Eight Years of Maybe One Day of I Do—Bride Swapped Deal With It novel Chapter 57

Chapter 4

Before I divorced Damon, I went scorched earth.

I took photos of them-disheveled, caught-and printed them into flyers. Stuffed one in every company mailbox on base.

Rung banners outside their building exposing the affair.

Flooded Serena’s university forum with posts detailing everything.

At her graduation ceremony, I hired someone to loop our old photos together on the big screen.

All those memories I’d treasured? Turned them into weapons.

But Damon shielded her.

She graduated just fine.

Even got her own art exhibition lined up.

To pave the way for Serena, Damon finally looked me in the eye again.

“Serena’s dream is about to come true. Don’t fuck it up for her.”

I was already seeing red.

“Fuck it up? Oh, I’ve got a masterpiece ready for everyone at that show.”

A document slammed down in front of me.

“You want your mother’s grave to stay where it is? Sign the divorce papers. And stay the hell away from me and Serena.”

When Mom died, I was too wrecked to handle the funeral. Damon took care of everything-including buying the plot. Under his name.

Now he was using it against me.

I threw my coffee in his face.

That night, I cried myself to sleep on Mom’s grave.

Next day, I signed the papers anyway.

The settlement? A joke.

He gave me one shitty old apartment in the family housing complex.

“You reported me, remember? Most of my assets are frozen now. This is all I can give you.”

“If Serena hadn’t begged me, you’d get nothing.”

I never could beat Damon. Not even as kids.

He was calculated. Patient. Used strategy and leverage to get what he wanted.

Me? I charged in headfirst every time. Took everyone down with me-including myself.

So I went quiet. Just like he wanted.

Sold the apartment. Right before transferring to the border post, I went to Serena’s exhibition anyway.

Spur of the moment.

The city square’s giant screen showed her face-soft, glowing. The exhibition was called Soul Key.

That phrase came from letters we used to write each other back in the day.

Pure teenage dreams.

Real friendship.

I went in with one last shred of masochistic nostalgia.

Disguised myself. Walked into that gallery like a rat sneaking into someone else’s happiness.

Until I saw the centerpiece painting.

Soul Key.

Two bodies tangled together.

I’d kissed that mole on his back a thousand times.

Her fingers twisted the sheets. The bed had pale green linens. Outside the window-magnolia blossoms in full bloom.

I’d picked that variety myself.

Pink petals swaying in the wind. Quiet. Beautiful.

That was my house.

Turns out it was also where they fucked for the first time.

Turns out Soul was hers. Key was Damon’s.

Nausea hit me hard.

I threw up everywhere.

Caught their attention. They were greeting guests.

Her soft voice floated over.

“Ma’am, are you okay?”

The heart shaped brooch on her chest glinted in my face. Matched the key-shaped cufflinks on his wrist perfectly.

I ripped the brooch off her and slashed it across the canvas.

Riiiiip-

The sound of tearing fabric shocked the entire room. Gasps everywhere.

Security tackled me to the ground

My cheek pressed against the cold floor. Damon held Serena while she sobbed, staring down at me.

Like I was a rat in a gutter.

“Call the cops,” he said.

flaughed, Louder and louder.

People backed away.

The painting was worth over ten grand. I got three years. Plus damages-material and emotional.

Tried to kill myself in prison a few times. They kept saving me.

Got out after a year for good behavior.

Had nothing left.

But I’d figured a lot of things out.

We pulled up to the restaurant. Serena went to touch up her makeup.

Damon stood next to me. Spoke quietly.

“I’m sorry.”

“What we did back then… it was wrong. I’ll make sure Serena watches herself from now on.”

I raised an eyebrow. He never used to apologize to me.

Now he was the first to admit fault.

I looked at him, confused.

“No need. You’re married. What happened in the car just reminded me of the past, that’s all.”

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