him.
“This man,” I say, voice steady, “used to be my boyfriend. He broke my heart. He lied to me, vanished, and now he’s standing beside my mother, pretending he’s someone new. He’s not. I know who he really is.”
Gasps ripple through the room.
My mother looks at me—confused, shaking her head slowly.
“I didn’t want to hurt you, Mom,” I whisper. “But I couldn’t continue reading …
