The Cost of Loving Him Chapter 2

Nobody truly knew how ugly our final breakup got.

Someone at the table, thinking they were being funny, nudged me toward Caleb. "Come on, Mr. Vance. You used to love Maya more than life itself. How could you ever let her go?"

People started jeering, calling for a reconciliation.

One of Caleb’s close friends shot me a contemptuous look and laughed. "Hudson, are you kidding? Caleb can have any woman he wants. Who does Maya Clark think she is, assuming my boy is still hanging onto her?"

He announced that Caleb had been with a woman named Serenity for three years.

He described her as gentler, more beautiful, and far more suited to Caleb’s status than I ever was.

Caleb had been with her for three years. His friends already called her "sister-in-law." Apparently, they were engaged.

The laughter in the room died down instantly. Only Caleb’s friend kept smiling, loudly inviting everyone to make sure they attended the wedding.

He flicked an invitation across the table. It hit me in the chest and slid into my lap.

Keeping my head down, I opened it. There was Caleb’s name. And right next to it, written in elegant script, was another girl’s name.

Serenity Vance. Even her name sounded perfect and gentle.

I imagined she must be smart, obedient, and kind. She probably knew how to take care of him and never made him suffer the way I did.

Six years apart. Seeing him again only to realize he’s doing incredibly well... that’s enough for me.

I forced back the tears that threatened to spill, looked up, and looked Caleb right in the eye.

"Congratulations," I said. My voice was barely a whisper.

Caleb stared at me intensely. Hearing my congratulations, a harsh, mocking smile twisted his face. He brutally crushed his cigarette in the ashtray.

His voice was clipped and cold. "Actually, Maya, don't bother coming to the wedding."

"My wife gets uncomfortable when she sees things that don't belong in her world. If she’s unhappy, it breaks my heart."

I clutched that thin paper invitation, my hand shaking slightly.

I forced a smile, nodded, and said softly, "Okay."