I cracked my bedroom door to make out what he was saying. My parents getting divorced wasn’t the be-all or end-all. Most of my friends came from broken homes. It was almost fashionable in our circles. My parents were one of the few couples still together. The Prices were the exception, not the rule.

“You can’t do that to me. I gave you twenty years of my life. That entitles me to half of everything. You wouldn’t risk that!” my mother yelled back. “What did you expect, Miller? You were always on those business trips, and if you were home, you were locked up working in your office. The only person you gave a second of your time to was Devlynn. I just wanted to be seen.”

“I saw you. I was working day and night to keep you in the life you were accustomed to. Let me tell you something, sweetheart… That little piece of paper you signed before we got married, the prenup, states that you would end up with nothing if you cheated. You think I’m going to give you a cent after what you did? It’s not like you have anything in your name. You were a nobody from nowhere when I met you. I should have listened to my mother when she said you were a white trash whore. It’s not bad enough that you couldn’t close your legs, but you had to fuck my lawyer… our daughter’s boyfriend’s father? What kind of piece of shit does that? So now, I’m going to leave you alone, penniless, and miserable.”

I heard a slap and my father’s shoes on the marble floor, followed by my mother’s sobbing. My father’s last words hit me the hardest. My mother was having an affair with Elis’s father. My legs gave way as I collapsed to the ground. I sat on the floor for hours in shock. Confused. Angry. Hurt. All I wanted was Elis, but he wanted nothing to do with me, and I couldn’t blame him.

I stumbled to my phone and texted Elis again.

Devlynn: I know what happened. Please talk to me.

I sat on my bed, staring at my phone, willing a message to pop up, but nothing. I crawled into a fetal position, cradling my cell phone. I didn’t want to miss Elis if he tried to contact me. I tried to sleep. I closed my eyes and willed it. But my whole world was crumbling around me, and the only person I wanted to see was avoiding me.

At three in the morning, I finally heard a ping. My fingers fumbled with the phone, and I dropped it several times before I studied it in my hand.

Elis: I can’t do this. It’s over.

Chapter 15

Elis

“Hands up, you little fucker!” They drew their weapons at the same time I heard the words.