I remembered the day my mother passed, how she had held my hand and Oliver's, urging us to take care of each other.
Now, with the bracelet broken and trust shattered, everything felt meaningless.
Oliver had betrayed me, and in doing so, he had betrayed Miranda, too.
After seven years of marriage, the house felt emptier than ever. Standing in the hallway, I was at a loss for where to even begin picking up the pieces.
I sat in silence until midnight when Oliver sent me a WhatsApp message.
[What do you want to eat? I'll grab something for you.]
I stared at my phone, unsure how to respond.
Moments later, the phone rang. Oliver was calling.
The background noise was loud, suggesting he was at a night market.
I hadn't expected him to go there; he had always turned his nose up at street food.
"What do you want? I'm at the night market. Don't you like... Cioppino?"
I paused for a moment before replying, "I don't like it."
I was allergic to seafood.
"So what exactly do you want to eat?" Oliver snapped impatiently.
"Mr. Pettyfer, look! This looks so delicious!"
A familiar voice rang out, and just as my wavering heart was about to give in, it shattered once more.