the awkwardness.

I managed a small smile and held the tears back.

"Meant to be?"

"Ha. Sure, you did them a favor. But what about me?"

"Do you have any idea who she is to me?"

"She's the girl you've always had a crush on!"

Afraid of what I might say next, afraid someone would find out we were married, Brittany practically shouted over me to cut me off.

The room went quiet. Everyone stared at me with strange, searching looks.

"Wait, what's going on here?"

"Oh, I think I get it, you poor guy."

"Classic love triangle situation."

"Brooks has been pining after Brittany, but Brittany only ever loved Leonardo."

"And you people dragged Brooks into all of this. He had to sit here listening to Brittany and Leonardo go at it — how is that not messed up?"

A beat of silence, and then the whole room burst out laughing.

"I am so guilty. Brooks, I'm really sorry, man."

"I owe you drinks. A lot of drinks."

They were too busy laughing to notice what was underneath my expression.

If watching and hearing Brittany and Leonardo together had destroyed whatever hope I had left, then her refusing to acknowledge me as her husband right now was what finally made me give up on her entirely.

After a long moment, I parted my lips — dry and bitter — and forced out a few words.

"Relax, everyone. I'm actually seeing someone. The reason I followed Brittany here was the same as you — I was worried something would happen to her."

"Seeing the two of them finally together makes me genuinely happy for her."

The moment I said it, Brittany — who had been wound tight the whole time — finally let out a slow, quiet breath.

She looked at me with eyes full of relieved gratitude, not knowing I had already let her go for good.

I was just an extra in this story now. Nobody had any reason to keep their eyes on me.

I turned and walked out, my heart hollow, and behind me I could already hear people calling for a toast.

"Brittany, you saved yourself for Leonardo — Leonardo, you better never let her down."

"Wedding! Wedding! Wedding!!!"

Leonardo swept Brittany up into his arms. She didn't respond the way you'd expect.

Because I hadn't left yet. I suppose she did care, just a little, about how I felt.

I didn't want even that small amount of her consideration anymore.

And now I finally understood why, in three years of marriage, she had never once let me close to her.

She was saving herself for the man she truly loved.

I was never that man. This was always going to end in tragedy.

Outside, a heavy rain had started to fall. I had no umbrella, and no cab would stop.

It felt like the sky had timed this on purpose — washing away everything that had led to this moment.

Strangers hurried past me, tossing glances and quiet commentary over their shoulders.

"Another guy done in by loving too hard."

"And he's got nothing to show for it."

"How do you know it went wrong?"

"Look at his face. It's obvious."

"What's the big deal? It's just a breakup. No need to look like the world ended."

They weren't wrong. I had no business falling apart like this.

I pulled out my phone and called a ride. When I got home, Brittany was already there.

She didn't say sorry. She just stood there looking at me, her neck and collarbone covered in marks that weren't mine.