Chapter 4

After leaving the club, I didn't go home. I drove out to the river by myself and sat on the embankment, letting the wind wash over me for two hours.

My phone rang. The caller ID belonged to Stella, the very number that had once sent me those photos.

I hesitated for a moment before picking up.

"Mrs. Franklin, why didn't you come to the party? Edward waited for you for ages," Stella said, her voice sickly sweet, like she'd dipped it in honey.

"Something came up," I replied.

"Oh, that's such a shame. Edward told us all sorts of stories from college today. They were really entertaining. He was so handsome back then, on the basketball team, and every game, girls were lining up to give him water.

"But he only ever drank the water I brought," Stella said, letting out a light, almost teasing laugh. "Do you know why? Because he thought everyone else's water wasn't cold enough.

"I always made sure to chill it ahead of time and keep it in a thermos. He was so picky."

I gripped my phone tighter. "Ms. Reed, did you really call to tell me all this?"

"No, that's not it," Stella said, her voice suddenly sounding a little hurt. "I wanted to apologize. I sent that text last time. I was drunk and rambling, so please don't take it to heart.

"There's really nothing between Edward and me. It's just... after being together for so many years, some habits are hard to break."

She paused, then added, "Like his usual way of drinking coffee, plain Americano with neither sugar nor milk, I was the one who got him into that back then. He still sticks to it, you know."

"Is there anything else?" I asked, my voice so calm even I barely recognized it.

Stella said, "No, that's all. Well... Mrs. Franklin, really, don't read too much into it. Edward treats you well. I've seen it myself. He may not love you, but he's always been responsible."

Edward didn't love me. She said it so casually, like she was commenting on the weather.

I hung up.

The river breeze brushed past me, making my eyes burn.

Stella was right. Edward didn't love me. He was good to me out of responsibility, because of our contract, because I was the Lane family's daughter, and because I was his wife. But never because I was Isabelle.

*****

After Stella Reed became the global ambassador for Franklin Group's jewelry brand, she started making headlines everywhere, turning up at every event in style. In every interview, she never missed a chance to mention her "first love."

"He was such a gentle person," Stella said with a smile to the camera. "Even though we had to part ways for some reason, I'm still grateful for everything he did for me."

The comment feed blew up. [It's Mr. F.] [It has to be Mr. F.] [So sweet.] [This is totally a second-chance romance.]

Every time I saw those posts, I'd turn off my phone and take a deep breath.

One day, while cleaning up my home office, I happened to open a drawer.

Inside, I found a stack of photos, all featuring Stella. There were solo pics, artsy shots, and everyday moments. Some had dates scribbled on the back, all in Edward's handwriting.

[March 2019, her first movie wrapped.]

[July 2020, her birthday.]

[May 2021, she won an award.]

For three years after we got married, he kept every single photo of Stella. Every one was carefully dated, every memory preserved. He never forgot a single detail.

But he couldn't even remember my birthday without a reminder from his phone.

I held that stack of photos, my hands shaking. It wasn't anger, but a sadness that seeped into my bones.