Chapter 0006

Chapter 6

Eva's Point of View

I'm sitting on the bed, just staring at my phone. I keep hoping it'll ring, but it doesn't. It never does. I don't know why I even care anymore. It's not like Max is gonna call. He hasn't said a word to me since he left. No "I'm sorry," no explanation, nothing. He's acting like I'm the one who messed up. Typical Max.

My chest hurts so bad. I try rubbing my arms to make it feel better, but it doesn't work. The pain's too deep. I can't stop thinking about this morning. The way Max looked at me, like I was something gross on his shoe. The way his voice sounded when he talked to me. He hates me. I know he does. But why? What did I do to make him hate me so much?

I get up and go to the window. I open the curtains to let some light in. The sun's bright, but I don't feel warm. Everything feels dark and heavy. Like I can't breathe right. I want to run away, but I can't. This marriage feels like a jail, and the walls keep getting closer every day.

Then my phone buzzes. For a second, my heart jumps. But it's just a stupid news alert. I sigh and unlock my phone. I just want something to distract me. But then I see it, and I freeze.

"MAXIMILIAN GRAVES GETTING COZY WITH MODEL SARA BROWN, SISTER OF HIS WIFE, EVA BROWN-GRAVES. TROUBLE IN PARADISE?"

I can't breathe. My hands are shaking so bad as I tap on the article. And then I see the pictures, and it feels like someone just punched me in the gut.

There they are. Max and Sara. Together.

The first picture shows them walking next to each other. Sara's got her arm wrapped around his, and she's smiling so big it makes me feel sick. And Max? He looks... happy. Like he's having the best time ever. Like nothing's wrong at all. The next picture is even worse. Sara's got her hand on his chest, and she's so close to him, whispering something in his ear. And Max isn't moving away. He's not looking annoyed or uncomfortable. He looks like he likes it.

I feel like I'm gonna throw up. I want to cry, but I try to hold it in. I grip my phone so tight my knuckles turn white. I keep scrolling through the article, even though every word hurts like hell.

They talk about how Sara's this big-shot model. How she and Max were friends when they were kids. How people are saying they might be getting back together. It all starts to blur together, and each word feels like it's cutting me up inside.

I always knew Max cared about Sara, but seeing it like this, right out in the open for everyone to see... It's like my worst nightmare is coming true right in front of me. He's not even trying to hide it. Everyone can see now what I've always been afraid of Max doesn't care about me. He never has.

I throw my phone on the bed and start pacing around the room. I can't hold the tears back anymore. They start falling, and I can't stop them. How could he do this to me? How could he show off his thing with Sara when we're still married? Even if our marriage is just for show, we're still supposed to be together. How can he be so mean? How can he treat me like I'm nothing?

I try to wipe the tears away, but my hands are shaking. I'm so sad and so angry at the same time. I don't want to cry. Not because of him. Not because of the guy who's made it so clear that I mean nothing to him.

But it's too late. I can't take it anymore. It hurts too much. I fall down on the floor and curl up into a ball. I start sobbing so hard I can barely breathe. I hate that he can still make me feel like this. I hate that even after everything, I still love him. I hate that I can't stop hurting because of him.

He wasn't always like this. I remember when we were younger, how he used to look at me. His eyes were so warm then. His smile was for me. We were so close once. What happened to us? Where did it all go wrong?

And then it hits me, like a ton of bricks. Sara. This is all because of her. My perfect, beautiful sister who always gets everything she wants. Including Max.

I should've known. Ever since that day at the lake, she's had him wrapped around her little finger. She made sure he only saw her as the one who saved him, the one who was always there for him. And me? I'm the bad guy in their story. The one who didn't do enough.

I cry even harder as I realize the truth. This marriage was never gonna work. Max never wanted me. He's always wanted her. And now, they're showing off their love for everyone to see. For me to see.

I hug my knees to my chest and rock back and forth on the floor. I try to make the pictures of them together go away, but they won't leave. They just keep reminding me how little I mean to him. How little I mean to anyone.

I don't know how long I sit there crying, but finally, I make myself stand up. My legs feel wobbly, and my heart feels even weaker, but I won't let myself stay on the floor. I can't let them break me. Not like this.

I walk back to the bed and pick up my phone. I look at the article one last time. Now the whole world sees me as the pathetic wife stuck in a marriage where nobody loves me. They all think I'm the one who ruined my sister's love story. They see Sara and Max as the victims, and I'm the villain in their perfect love story.

I can't stop the tears as I stare at the picture of my husband and my sister. They look so happy together. So right. And I feel so wrong. So out of place.

I throw the phone across the room. It hits the wall and falls to the floor. I don't care if it's broken. Nothing matters anymore.

I walk to the mirror and look at myself. My eyes are all red and puffy from crying. My hair's a mess. I look as bad as I feel.

"Why?" I whisper to my reflection. "Why am I not good enough?"

But the girl in the mirror doesn't have any answers. She looks just as lost and broken as I feel.

I turn away from the mirror and sit on the edge of the bed. I feel so empty inside. Like someone scooped out everything that made me who I am and left this hollow shell behind.

I think about calling my Dad, but I stop myself. What would I even say? "Hey Dad, your perfect daughter stole my husband, and now everyone knows what a loser I am"? Yeah, right.

I lie down on the bed and stare at the ceiling. I wonder what Max and Sara are doing right now. Are they laughing about me? Are they planning their future together?

The thought makes me feel sick all over again. I roll over and bury my face in the pillow. It still smells like Max's cologne. I want to hate it, but I can't. I breathe it in, and for a second, I can pretend everything's okay. That Max still loves me. That Sara's still just my sister, not the woman who stole my life.

But then reality comes crashing back, and the pain is even worse than before.

I sit up and look around the room. Everything reminds me of Max. His clothes in the closet. His books on the shelf. His stupid fancy watch on the nightstand.

I can't take it anymore. I get up and start grabbing his stuff. I throw it all in a pile on the floor. His expensive suits. His shiny shoes. All of it.

When I'm done, I stand there, breathing hard, looking at the mess I made. Part of me wants to burn it all. To destroy everything that reminds me of him, just like he destroyed me.

But I don't. Instead, I sink to the floor next to the pile of his things. I pick up one of his shirts and hold it close. It still smells like him.

"Why, Max?" I whisper into the shirt. "Why wasn't I enough for you?"

The shirt doesn't answer. Nothing does. I'm all alone in this big, empty house. All alone with my broken heart and shattered dreams.

I hug my knees to my chest, rocking back and forth on the floor, trying to block out the images of them together. But they the images refuse to go. A constant reminder of how little I mean to him. How little I mean to anyone.

I don’t know how long I sit there, crying, but eventually, I force myself to stand. My legs feel shaky, my heart even weaker, but I won’t let myself stay on the floor. I can’t let them break me. Not like this.

Tears flowed freely from my eyes as i stared at the photo of my supposed husband and step sister.