Chapter 1: A Joke
In the second month of our silent treatment, my fiancé humiliated me in front of all our friends-
He joked that the birthmark on my face made me look like a Dalmatian.
Without saying a word, I just turned around and walked out, ending everything
Everyone thought I was being dramatic. They even placed bets on how long my little “tantrum” would last.
After all, I had devoted ten years of my life to Eric Gibson, and we were weeks away from our wedding.
That night, as I packed my things, Eric stood in the doorway, frowning like I was the one being unreasonable.
“Are you really going to throw away ten years over a harmless joke?”
I looked him in the eye.
“Yes. Exactly because of that ‘harmless’ joke.”
***
When Eric said the birthmark on my face looked like a Dalmatian spots, I had just walked into the bar.
Everyone turned to look. The mark near my left eyebrow burned like fire under their stares.
Someone tried to hide a laugh with a cough. But Kelly Harlan-perched at the bar with her wine glass-didn’t even bother pretending. She burst out laughing.
“It really does look like that,” she said.
I shot her a cold stare. She immediately covered her mouth, feigning regret.
“Sorry, I’ve been abroad so long that I’ve gotten used to saying whatever’s on my mind… Maddie, you’re not mad, right?”
Eric’s tense face relaxed the moment Kelly spoke. He shrugged, like it was no big deal.
“Why would she be mad? She’s pulled all kinds of stunts to get my attention. Why would she care about something so small?”
Then he looked at me with disdain. “If you behaved better, maybe Kelly could help you get rid of that mark. She just got back-I don’t want to embarrass her. If you’re smart, go home.”
Eric knew Kelly used to have a crush on him. He still let her cling to him. Still let her drag him into the laughing crowd. She looked at me like I was dirt beneath her heels, her smile sparkling like the diamonds on her ears-cold, sharp, and dazzling.
I turned around, heart pounding. The music was deafening, like waves crashing through my chest. It was hard to
breathe.
I wiped my eyes and headed for the door. Then someone behind me said loudly:
“Is the Dalmatian finally leaving?”
Laughter exploded.
I stood frozen, head buzzing. I looked down and realized my nails were digging into my palms. But I didn’t feel a
thing.
All I could think was-
I came here tonight to make peace.
But now… what was the point?
