I was done destroying things that belonged to me because of people who didn’t.
I found Leah asleep in one of the guest rooms.
I knocked until she opened the door wearing one false eyelash and a hotel robe.
She squinted.
“Claire?”
“I need your car.”
Her expression changed immediately.
“What happened?”
“I’ll explain on the way.”
She didn’t ask another question.
That is one of the differences between people who love you and people who merely want access to you.
People who love you do not require a courtroom presentation before taking your fear seriously.
Ten minutes later, my suitcase was in Leah’s trunk.
I had changed into jeans and a sweater.
My wedding dress remained hanging in the wardrobe.
I didn’t want it.
As we drove away from Ashford Manor, I looked back once.
Nathan stood on the front steps.
Barefoot.
Still wearing his wedding trousers.
Vivian stood behind him.
Neither waved.
I turned around.
My phone rang before we reached the highway.
Nathan.
I declined.
Again.
Declined.
Then Vivian.
Declined.
Then Nathan again.
Leah looked at me.
“Do you want me to throw that out the window?”
“Not yet.”
“Shame.”
I laughed.
And then, without warning, I started crying.
Not delicate tears.
Not the beautiful single tear actresses cry in movies.
I folded over in the passenger seat and sobbed until my chest hurt.
Leah pulled into an empty gas station parking lot.
She didn’t tell me everything would be okay.
She didn’t insult Nathan.
She simply reached over and held my hand.
When I could finally speak, I told her everything.
The fake drunkenness.
Sabrina.
The shoe.
The email.
When I mentioned the voting authorization, Leah’s face changed.
“Have you signed anything?”
“No.”
“Anything at the rehearsal dinner? Anything in the last week?”
“No.”
“Did Nathan give you documents for the honeymoon?”
My heart stopped.
“Yes.”
“What documents?”
“He said our accountant needed updated beneficiary forms.”
“Where are they?”
“In my carry-on.”
Leah opened the trunk.
I found the envelope.
Inside were seven pages.
The first three looked exactly like beneficiary updates.
The fourth did not.
