THE LEAK

DAMIEN

I sit across from Anna in the wedding planner’s office, barely listening to whatever nonsense is being discussed. My mind is elsewhere—on the mess of this whole situation, on how suffocating it’s all become. She’s staring at me, I can feel it, but I refuse to meet her gaze. What’s the point? Every time I look at her, I see the weight of everything she’s been through, and it just drags me down.

Then the planner’s phone buzzes, and I watch as she glances at the screen. Her face pales instantly, and she stammers something before pushing the phone across the table toward Anna. I keep my expression neutral. Whatever this is, I’ll deal with it like I always do.

Anna’s hand shakes as she picks up the phone, and for a second, I almost feel sorry for her. Almost. But as soon as she reads the message, She looks at me like I’m some monster, and maybe I am, but I’m not about to grovel.

“What is it?” I ask, my tone flat, completely unbothered. She whispers something about it being about m