Page 122 of Everything She Wanted

I stare at her, and I know she’s not lying. I’m the only one lying to myself.

“I would never want to interfere, and you seem like an amazing woman. I just, I never got over him, and he would just reel me in, and I would say it was just this one time, and then it continued like that.”

My legs start to shake and the world feels like it’s spinning. I place a steadying hand out, but my fingers only find air.

“He said it was you, that you wouldn’t leave him alone,” I say quietly, needing to know the whole truth.

“Of course he did. He’s never going to admit to being an asshole. Besides, I have proof.” She pulls out her phone from her purse.

I don’t want to see it, but I have to know.

She hands it to me and shows me all the texts, along with photos. Some of them are explicit.

“I’m sorry for telling you now. I wasn’t planning to. I just saw you there, and I know you just got engaged. At least you know now before the wedding.”

She looks at me tentatively before adding, “I know he loves you, so maybe you can work this out. And you don’t have to worry about me anymore. I told him it’s over.”

I hand back her phone, unable to read another word.

“I know you probably won’t believe it,” she adds, “but all this has been eating me up inside.”

“Thank you for telling me.”

“I’m so sorry.” She shoots me a look of deep regret.

I swear on my life. Eshaan’s face flashes before me, uttering his lies.

I had the prince and the villain mixed up in my story all along, and now it’s too late for either.

I walk back to the restaurant slowly. I pass a sewer drain and want to throw my ring into it.

I think of all the times he humiliated me and said I was flirting with other guys, when he’s been fucking his ex for months. All those times I felt so guilty for even letting Nick touch me, while Shaan and Sonia were doing god only knows what.

This is a cruel galactic joke, and I can’t even believe the disaster that’s my life. I’m not even sure I care anymore.

The bell on the door jingles when I walk back in and sit on the stiff red seat that’s feeling more like an electric chair.

“Who was that, darling? I don’t remember seeing her at the engagement,” my Bhua Ji says.

I eat a spoonful of the chole.

“Shaan’s girlfriend.” My mom and Bhua look at each other, shocked.

“Who?”

“His girlfriend.” I keep chowing down the food even as I want to throw it all up. I’m beyond pain. I’m beyond dignity. I’m beyond caring.

“She told me Shaan has been cheating on me for months with her.”

My mom looks around. “Chup kar!”

Sure, Mom, I can be quiet for now. Keeping my mouth shut is what got me here, but it’s not going to help me escape this. I continue shovelling food into my mouth until my dish is wiped clean.

My Bhua takes a deep breath.

“Putt, these things happen. It was before the engagement?”

I want to scream that of course it was—we haven’t even been engaged for a day. Unless he fucked her last night while I was passed out. I wouldn’t put it past him.