After I Stopped Loving Him

When Jackson saw the blood on my face, his grip loosened, leaving bright red marks on my wrist.

He turned to Emily in disbelief and frowned, "Did you do this?"

Emily quickly shook her head, tears the size of peas immediately falling, smudging her carefully applied eyeliner.

"No way, Jackson! Zoe came at me, and when I dodged, she slammed into the desk."

"I swear, it wasn't on purpose, and even after I apologized, she kept coming at me."

Jackson, seeing her tear-streaked face, fell for her sob story and gently stroked her hair, then turned to confront me.

"Zoe, why are you gunning for Emily? She's not part of our problems."

Really?

Not part at all?

Even our usually conciliatory agent, Jen, couldn't keep quiet, pointing at Jackson and shouting,

"Man, seems like fame's made you forget—Zoe's the one you married!"

"Forgot who sorts out your meds? Who got you to quit booze and smokes? Who drove you to the ER worried sick when you had that fever?"

"Has this 'darling' of yours shown any concern for you these past two years?"

"Jackson, wake up, man, before it's too late."

It's clear, even to bystanders, the real deal, but discarded for a fling.

Jackson's cold gaze barely touched me as he spoke emotionlessly.

"Now that Emily's back, there's no need to bring up the past."

"I might have had a moment with Zoe, but it's always been only Emily that I've loved."

Sure, Jackson might have genuinely given me a chance back then.

But now, in front of his first love, all my caring gestures seem as pathetic as a lovesick fool.

I removed the ring from my left ring finger, the one that never truly belonged to me, and handed it back to Emily.

She took it without trying it on and carelessly tossed it into the trash.

Then, clinging to Jackson's arm, she cooed, "Jackson, I don't want a ring she's worn. It feels dirty."

"Can you ditch the one you're wearing and let's go pick out new ones to wear, okay?"

Jackson affectionately pinched her cheek in agreement, and I felt a wave of revulsion.

He seemed to completely forget we still had a child.

I uncurled the unnoticed, clenched fingers of my other hand and turned to leave without a second glance.

The tattoo hidden beneath the ring was exposed to the air for the first time, and I felt a rush of liberation.

Jackson, your ring was just a prop in my lies.