Chapter 3
I walked through the front door and the lights came on automatically.
The house was dead quiet-1 figured Marcus wasn’t home yet.
I went a few steps inside and saw our huge wedding photo on the stair landing.
Everything had been so rushed back then, we’d just snapped the wedding pics at the actual reception.
Now I suddenly noticed he looked… unhappy.
Even in his custom tux with his arms wrapped around me from behind.
But those eyes didn’t have that crazy happy glow from the selfies he used to send me when we were kids.
My nose started stinging. I felt thirsty all of a sudden.
I turned my head and saw him on the balcony, staring right at me.
His eyes were all red, looking pissed as hell.
The cigarette in his hand had burned all the way down to his fingers without him even noticing.
We just stood there, not saying anything, staring at each other.
After God knows how long, he rubbed his face.
‘Did you have anything to do with her breaking up with me back then?”
‘Marcus, it’s almost midnight.”
We both spoke at the same time.
When he heard what I said, he just froze for a second.
Like he was suddenly furious about something, then it was gone.
‘Isabella, how can you be so cold? Do you have any idea what Amanda’s been through these past two years?”
‘Dragging her crazy mom around, hiding from everyone so she wouldn’t mess up our relationship…”
‘She’s been through hell, and you’re worried about your damn birthday?”
looked down at my wedding ring.
Yeah, dealing with someone who’s mentally ill is unpredictable. Amanda even had to work at a nightclub because of it.
And here I was, just wanting to celebrate my birthday.
Maybe realizing how messed up that sounded, Marcus ran his hands through his hair all frustrated.
‘Babe, that’s not what I meant.”
I nodded. “I know.”
Amanda had run away when they were at their happiest.
He’d hated her for it. Held it against her, too.
Maybe even lying next to me at night, he’d think about her sometimes.
Now he knew she had her reasons, and he could see she wasn’t doing well.
His feelings were all over the place.
Chapter 3
Nothing left but love and guilt.
If we weren’t married, he probably wouldn’t have come home tonight.
He’d be out there trying to get back together with her.
What a shame.
I looked at Marcus’s shifty eyes and forced a smile.
“Sorry, I’m pretty beat. Gonna go to bed.”
I didn’t bother checking how he felt about that and just went upstairs.
When I got to the bedroom, I saw a lighter on the nightstand.
Marcus never smoked in front of me, but I didn’t have the energy to wonder why it was there.
I sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the lighter.
The room was dark except for moonlight streaming through the big windows.
I faced that crescent moon and flicked the lighter on.
And blew it out softly.
“Happy birthday, Isabella.”
I closed my eyes.
As for birthday wishes-
Nah, stopped believing in that stuff like ten years back.
