My Fiancé's 'Girl' Gave Me a Buzzcut. I Gave Her a Subpoena for Their Wedding. novel Chapter 23

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My world ended.

Everything I thought we had-five years of grief, five years of loyalty to a dead man-it was all bullshit.

The “hero” I’d been mourning didn’t just cheat.

He had a whole other life. A kid OLDER than our son Nathan!

The bile rose so fast I barely made it to the bathroom.

I collapsed onto the floor, cheek pressed against the cold tile.

Tears came before I even realized I was crying.

Susan Brennan.

I forced my brain to work. Where did I know that name?

Then it hit me.

Right before the wedding, Liam mentioned some girl from back home. Said she’d had a thing for him when they were kids.

I’d brushed it off. Thought it was cute.

Turns out it wasn’t cute. It was a goddamn timebomb.

I dragged myself up and went back to the box.

Under the photos and diary, there was one more thing.

A letter. Never mailed.

Liam’s handwriting.

[Susie,

Almost time.

That warehouse fire I told you about? It’s happening next week. Sarah’s supposed to be there for a work thing-I made sure of it

When the building goes up, she won’t make it out. Everyone will think it was an accident.

Then I’m officially dead. New identity, new start.

Give it a few months for things to settle, then I’m coming to get you and our boy.

No more hiding. No more waiting.

We’re finally going to be the family we should’ve been from the start.

I love you.]

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Chapter 3

At the bottom, a stupid smiley face.

I read it three times before it sank in. Each word burned into my skull.

He didn’t run into that fire to be a hero.

He ran in to?MURDER ME..

He’d staged the whole thing. Planned to incinerate me so he could disappear with another woman.

But something went wrong.

I didn’t die. He ‘did.’

So what actually happened five years ago?

Think. Think.

That day-

I was supposed to be at the warehouse. I’d taken a gig photographing inventory for some company.

But that morning, Liam called. His voice was off. Too soft. Almost… sad.

He said he had a bad feeling. Told me to cancel the shoot and take Nathan to my mom’s for a few days.

Said he’d already bought us train tickets. Left them on the dresser.

I thought he was being protective.

Turned out he wasn’t protecting me. He was getting me out of the way.

He needed everyone to think I was supposed to be there-

but he couldn’t risk me actually showing up.

Because he still NEEDED me alive. At least long enough to sign off on his death!

My press credentials!

I’d been running late. Grabbed my camera bag but left my work ID and permit in the car-parked right outside the warehouse!

After the fire, they found a body. Unrecognizable. My ID scattered around it.

Everyone thought it was me.

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