What’s Left of Us
Holly thought she had it all—a decade-long marriage to the love of her life, Michael, a cozy home, and a sense of stability. But when Michael starts pulling away and forming a suspiciously close bond with a charming coworker, Holly feels the familiar pangs of being invisible in her own love story.
Determined not to jump to conclusions, she supports Michael through his stress, even as her own insecurities and loneliness deepen. But everything changes during his work trip.
Faced with the slow unraveling of her marriage, Holly chooses herself for the first time in years. She throws herself into therapy, fitness, and healing—reconnecting with parts of herself she had long buried. By chance, she meets Finn, a magnetic bartender with a guarded past and a knack for listening. Their late-night conversations turn into something more… something safe, yet electric.
Now caught between the ashes of a long-term love and the flicker of something new, Holly must answer the hardest question of all: Can love survive betrayal—or is it time to let go of what once was, to make room for what could be?
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Chapter: Where Do We Go From Here?“Hh… Holly,” he seems exasperated as he says my name. I wait for him to go on, but he doesn’t right away he just continues to stare at me with his mouth gaping. He’s acting like he’s shocked by my response.As I take him in, I can’t help but feel anger rising in me.He wanted to talk, and now he won’t say anything and looks shocked that I’m hurt. Seriously?“I thought you wanted to talk,” I sneer at Michael. This seems to snap him out of his trance. I never get snappy with him; he looks a little surprised. He raises his eyebrows at me still watching me intently.“I’m just shocked at what you said. I had not considered it from that point of view,” he says in a low voice. “I love you, you are my wife, but hearing how that made you feel I realize that I wasn’t thinking. I’m so sorry I’ve made you feel this way. Amelia is just a friend. I will admit that we have gotten close as friends, but I have not engaged in any flirty behavior with her. We work closely together and sometimes that mea
Last Updated: 2025-10-01
Chapter: Emotional Affairs ExistWork flies by in the a flurry of patients. Working with the elderly in a care home is so rewarding. I enjoy it and it’s made me happy. I work methodically and calmly through the day. I don’t give myself time to think too much about what I have to do after work. I never want to put my patients after my own issues while I’m at work. When the time comes to go home, I’m slow to leave. I walk back to the employee lounge to grab my purse saying goodbye to my coworkers and patients as I go.I don’t remember the drive home, but the next thing I know I’m pulling into my driveway. Michael’s car is parked next to mine, and the lights in the house are on. I park my car and turn it off. I sit there in the silence of my car staring at our house, taking in the landscaping I’ve worked on year after year and the big beautiful blue door.I take a few moments to think about my marriage, Michael, the distance between us recently, the lack of intimacy, and I decide on how I’m going to approach this with h
Last Updated: 2025-10-01
Chapter: Creamer with a Splash of CoffeeI come back to consciousness feeling like an hammer is hitting my head.As I try to open my open my eyes, the sun us peering in through the blinds in B’s guest room.Last night comes back to me and the terrible headache makes sense. I drank a little too much, but I had such a good night. We talked and danced, and I didn’t worry about what was going on in my marriage the whole night.Briefly, the handsome bartender flashes in my mind, his piercing eyes and how they followed me back to my seat. He wasn’t wrong; he makes a great Lemon Drop. I smile a little to myself.I pull the cover over my head, blocking the sun from my eyes. I continue to lay in bed thinking through what I have to do today. I do, in fact, have to get up and adult today. I have work later. I’m so glad it’s only a short shift at the care home. Slowly and after a pep talk to myself, I’m up and in the shower. Afterwards, I grab my overnight bag to get dressed for work.It’s then that I realize I haven’t seen my phone
Last Updated: 2025-10-01
Chapter: Hot BartenderOnce home, I grab my favorite blanket and lay down in my dark room. My breaths and tears are coming fast as I lay in the quiet with my thoughts.I give myself a little while to calm down. Then I call Bianca to tell her all about my visit to Michael’s office.She just listens and reminds me that she’s here for me no matter what. I can’t express how much that means to me.As it approaches the time for Michael to come home, I’m dreading seeing him and continuing any conversation. He’s messaged me a few times since I left promising me he loves me and that it looks worse than it is. To please give him some time to explain when he gets home.I haven’t responded. I don’t know what to say. I need some time to think this over.Regardless of what he thinks, he’s been behaving inappropriately with a woman that is not his wife. That much is clear. Does he not see that? I will give him the chance to explain himself, I’m just not sure I can tonight.Because she knows me so well, Bianca asks if I’d
Last Updated: 2025-10-01
Chapter: Nothing is Going On Michael stands when he sees me, he looks a little stricken.His eyes are wide and his mouth is gaping open.Then he glances to his colleague, is that what I call her?She stands abruptly, pulls her skirt down and adjusts her blouse. I see now that she has brown eyes and thick eyelashes. Like at the café, her blonde hair is in waves, falling down her back. She’s wearing black strappy stilettos. They look very uncomfortable.Glancing around the office, I see a blazer off to the side. Like she threw it off. It doesn’t feel hot in here so I wonder why she took it off. At this thought I let out a huff, wondering why I’m thinking about the temperature of the room. I pull myself out of my thoughts and focus back on Michael.Michael seems to gather himself as he walks to me and says, “I thought we were meeting in the lobby”. I look at him, taking in his features. There’s a deep furrow in his brow, and a frown on his lips.I glance back to her. He sees the movement. “Let me introduce you to
Last Updated: 2025-09-30
Chapter: It's Not What It SeemsOver the next week, I make attempts to have some conversations with Michael about our relationship. He continues to tell me that everything is fine, he loves me, and nothing has changed.I don’t bring up what I saw at the café.I go to another kickboxing class, and I have to admit that I am finding that I enjoy it.Even if I feel like I can’t move the next day.On my day off, I wake up early so I can talk to Michael before he heads off to work. I come downstairs to greet him. He’s sitting at our dinning table with his coffee and his phone. He’s already dressed in a deep navy suit.I come up behind him, wrap my arm around his shoulders, and kiss his cheek. I linger for a few moments, enjoying the feel of my husband. He smells like sandalwood from his soap. I love that smell. I slowly release him and come around to face him. He looks up at me with a small smile. “Good morning, Honey,” I greet him.“Good morning” he replies, watching my face intently. He looks as though he’s trying to fig
Last Updated: 2025-09-28
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