Let’s Keep It RealThat evening, Ellie went all out. She had her hair done in soft waves and chose a simple, elegant dress that screamed "old money" but felt like her. She needed Caleb to see that she had made it, that she was successful and happy, even if it was a lie.
She arrived at Marnie’s condo at nine-fifteen. When the door opened, she wasn't met by Marnie, but by a man with deep blue eyes and a familiar, easy smile. Caleb had filled out; he looked like a man who had seen the world and succeeded in it.
— "Ellie? Is that really you?" his voice was a low, warm baritone.
The evening was surprisingly easy. The tension Ellie expected vanished within minutes. They sat on the balcony, overlooking the city lights, sipping wine and talking about their hometown.
— "So, you married Arthur Sterling," Caleb said, glancing at the massive diamond on her finger. "I saw the headlines. Big wedding in the Hamptons?"
— "It was... a lot," Ellie admitted. "Arthur likes to do things on a grand scale."
Marnie, already a few glasses in, chimed in. — "A lot? Caleb, he flew her to Paris just for breakfast once. The man is obsessed with her."
Ellie forced a smile. She pulled out her phone to show Caleb some photos, trying to play the part of the happy wife. She scrolled past a photo of her and Arthur on their first date. She remembered that night—she had been so impressed by his power. Now, all she saw was the coldness in his eyes.
— "You look beautiful in these," Caleb said quietly, his eyes lingering on a photo of her on a beach in the Maldives. "But you don't look like the Ellie I remember."
— "People change, Caleb. We grow up."
Share how the story made you feel
0Comments appear after a quick automatic check. Please no links, ads or personal data.
Next to your name we show your country, determined from your IP address; the address itself is never shown, and only a hashed fingerprint of it is kept to stop spam.