Dear Future Ex-wife

“Because I’d been in love with you for years, and when I heard you were getting serious with Kevin Frederick, it pissed me off. I couldn’t even think straight.”

“What does Kevin have to do with anything? And how did you even know?”

“Callie told me.”

She scowls. “So, you hooked up with Alexa to get back at me for dating someone?”

“No… I don’t know. I was drunk. She was there. She was blonde… like you. I wanted the pain to go away, and at the time, I thought she was a good distraction. But when I woke up the next morning, I felt worse. I knew you would never forgive me. And then a week later, someone sold those pictures to the media. I had no idea they were taken. I wanted to tell you, but when I saw you, after waiting years to get you back, I couldn’t go through with it.”

She shakes her head, a look of disgust on her face. “I knew this was too good to be true. And now, you’ve made both of us the laughingstock of the city. Of the tech world. Who will ever take either of us seriously after this?”

“This is real, Harley. None of it was for show.”

“I don’t care,” she snaps. “None of that matters. What future do we have now?” My heart sinks to my stomach as Harley tips her head to her cell phone. “Pick it up. See what they’re saying about us.”

I lift her phone from the carpet.

“Click on the link Callie sent me,” she says, looking out the window.

I lean back against the mattress and hit play. A reporter is interviewing Alexa, who’s challenging the legitimacy of my marriage to Harley. There’s even a side-by-side comparison of Alexa and Harley. It’s clear that Harley isn’t the woman from the pictures. Alexa tells the reporter that our wedding is a lie to cover up the incident. She claims that I promised to see her again and then blew her off, which is an even bigger lie.

Harley snickers. “That bitch has some nerve. Like she knows anything about me.”

She opens the closet and slides a silky robe over her shoulders. When she catches me staring at her naked body, she pulls it closed. “What did you say to her that night?”

“We weren’t talking,” I point out.

She blows out a breath of air and folds her arms over her chest. “How does she know I was in LA? We haven’t seen her since high school.”

“Everyone knows we went our separate ways.”

“Are you sure you didn’t tell her anything?”

I push myself up from the floor, towering over her. “Of course not. Do you take me for an idiot?”

She smirks. “Do you really want me to answer that?”

We stare at each other for what feels like an hour when in reality it’s probably a few minutes. Harley glares at me with so much hatred it burns my skin. My stomach churns from the nerves stirring inside me.

I’m losing her.

I can feel it.

“Tell me what to do.”

Harley bites the inside of her cheek. “Go to the office.”

I extend my hand to her. “Come with me.”

She shakes her head. “I’m taking the day off. I need time to think.”

“What can I do?”

I have no idea what to say to make this situation better. She has every right to walk away. Our marriage was built on lies. We reached our goal and signed the deal with Titan Tech last week, and now we have enough funding to get through the next two projects.

“Give me some space,” she suggests.

“What about us?”

Tears fill her bottom lids. “I don’t know. I need to think about that, too. When I left LA, I gave up friends, a boyfriend, and an apartment that I loved. I need to go back, get out of the spotlight for a while, and figure out my next move.”

“C’mon, Harley. I thought we were in this together.”

“I never lied to you. I was honest with you the entire time. I entered into this arrangement with all of my cards laid out on the table.”

“So did I,” I say in my defense. “I only left out one small detail.”

“And that small detail just ruined both of our reputations, mine more than yours.”

“I’m sorry.”

She throws out her hand between us. “Save it, Nate. Sorry doesn’t cut it this time.”

“I’ll do anything,” I plead, not above getting on my hands and knees to beg for her forgiveness. “Just say the word.”

“I think some time apart will do both of us good. You need to finish the game. And I need to find a new job.”

“No, you don’t,” I challenge. “Don’t give up on us already. That’s not you, Harley. You’re not a quitter.”

“I’m not giving up, just finding an alternative.”

“But this game is our thing. You have to see it through with me.”