The Seventh Year as a Stand-In

Almost instantly, Garrison raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face.

The taste of blood spread through my mouth, and the ringing in my ears momentarily drowned out Garrison's curses. I could only see him protectively shielding Meadow behind him.

"Melody, have you lost your mind? What's happened to you? You're acting like a shrew!"

I heard that last part crystal clear. I stood there, stunned, holding my cheek and staring at the man before me.

This man, who once cradled me in his hands and wouldn't dare harm a hair on my head, had just hit me because of Meadow.

He drove me to madness, silently watched me lose it, and now stood on his high horse calling me a shrew.

But he forgot that it was my innocence and purity that had once attracted him.

"It's my fault. It's my presence that's caused this rift between you. Miss Carlisle, if you have any grievances, take them out on me. This has nothing to do with Garrison. He's a good person. I shouldn't have come into the picture."

Meadow wept in Garrison's arms, her face streaked with tears as she repeatedly apologized to me.

She had always been naturally innocent-looking, and even after all these years, her tears still made her look pitiful and heart-wrenching. "Don't cry, Meadow. It has nothing to do with you."

Garrison gently kissed the tears at the corner of her eyes, patiently comforting her.

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have survived, Garrison. I wish I had died seven years ago."

The events from seven years ago had always been a source of pain for Garrison. He shook his head and held Meadow tightly in his arms.

"Melody, you should leave for now. Meadow can't handle any more stress."

After calming Meadow down, Garrison spoke to me seriously. His eyes were filled with countless emotions, but love wasn't one of them.

"Garrison, let's break up," I sighed softly.

I thought Garrison would try to stop me, but after I said those words, he visibly relaxed, his whole demeanor becoming more at ease.

"Do as you please. Don't regret it later."

That same day, I moved out of Garrison's place. It's laughable that after seven years, everything I could take with me fit into a single suitcase.

As compensation, Garrison gave me a mansion in the East Side. I didn't refuse it, but I didn't move in either. Instead, I immediately had someone put it up for sale. That prime real estate didn't stay on the market long. The house attracted plenty of interest as soon as it was listed.

It ultimately sold for over $10 million.

With that money, I rented a small apartment in a quiet, out-of-the-way neighborhood far from downtown.

On my first day there, I installed a hidden security camera by the front door. I had a feeling it would come in handy someday.

Ever since I left Garrison, he and Meadow have been all over the tabloids - caught in passionate midnight kisses or flaunting their love at public events.

Even I got dragged into it as the ex. Some people pitied me for wasting seven years. Others mocked me as a gold-digger. A few envied my supposed massive payout that would set me up for life.

But the gossip flared up and died down just as quickly. None of it really affected me either way.

Garrison tried calling me a few times. I silenced my phone and deliberately ignored him. I never expected he'd show up at my front door.

He pounded on the door so hard I thought it might break. Irritated, I yanked it open to find Garrison glowering at me.

"Well, well, Melody. Aren't you clever - selling the mansion to live in this dump?"

"We're not together anymore. Where I live is none of your business, is it?" These past few days, I've slowly come to accept the fact that I'm not loved. When facing Garrison, although there's still turmoil inside, I've become much calmer outwardly.

"If I hadn't gone to the East Side to find you, I wouldn't have known that you sold the house the very day we broke up! Melody, in all our time together, did I ever let you want for money?"

He specifically came to find me, so it seems there's something important.

"Is there something you need? If not, please leave. This dump is too small to accommodate someone of your stature."

I made a move to close the door, but Garrison blocked it with his hand.

"Next week, I'm planning to hold a press conference to announce my engagement to Meadow. But I want you to be there to make a statement that our breakup was due to irreconcilable differences and had nothing to do with Meadow."

I couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, and as I laughed, tears started to flow uncontrollably. He made me feel like I was nothing but a joke.

Asking me to make a statement to benefit the two of them - either his head got caught in a door, or mine did.

"Garrison, I really want to know: in these seven years, did you ever love me at all?"

If there had been even a moment of love, he wouldn't keep stabbing my heart over and over again like this. Garrison fell silent, then after a long moment he looked at me apologetically. "Melody, I've tried, but I can't fall in love with you."

I ultimately didn't go to the press conference. That day, all the major platforms were live-streaming footage from the event.

Garrison appeared on screen in a sharp suit, holding Meadow's hand. In the time since I'd last seen her, Meadow had truly transformed - she looked exquisite and beautiful in a haute couture gown.

A handsome man and a gorgeous woman, plus first pure love - their moving love story touched everyone present.

I turned off the TV and threw on a random jacket, planning to head downstairs for a bite to eat.

Though my place isn't super fancy, there's a street full of food stalls right below - bustling with life and energy.

I took my time heading home after eating my fill. The facilities in my complex are old, and the street lights usually flicker on and off. Today they'd given up entirely and weren't working at all.

I'm pretty afraid of the dark, so I quickened my pace.

Just as I reached the entrance to my building, a shadowy figure blocked my path. I shined my phone flashlight on them - it was Garrison's good friend, the guy who'd gotten his head bashed in at the bar that night.

"I've been waiting for you a long time, Melody," he said.

The wound on his head still hadn't healed, and looked terrifying in the darkness. I stepped back a few paces. "How did you know I was here? What do you want?"

I hardly interacted with the people around Garrison. They were wary of him, so they'd just put on a show of calling me "sis-in-law" when we met.

Only this man would let his gaze linger on me so shamelessly.

He grinned sleazily, approaching me step by step. "Of course someone gave me the address. Sis-in-law, oh no, Melody. I've always liked you. Now that you've broken up with Garrison, why don't you come with me? I don't mind picking up his sloppy seconds."

My stomach churned, and I nearly threw up everything I'd eaten that evening.

"I'm sorry, but you're making me nauseous. Could you please step away from me?"

Instead of backing off, he moved closer, even reaching out to touch my face.

"Garrison, that son of a bitch, bashed my head and ruined my project. Today, I'm going to end you and make him sick to his stomach."

I backed up against the wall as he got closer and closer. I could even smell the foul stench coming from his mouth.

"Help! Help!"

I screamed desperately for help. He covered my mouth with one hand and tried to yank down my pants with the other.