I think she wanted this to happen by the way her gleeful expression doesn’t falter.
Betrayal stings my eyes, and my vision blurs.
Jazz music continues to play when he reaches me. He grabs both of my wobbling, cold hands and holds them tight.
“Hey. I know what this looks like, I promise it’s not?—”
“It’s not what I think?” I interject. I look away from my supposed friends and gaze into my husband’s brown orbs instead. “A little cliche, don’t you think?” I pull out of his callous grasp as tears roll down my face. “My best friend? Lilly?”
It hurts to say her name. It feels like poison on my tongue.
“How could you?” I say, pain intertwining with my quivering tone.
“I’m sorry. She’s…been there for me.” His brows raise, remorse evident on his face. He’s breaking my heart and has the audacity to act like he’s the one who is hurting? “Let’s talk about this somewhere private?”
“No,” I interject. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you privately,” I snap.
Liam looks around the room as whispers around us grow louder. This is so humiliating.
“It’s just that your art isn’t doing well.”
“I do it because it’s what I love to do!” I concede sadly.
I look straight into Eli’s eyes as I say the last word I’ll ever speak to him again.
“Someone anonymously bought all of myshitart tonight,” I tell him loud enough so Eli can hear him as another tear rolls down my cheek.
That’s why I was carrying a tray full of champagne. It was to tell them the good news…to celebrate.
“I’ve given you all of me, even if I didn’t have much to give you, you told me it was enough.” I take a step back and wrap myself in my arms.
He gets a promotion at work, and his arrogance reaches new heights. Loving him, taking care of him as my art kept us afloat these past few years. I know it barely paid the bills, but it was enough.
I thought I was enough.
“Lilly. Why?” I ask over Liam’s tense shoulder.
Somehow, her betrayal is hitting harder.
She can’t meet my eyes. Instead, she lets her face fall and uses Eli as cover.
Cowards.
All of them.
Lilly walks over to Liam, grabs his shoulder, and squeezes. I can see my sullen reflection through her manicured nails.
“Coraline. You will never be enough. You weren’t good enough for Liam or being an artist. You’ll never make it,” Lilly whispers, pouting mockingly, making fun of my heartache as she rests her chin on his shoulder.
Liam rolls his eyes and tries to nudge her off, but she doesn’t budge.
“Coraline. Please, let’s go outside,” Liam pleads, reaching for my hand.
I chuckle and swivel my head left to right.
I take my wedding ring off my finger and squeeze it tight. I give him one last unforgiving stare. I want to curse at him and scream my lungs out at him, but I think he’s embarrassed me enough for the lasttime. I walk away without another word. They don’t get to see me fall apart, so with my morals held tight to my chest, I stay quiet.
It’s what I’m good at.
