with her.”
The woman looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. “I really should go,” she said again, edging away from the
CHAPTER THIRLE – THE OTHERWOMAN
table.
“What’s your name?” Laura asked her suddenly,
The woman hesitated, then mumbled, “Vanessa.”
“Well, Vanessa,” Laura said, her voice dripping with false sweetness, “I hope you know what you’re getting into. Because let me tell you, the man you’re with? He’s a master of deception. He’ll make you feel like you’re the only woman in the world, right up until he finds someone new to chase after.”
Leon slammed his hand on the table, making the glasses rattle. “That’s enough, Laura. You’re drunk, you’re hysterical, and you’re not thinking clearly.”
Laura felt a fresh wave of anger wash over her. “Drunk? Hystericall? Is that really the best you can do, Leon? I’m stone–cold sober, and I’m thinking more clearly than I have in years.”
She leaned in close, her voice low and dangerous. “You want to know what I’m thinking, Leon? I’m thinking about how many nights I stayed up waiting for you, believing your lies about late meetings and work emergencies. I’m thinking about how I blamed myself for our problems, wondering what I did wrong, why I wasn’t enough for you anymore.”
Leon’s anger seemed to deflate, replaced by a look of guilt. “Laura, please, can we talk about this privately? I can explain-”
“Explain what?” Laura interrupted. “Explain how you’ve been living a double life? How you’ve been lying to my face day after day? No, Leon, I don’t want to hear your explanations or your excuses.”
She turned to Vanessa, who was still hovering uncertainly nearby. “And you. Do you know he’s married? Did he tell you, or was that just another one of his little secrets?”
Vanessa looked stricken “He… he said you were separated,” she stammered.
Laura laughed bitterly. “Separated? Is that what you told her, Leon? Funny, I must have missed that memo. When exactly did we separate?”
Leon’s face was a mask of misery. “Laura, please, let’s not do this here. We can go home, talk about this
“Home?” Laura’s voice cracked on the word. “You think I’m going home with you after this? You think we’re going to have a nice chat and everything will be fine?”
She shook her head, feeling suddenly drained. “No, Leon. There’s no going back from this. You’ve made your choice, and now I’m making mine.”
Laura took a step back, surveying the scene before her. Lean, looking defeated and ashamed. Vanessa, uncomfortable and guilty. The other diners, a mix of shock, pity, and morbid fascination on their faces.
“I hope you two are very happy together,” she said, her voice hollow. “You deserve each other.”
With that, Laura turned on her heel and walked out of the restaurant, her head held high despite the tears that had started to fall. She could hear Leon calling after her, but she didn’t look back,
As soon as she was outside, the cool night air hit her like a slap to the face. Laura leaned against the wall of the restaurant, her legs suddenly weak. The full weight of what had just happened crashed over her, and a sob escaped her lips.
|_____|_CHAPTER FOUR – DESTINATION? NOWHERE
CHAPTER FOUR–DESTINATION? NOWHERE
For a moment, she stood there, allowing herself to feel the pain, the betrayal, the crushing disappointment. Then, with a deep breath, she straightened up and wiped her eyes.
“Pull yourself together,” she muttered to herself. “This isn’t over yet.”
Laura walked briskly to her car, her mind racing. She couldn’t go back to that house, not tonight, maybe not ever again. As she slid into the driver’s seat, a plan began to form in her mind.
The drive home was a blur. Laura moved on autopilot, her body going through the motions while her mind whirled with a tornado of emotions and half–formed plans. Before she knew it, she was pulling into her driveway.
The house loomed before her, once a symbol of the life she and Leon had built together, now tainted by his betrayal. Laura steeled herself and marched inside, her purpose clear.
As soon as she crossed the threshold, Laura headed straight for the bedroom. She yanked open the closet door and pulled out a large suitcase, tossing it onto the bed. Her movements were frantic, almost manic, as she began pulling clothes from hangers and drawers.
“How could I have been so blind?” she muttered to herself, shoving a handful of socks into the suitcase. “All those late nights, all those
‘business trips. God, I’m such an idiot.”
Laura’s internal monologue continued as she moved around the room, gathering her belongings. Each item she packed seemed to carry à memory, a reminder of the life she thought she had.
She picked up a framed photo from the nightstand – her and Leon on their wedding day. They looked so happy, so in love. Laura felt a fresh wave of pain wash over her.
“Was any of it real?” she whispered, tracing Leon’s face in the photo. “Or was I just convenient until something better came along?”
With a sudden burst of anger, Laura hurled the frame across the room. It hit the wall with a satisfying crash, glass shattering and scattering across the floor.
The sound seemed to jolt her back to reality. Laura took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She couldn’t afford to fall apart now. She needed to focus, to get out of here before Leon came home
As she continued packing, Laura’s mind wandered to the future. What would she do now? Where would she go? The thought of starting over was terrifying, but the idea of staying in this sham of a marriage was even worse.
She moved to the bathroom, gathering her toiletries. As she stood in front of the mirror, Laura barely recognized the woman staring back at her. Her makeup was smeared, her eyes red and puffy from crying. But beneath the mess, she saw something else a spark al determination, of strength she didn’t know she possessed.
“You can do this,” she told her reflection. “You deserve better than this.”
Back in the bedroom, Laura zipped up her suitcase. She did a final sweep of the room, making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything important. Her eyes landed on her wedding ring, still on her finger.
Without hesitation, Laura twisted the ring off and placed it on the dresser. It felt like shedding a weight she didn’t know she’d been
carrying
As she lugged her suitcase down the stairs, Laura’s mind raced with possibilities. She could go to her sister’s, or maybe to her best friend from college who lived a few hours away. Anywhere but here
“Goodbye,” she whispered, more to herself than to the empty house.
With that, Laura stepped out into the night, closing the door firmly behind her. She tossed her suitcase into the trunk of her car and
slid into the driver’s seat.
As she started the engine, Laura’s initial plan was to head to her sister’s house. Jen would understand, would offer comfort and support. It seemed like the logical choice.
Laura pulled out of the driveway and started driving, her mind still a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. The familiar streets of her neighborhood passed by in a blur,
As she approached the turn that would take her to her sister’s house, Laura felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of emptiness wash over her. The weight of everything that had happened the failed dinner, the confrontation at the restaurant, the hasty packing – came crashing down on her all at once.
Her hands tightened on the steering wheel as she neared the intersection. Turn right, and she’d be at Jen’s in five minutes. She’d have a shoulder to cry on, a safe place to fall apart.
CHAPTER FOUR–DESTINATION NOWHERE
But as Laura signaled to make the turn, something stopped her. A voice in the back of her mind whispered, “Is that really what want?”
you
At the last second, Laura straightened the wheel and continued driving straight ahead. She wasn’t ready to rehash everything with her sister. She wasn’t ready to be comforted or told that everything would be okay.
Because right now, nothing felt okay. Her entire world had been turned upside down in the span of a few hours. The life she thought she knew, the future she had planned – it had all evaporated like mist in the morning sun.
Laura kept driving, leaving behind the familiar streets of her neighborhood. She had no destination in mind, no plan beyond putting distance between herself and the wreckage of her marriage.
As the surroundings became less familiar, Laura felt a strange mix of fear and exhilaration. She was venturing into the unknown, both literally and figuratively.
Tears streamed down her face as she drove, but she made no move to wipe them away. Each mile that passed felt like another step away from her old life, from the pain and betrayal she’d experienced.
The roads became less familiar, the landmarks strange and unknown. But Laura kept driving, her hands steady on the wheel despite the turmoil in her heart.
She had no idea where she was going or what the future held. All she knew was that she couldn’t go back.
Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Cutt
Clam
CHAPTER FIVE–OUT ON THE FRONTTER
Laura’s vision blurred as tears continued to stream down her face. The highway stretched endlessly before her, a dark ribbon cutting through the night. She’d been driving for hours, putting as much distance as possible between herself and the life she’d left behind.
“What am I doing?” she muttered, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Where am I even going?
The questions echoed in her mind, unanswered and daunting. She had no plan, no destination. All she knew was that she couldn’t go
back.
