I broke out into a full-blown cry as I sat there on the ground. “Do you think because you have money that you can fuck with people’s lives? Do you?” I cried as I pushed him.

He grabbed hold of my wrists as tears started to stream down his face. “I saved you. I love you, Gabrielle.”

“You don’t love me. You aren’t capable of love. What you did is—God, there are no words for what you did, and then to keep it from me after everything we’d been through. If I didn’t come here and see the two of you, you never would have told me. You would have kept your dirty, filthy little secret for the rest of your life, and I would have lived every day believing that you were someone different. Someone who would never use their money or power to buy people. God, I can’t even believe this,” I cried as I placed my hands over my eyes.

“I’m different. You changed everything in my life. Why can’t you see that?”

“All I see is a calculated and manipulating man. We’re over! Do you fucking understand those words?!” I stood up and grabbed my purse. As I placed my hand on the door handle, I turned and looked at him.

“You said you saved me from Brendon. Now I’m saving myself from you.” As soon as I walked out the door, I heard him scream my name.

I stepped into the elevator and looked at myself in the mirrors. My eyes were glossy and mascara stained. I went to the desk and, immediately, the man who helped me earlier handed me my bag from behind the counter.

“I’m so sorry, miss.”

I wiped my eyes, took my bag, and climbed into a cab.

“Hey, are you okay, lady?” the driver asked.

“No. I’m not. JFK, please.”

****

People were staring at me as I walked through the airport. My flight didn’t leave for an hour, so I went inside the bathroom to clean up my face. As I pulled the pack of face-cleansing wipes from my carryon bag, I placed it on my face and stared at myself in the mirror. I was broken, more broken than I’d ever been in my existence. I began to wipe the mascara from under my eyes. The betrayal I felt was nothing I’d ever felt before. The pain was unbearable and the tears wouldn’t stop flowing as I washed my face. I placed my hands on the counter and stood back with my head down, trying to find a way to make the pain stop with every breath I took.

“Are you all right?” a little old lady asked as she placed her hand on my back.

“I’m just not feeling well. I’ll be fine.”

“Do you need me to get someone for you, dear?”