Chapter 5 - The Morning After
By 2:00 AM, the apartment was empty.
The lingering scent of tequila and Tessa's perfume had finally faded, chased away by the open windows and the cool night air.
I woke up the next morning at 7:00 AM.
The sun was streaming through the blinds, casting bright, warm stripes across the hardwood floor. I made a cup of coffee, walked over to the dining table, and picked up the engagement ring. It was heavy. It was expensive. It was completely meaningless.
I opened my laptop and checked my email.
There was a message from Raymond Miller’s executive assistant.
Claire, Mr. Miller extends his deepest apologies for the events of last night. He has instructed me to handle all vendor cancellations and eat the deposit costs. He also requested that I send a courier to your apartment at noon to collect the ring, and wishes you the best moving forward.
No anger. No threats. Raymond had seen the receipts. He knew his son had engineered a PR disaster, and like a good businessman, he was cutting his losses and shutting the operation down.
I replied with a single sentence.
The ring will be with the doorman.
I took my coffee and walked out onto the small balcony overlooking the city. The street below was beginning to wake up. Cars were moving, people were walking their dogs, the world was spinning exactly as it had the day before.
My phone buzzed on the railing.
A notification from Instagram. I opened it.
Tessa Ward’s profile had vanished. Deleted entirely.
Brandon's profile was locked, scrubbed of his stories, his comments turned off.
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They had tried to make a fool out of me in the dark, believing they held all the power. They didn't realize that when you turn the lights on, the roaches always scatter.
I took a deep breath of the crisp morning air, feeling lighter than I had in months. The wedding was off. The binder went into the recycling bin. And my first day of actual freedom had finally begun.
