3
The rumors swirling around Jake’s family
caused a PR nightmare, so they went into
damage control mode.
Jake called me, asking if I was behind the
く
I didn’t waste my breath with him and told
him to sign the divorce papers.
He tried to dance around it, asking if I was
upset, saying he wasn’t trying to run off, but
the situation was urgent, so he just needed to
pause the wedding.
Truth was, the second he saw Mandy, he
regretted his vows.
He was marrying me because I was “wife
material.”
He wasn’t marrying Mandy because she was
a party girl, not someone you settle down
with.
But hearing she didn’t have long for this
L
world, he chose to screw me over.
At the end of the day, he never actually loved
- me.
I wasn’t clingy. If he’d been straight with me, I
would have backed off.
He was the one who wanted me as his wife
but wasn’t ready to give up Mandy.
“If you don’t sign them, I’ll sue for divorce.
Then things will get even messier, and you’re
the one who’ll look like a fool.”
If it wasn’t for the divorce, I wouldn’t waste
my breath on him.
Hearing his voice made me feel like bugs
were crawling all over me.
く
“Are you so desperate to get divorced that
you never loved me?”
What a freakin‘ joke that he had the gall to
ask.
“The Brooke who loved you is dead.”
If he wanted to put on a show, I’d play along.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t handle this well. Give me
some time, and I’ll make it up to you.”
I snorted to myself. What a total snake!
I hung up on him and contacted a lawyer.
*
The next morning.
<
I quit my job.
When my family was on the verge of
bankruptcy, I had saved them. In just six
months, I turned things around.
I didn’t get a thank you, instead, they started
thinking I was trying to steal the company.
My dad didn’t trust me.
My brother was dying to get me out of there,
worried I’d steal the company.
My mom and sister just blew through all the
company money and talked about how I was
overdoing it, that I was trying to be a man,
and that a woman like me would never land a
guy.
L
I used to be so naive and pathetic.
I sacrificed everything for my so–called
family, and they couldn’t even give a damn.
People will be forever defined by what they
couldn’t have when they were younger.
Last time, I had suffered enough from my
family, and I still hadn’t won them over.
I won’t get trapped again.
Less than half an hour later, my dad called.
He’d already heard from the company that I
was quitting.
He started right in with, “What are you doing
now? Haven’t you made enough of a mess?
The internet’s tearing your sister apart, and
she’s had enough. Are you only happy when
you’ve killed her? Do you really think the
company will fall apart without you?”
He was trying to belittle me.
I used to eat that crap up. The more he
looked down on me, the more I wanted to
prove myself. I’d show him I was the best of
his kids, and he’d be sorry for not loving me.
But no matter what I did, they still didn’t care.
I went through hell because of family last time
around and I won’t let it define me again.
“Her getting flamed online is karma, and I’m
done here. Whatever you want to do is your
business, but I quit. I’ve already turned in my
く
paperwork and will be gone in thirty days.”
Maybe it was the tone I used, but my dad was
caught off guard.
The next thing I knew, my mom’s angry voice
was coming through the phone.
