You made a choice.” Later, over grilled cheese and tomato soup, Claire let herself breathe. The worst was over. She didn’t want revenge — just peace.She donated the ruined wedding dress.
Started fresh. A light-filled apartment. A quiet job.
Real friends. People ask what hurt most — the betrayal? The public embarrassment?
No. It was that she had said no, and he laughed. Love, she realized, starts with respect.
And ends when that’s gone. Now, when people ask if she’ll ever marry again, Claire just smiles. “Maybe,” she says.
“But no dip shots by the pool.”
