Brandon used my past to control me, degrade me, humiliate me, and exploit me. But he conveniently forgot one thing—what happened back then wasn’t my fault.
I sacrificed everything for him because I loved him. But now that love is gone, and so was his hold over me.
Later, Brandon had someone deliver a gown for me to wear to the event.
The dress had a stain on the bodice—clearly a secondhand piece Karina had worn.
It reminded me of the countless “luxury” gifts Brandon had given me over the years.
People who didn’t know better praised him as a loving and generous partner, never realizing those gifts were just hand-me-downs from his mistress.
I packed up the dress, along with all the other things he’d ever given me, and threw them away. Yet as I looked around the home I’d lived in for seven years, tears started to fall.
The sting of tears against my healing wound brought me back to my senses.
I wiped them away, composed myself, and headed to the event.
When I arrived, Brandon didn’t notice I had changed into a different dress.
He just kept reminding me, “Make a good impression tonight. If you secure this deal, I’ll give you the grandest wedding ever!”