Page 71 of Married to Lies

Quentin: Good morning, beautiful. I’d love to see you tonight. Let’s have dinner at my place and invite your parents so I can meet them before the wedding.

Knowing she was a “middle of the day” person, I put my phone up and went through my morning routine. Something about it felt empty, though. The company therapist would probably have something to say about that, but I tried to brush it off.

Still, I was eager to check my phone again when I got out of the shower. I chuckled when my notifications showed a string of texts from her.

Rei: My niece has a dance recital tonight.

Rei: So they wouldn’t turn that down to meet my fiancé.

Rei: Not even a joke.

Rei: But... you could come along?

Rei: Might as well rip the Band-Aid off, right?

Rei: What could go wrong?

Rei: Don't answer that. My anxiety beat you to it. A million things.

Rei: But we should spend the evening together, right? I mean, we are getting married in two days.

Rei: Gosh. I’m sorry. Disregard all those messages.

Rei: I’m busy tonight at something you’d find incredibly boring. Unfortunately. Perhaps you can meet my parents at the wedding.

Rei: If they come.

Rei: Okay I can feel you rescinding your proposal, and I just have to say...

Rei: Valid.

I could see more text bubbles coming up, so I quickly dialed her number. She answered within a couple rings.

“You’re one of those people who likes to break up in person, aren’t you? God, why couldn’t you just do it over a text message?”

I couldn’t help chuckling. “Rei, take a breath.”

She stopped talking, and I heard her huff a sigh. “Jada always tells me I text too much. She says people like one text message, but⁠—”

“Another breath.”

She huffed again.

“Good girl.”

She went silent, and I could feel my cock stiffen at the comment. I hadn’t meant it that way, and yet it felt so right to use it on her.

“I will come to the recital with you,” I said. “Divi can drive us. Will you text me the address?”

“Yes,” she said in a small voice. “But my parents don’t know...”

“We’re getting married in two days, so one of us has got to tell them,” I said evenly. A little part of me was starting to feel hurt. Was she embarrassed of me? Logically, I knew that couldn’t be true, but yet...

Rei sighed. “I know,” she said in a small voice.

“Unless you’re planning to back out on me,” I said, the words followed by a gut punch of devastation. I hadn’t even considered the possibility. I always followed through on my word, but nothing was promised until that paper was signed.

“No, no, it’s not that,” she said quickly. “You’ll understand when you meet them tonight.”