After hanging up, he turned to me, his face cold and emotionless. “Anya, I know you’re just upset. I’ll give you some time to cool off.”
I watched as the man I once loved deeply turned into someone I didn’t know.
I grabbed his sleeve, desperation leaking into my voice. “Steven, don’t go. Stay with me. Please.”
His expression darkened further. “Can you stop being so unreasonable? Lanie’s terrified of storms! How can I leave her alone?”
Without another word, he walked out the door.
I curled up in the corner as thunder shook the house. I was also scared of the storm.
When I was a kid, my parents had always been busy working. During storms, I would cling to my stuffed toys, trembling.
Steven had once promised me he would always be there to hold me through the storms. He had said, “Anya, from now on, I’ll be by your side during every storm.”
But tonight, he chose someone else. He was worried about Melanie being scared at home alone—but I was alone too.
…
Half an hour later, Melanie posted a photo: two hands intertwined.
A green Rolex adorned one wrist, the cuff of a crisp white shirt framing the hand—unmistakably Steven’s. Yet, his wedding ring was gone, leaving only a faint mark behind.
Her caption read: [OMG, my clingy little puppy braved the storm to come keep me company!]
