Chapter 3

Nia stood in the street, her clothes clutched to her chest, tears blurring her vision as the door slammed shut behind her. The humiliation still burned on her skin, the sting of Caleb’s slap echoing in her mind. Her legs felt weak, her heart heavy with disbelief. She had thought she knew pain, but this—this was something else entirely.

She took a shaky breath, trying to calm the panic rising in her chest. The stares of the neighbors cut into her like knives, and she kept her head down, her hair falling forward to shield her face. Each step away from the house felt like she was tearing away a piece of herself. She had lost everything in a single afternoon—her home, her husband, and the trust she had so carefully built.

But even as she walked away, her mind couldn’t stop replaying the scene. The video on Mira’s phone, Caleb’s cold, hard eyes, the way he had thrown her out like she was nothing. She wanted to scream, to demand someone listen to her, to believe her. But she had no voice, no proof. All she had was her own word against the damning images burned into Caleb’s mind.

She walked aimlessly, her body numb with shock. She didn’t know where to go. She had nowhere to turn, no one to call. Her family was far away, and even if they were closer, how could she face them like this? The thought of her parents seeing her like this—broken and discarded—made her stomach turn.

She stumbled into a small alleyway, leaning against the cold brick wall as she sank to the ground. Her clothes tumbled from her arms, landing in a heap beside her. She buried her face in her hands, sobs wracking her body as the weight of everything crashed down on her.

Why? Why had this happened to her? She had loved Caleb with everything she had. She had been faithful, devoted—she had never even looked at another man. And yet, in a single night, everything had been destroyed.

As she wept, images of Mira’s face flashed in her mind. The way she had stood beside Caleb, her voice soft and trembling with false sorrow. The way her eyes had shone with unshed tears. And then—just as Caleb had shoved her out the door—she had seen it. A small, triumphant smile, quick as a flash, curving Mira’s lips before disappearing as if it had never been there.

Nia’s breath caught in her throat. Her tears slowed as a cold realization settled over her. Mira. Her best friend. The woman she had trusted with her secrets, her fears, her dreams. The woman who had stood beside her on her wedding day, promising to always be there for her.

It had all been a lie.

The memory of that smile—so quick, so sure—sent a shiver down her spine. Mira hadn’t been trying to protect her. She hadn’t been trying to help. She had wanted this to happen. She had planned it.

The thought was like ice in her veins. Nia shook her head, as if she could deny it by sheer force of will. But the truth was undeniable now. Mira had known. She had orchestrated it—somehow, some way. She had wanted Nia’s life to fall apart.

A small, bitter laugh escaped her lips, harsh and jagged in the silence of the alleyway. How had she been so blind? How had she not seen it?

Mira had always been there—always so sweet, so supportive. But now, looking back, Nia could see the cracks. The way Mira’s eyes would linger on Caleb when she thought no one was watching. The way she would ask too many questions about their marriage, their life together. And the way she had always been so quick to offer comfort, to play the perfect friend.

Nia clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as the rage began to burn beneath her skin. But even as the anger flared, it was swallowed by a wave of despair. What could she do? Mira had already won. Caleb had believed her—believed the video, believed the lies. And now, Nia was alone, her life in ruins.

She pressed her forehead against the cold brick, her tears falling silently. She had no proof, no one to back her up. If she went to Caleb, he would turn her away. If she tried to tell anyone else, who would believe her? Mira had played her role perfectly—the concerned friend, the innocent witness. And Nia was the one branded a liar and a cheat.

A hollow ache settled in her chest as she realized just how powerless she was. She couldn’t fight back. She had no way to clear her name, no way to prove what had really happened. All she had was the memory of that smile, that fleeting moment of victory in Mira’s eyes.

She sat there for what felt like hours, her mind a storm of pain and confusion. The sun dipped lower in the sky, the shadows growing longer as the day turned to dusk. Eventually, she forced herself to stand, gathering her clothes in shaking hands.

She had nowhere to go. No plan, no hope. But she couldn’t stay here. She had to keep moving, even if she didn’t know where she was headed.

As she walked away from the alley, her shoulders hunched against the weight of her shame, she knew one thing for certain: Mira had stolen everything from her. Her husband. Her home. Her sense of safety.

But even as the despair threatened to swallow her whole, a small spark of determination flared in her chest. She didn’t know how or when, but she would find a way to survive. She would find a way to face Mira again—no matter how long it took.

For now, though, all she could do was keep moving, one step at a time.

She didn’t look back. She couldn’t. Because if she did, she knew she would never be able to keep going.