Page 2 of When Forever Falls Apart

It’s all I need to say.

Four words, sitting at the tip of my tongue, which carry the weight of the world. I battle the tears, for now, but with a shaking hand that I can’t seem to steady, I begin to tug on the diamond necklace around my neck. Beneath the gold chain, my skin is sensitive and raw, but the pain brings a welcome relief from the stabbing inside my chest.

“I… uh…” The words, the fear, the crippling realization that my decision will impact far more than just the man waiting to become my husband.

But time is up.

The clock has struck, and it’s now or never.

“I-I can’t do this,” I sputter.

The damage is done.

My heart has revealed the truth, and in just a few minutes, there will be no turning back.

CHAPTER 1Madelina

“Ces sièges sont-ils pris, mademoiselle?”

My eyes snap open beneath my black Prada sunglasses and are greeted by the blazing Saint-Tropez sun, then dart to where the husky voice came from.

Two gorgeous men are standing beside me, gazing down at me with seductive smiles. I rush to sit up, only to realize I’m now at eye-level with their defined abs. You could grate cheese on these abs.

Hot men and cheese—ah, perfection.

My mind wanders to the mouthwatering cheese platter I devoured last night. Brie, Comté, Roquefort, and the list goes on. Paired with a Burgundy pinot noir, it was the best night I’d had in a very long time. Better than sex, one could say.

And I could say that because I haven’t had sex inforever.

The men appear to grow impatient, crossing their arms while angling their faces in unison.What did they ask?

“Um, désolée, s’il te plaît,my French is not so good,” I mumble with a crooked smile.

I quickly reach for my cell phone and ask them to repeat their question, relying on my translation app to save me from another awkward encounter. If only I had paid moreattention back in high school instead of trying to hook up with some jock in French class.

The taller, tanned man on the left places his hand on his hip. “Are these chairs taken?”

“Oh!” I gasp. “No, please go ahead.”

They both smile, though it appears forced, then lie beside me on the empty cabana chairs.

In front of us, the ocean reflects a crystal-blue hue, embraced by the afternoon sun. For a lazy Tuesday, the Plage de Tahiti is full of people relaxing by the sea. Groups of sunbathers lounge on colorful towels, and a few families with small children play along the shore. I intentionally steer clear of the “naturist” section since my stupid brain pictures older men bathing in nothing but their birthday suits.

Wait a minute! Who needs to conjure up these thoughts when I saw it in real life just yesterday?I shudder at the memory.

Underneath my sunglasses, I glance discreetly at the two men, only to see them holding hands.

Great.

With a deep sigh, I let my shoulders drop and find myself engulfed by a void, returning to my life of absolutely nothing. It seems to consist of tanning by some beach or hotel pool, all alone, with my past actions haunting my every thought.

The French sun is burning my skin, forcing me to turn over like a rotisserie chicken. As I lie on my stomach, resting my chin on my arms, I lazily watch people swim in the water. A young woman is floating on a pink flamingo, laughing while her lover rocks the floaties in an attempt to make her fall off. A smile unfolds slowly on my face as I remember my visit to the Bahamas and Myles trying to do the exact same thing.

We’d been dating for less than a year, but everything seemed to fall into place.

It feels like a lifetime ago, but in the same breath, only yesterday.

I avoid the trip down memory lane—or as I prefer to call it,Madelina Beaumont’s Life Mistakes—and pick up my book. A few sentences in, I place it back on the table beside me with a newfound annoyance. The last thing I should be reading is a small-town romance. Honestly, what was I thinking? I told myself I needed a change from all the dark books I’ve been reading because the mindfuck wasn’t doing anything to improve my outlook on life. Instead of wanting a healthy relationship, I am craving a mafioso to kidnap me and demand I partake in an arranged marriage to save his family’s fortune.