After Divorce, No Longer Waiting for Him

Chapter 7

On stage, Tom looked down at me, eyes filled with a tenderness I hadn't seen in a long time.

"Today, I want to take this chance to introduce someone and clear up the rumors about River and me…"

Before he could finish, River's face went ghost-white, as if she already knew what he was going to say. She suddenly clutched her chest and let out a sharp cry before collapsing to the ground.

"It hurts…!"

Tom immediately dropped the mic and rushed off the stage, scooping her up in his arms like she was made of glass.

Same act, different day. Couldn't she at least come up with something new?

Still, River played her part perfectly, her voice trembling as she looked up at him.

"Tom… my heart… it hurts so much. I just wanted to comfort Amber after losing her child, but she… she said I was using the baby's death to make you feel guilty. She even threatened me, told me to stay away from you."

Her words were laced with just enough fragility and fake innocence to make them sound believable. And just like that, the crowd turned on me. The stares shifted, some confused, some judgmental.

"I'll take you to the hospital," Tom said, holding her close.

His face was full of concern, for her. But when he glanced back at me, that concern twisted into something harsher: fury.

"Amber, how many times do I have to say this? River is like a sister to me. You're my wife. I've made that clear to everyone. What else do you want from me?"

"She's not well. Why are you even bothering to argue with her?"

For once, he was right, I did want to argue.

Because I was done pretending. Done swallowing the pain and keeping the peace, thinking if I just held on long enough, things would get better. But River kept dragging me into this mess again and again.

And I'd finally had enough.