They told my mom that James would do whatever I said and that I’d be in charge.

I wasn’t expecting them to owe me anything. I just felt guilty for my mom and still loved James, so I agreed to marry him to settle things.

I even put my life on hold, recovering after the surgery.

When they suggested I go abroad to care for his sick, divorced mother, I went along with it.

Two years alone in a foreign country, no friends, no support, just me taking care of his ailing mom. I pushed through everything for him.

And now, after all that, instead of the home and family I’d dreamed of, all I found was betrayal and a carefully crafted lie.

The man I had loved and sacrificed everything for was nothing but a selfish, manipulative coward.

James stepped out, still playing the good guy. “Natalie, I know it’s hard for you to let go, but I just don’t have feelings for you anymore. I can’t keep pretending. You’ve been using my mom as leverage for too long, and for Quilla’s sake, I need to draw a line.”

“Can’t you see it from my side? Who wants to stay with someone who didn’t even finish college and won’t let go? We’re on completely different levels.”