Chapter 3

Two days before Silas's secret wedding, he threw a grand birthday party for me at our home.

Our living room was filled with our friends and neighbors.

Six months ago, a car crash had taken my ability to walk. Since then, Silas had been leaving the house frequently, and Leo had grown unusually quiet and distant around me.

I had blamed the trauma of the accident. Tonight, however, we looked like the perfect, devoted family.

Silas stood behind my wheelchair and raised his wine glass.

"No matter what happens," Silas said, looking deeply into my eyes, "Claire is the only woman I will ever love. I will never let her be alone. I will always love her."

Our friends applauded. Several women wiped away tears.

His performance was flawless.

I looked down at my motionless legs. Since the car crash six months ago, everything had changed. Silas had started taking frequent "business trips."

Leo, who used to cling to me, had grown quiet and distant.

I had spent half a year blaming myself, thinking the trauma of the accident had pushed them away.

After cutting the cake, I wheeled down the hallway to check on Leo.

His bedroom door was slightly open.

Leo was not a perfect actor. He was only five.

"I want to call Mommy," Leo whined. He was sitting on the rug, clutching a new plastic T-Rex. "She bought me this dinosaur. I miss her."

I stopped my wheelchair outside the door.

"Okay, buddy. Let's call her," Silas's voice came from inside the room.

A video call connected. I heard Blair's sweet, familiar voice through the speaker.

"When can we all live together, Mommy?" Leo asked eagerly.

"You have to ask Daddy, sweetie," Blair replied softly.

Through the crack in the door, I saw Silas gently stroke Leo's hair.

"Soon, buddy," Silas whispered. "Just wait until I get Claire settled somewhere nice."

Settled.

Like an old piece of furniture that needed to be moved out of the way.

My hands gripped the cold metal armrests of my wheelchair. I did not push the door open to confront them. I turned my chair around and rolled quietly back into the shadows.

The next morning, I called my lawyer, David, to finalize my divorce papers.

David's voice was unusually hesitant.

"Claire... I went to the registry to pull your marriage records. There is nothing there."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Silas never filed your marriage certificate seven years ago. Legally, you are not married."

The phone grew heavy in my hand.

I remembered our beautiful outdoor ceremony. I remembered Silas taking the signed documents from the officiant, kissing my cheek, and saying, "Let me handle the boring paperwork. You just focus on being my wife."

He had never planned to be tied to me.

I had spent seven years believing I was a wife, five years raising his illegitimate son, and six months hating myself for becoming a burden.

Now, he was going to sign real, legally binding marriage papers with Blair.

Strangely, in that moment, I didn't feel any heart-wrenching sadness--just wave after wave of numbness washing over me, cold as ice.

I hung up the phone, opened my laptop, and booked a one-way flight out of the state for Friday morning.

By the time he says his vows, the woman he promised to love forever will have already disappeared.