He studied me for a brief moment, then shrugged. “We’re late. Let’s go.”
I hesitated. “I need to change first. I—”
“No,” he cut me off, his voice firm. “You don’t need to change. We don’t have time for that.”
I glanced down at my worn jeans and plain shirt, my stomach sinking. “But—”
“Enough, Avery.” His fingers wrapped around my wrist—not rough, but unyielding. “You look fine. We’re leaving.”
Fine. That’s all I ever was to him now. Just... fine.
The car ride to the gathering was silent. I sat stiffly in the passenger seat, staring out at the darkened landscape, hands clasped tightly in my lap. With each mile, my heart grew heavier. I was heading into a room full of people who barely saw me anymore—who wished I’d never existed in the first place.
By the time we arrived, the grand hall was already alive with laughter and excitement. Conversations hummed, glasses clinked, and admiration rippled through the crowd—all for her.
Maureen.
She stood at the center of it all, dressed in a shimmering diamond-studded gown that caught every light. Her long, perfect waves cascaded down her back, her radiant smile lighting up the room. A swan among sparrows.