Outgrowing Love

There was no precious family heirloom inside the box. Nothing related to his mother, either. Instead, it was filled with photos of Sean and a woman. Some were taken at an amusement park, some were from school, and others were in shopping malls. Every single photo had his handwriting on the back.

“April 10, 2012–After class placements, I met a girl. Her name is Heather. My heart is racing. Is this what falling in love feels like?”

“May 6, 2012–I finally got Heather’s contact. Ahhh… I’m so nervous. How should I even start talking to her?”

“July 16, 2012–It’s summer break at last. Today was my first date with Heather at the amusement park. She looked so beautiful…”

“December 10, 2012–Heather hasn’t been in school. Everyone says she died in an accident, that she was hit by a car. I don’t believe it!”

“December 16, 2012–Today was Heather’s funeral.”

“March 21, 2013–A judgment has been ruled for the case. The murderer hired a top lawyer and was ruled not guilty. He wouldn’t have to suffer a single day in prison…”

“April 5, 2013–Heather, wait for me. When I become a lawyer, I’ll reopen your case.”

After reading everything, I looked back at the woman in the photos.

Her face bore a slight resemblance to both Brittany and me. In that instant, everything became clear. Brittany and I were nothing more than substitutes for a woman named Heather.

Sean had been searching for her shadow in both of us. Even the reason he became a lawyer in the first place was because of her. No wonder he had hidden this box for so many years, never allowing anyone to touch it. However, why should my youth and my life be used to make up for his loss?

I snapped back to my senses, put the box back into the cabinet, and walked away without looking back. There was nothing left in this house worth remembering anymore.

Faye insisted on having one last meal together before I left, and since my flight was in the evening, I didn’t refuse. I took a cab to the restaurant, but the moment I got out of the car, I saw Sean inside a photo studio nearby. Standing beside him were Brittany and her parents. The four of them looked like a real family, smiling warmly as the photographer guided them through poses for a wedding family portrait.

How ironic. I had been married to Sean for seven years, yet we had never taken a single photo together. Even when my mother was on her deathbed, he had rejected her final wish to take one family photo before she passed.

I sneered, and as I turned to leave, our eyes met. His hand, resting on Brittany’s shoulder, jerked. Brittany had also noticed me, but instead of panic, she gave me a provocative smile.

Then, she walked out of the studio, putting on a look of helpless despair, and said with a pout, “Andrea, I know you hate me, but I just want to live. I just don’t want to be looked down on. There’s no need for you to follow me here or come tell my parents everything.”

The moment those words left her mouth, Sean’s expression darkened. He grabbed my arm and dragged me aside, his voice sharp with anger.

“Andrea, we’ve been married for seven years. How did I not realize you were so vicious? She’s just a weak woman trying to live a decent life. What did she do wrong? Do you really have to destroy her future like this?”

I looked at him, the way he twisted right from wrong, and felt nothing but numb. Then, I turned to Brittany and slapped her.

“I came here to meet a friend. I don’t care about your mess. But if you continue spreading lies, don’t blame me for exposing the truth.”

After that, I didn’t even spare her another glance as I turned to leave. However, Sean quickly caught Brittany, his eyes filled with concern.

Then he grabbed me again, his voice low and threatening. “Andrea, how dare you hit her? Get on your knees and apologize right now. Otherwise… I’ll fire you from the law firm and make sure you’re blacklisted from the legal industry. You’ll never find another job in this country.”

Hearing his threat, I sneered and took out my resignation letter, throwing it straight at his face.

“Sorry,” I said. “I’ve resigned. And as for blacklisting me, you can go ahead and try, Mr. Larson.”