My boyfriend’s other woman

I took a deep breath, icy calmness masking my turbulent emotions. As I rose from the bed, Glenn's expression shifted from relief to wariness, sensing the storm brewing within me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, his tone defensive. "I just had too much to drink last night." His attempt at a dismissive smile only heightened my skepticism.

I chose to ignore him. After a while, he suddenly smiled, gently taking my hands in his palm. “I won’t be able to be with you today, but Adalynn and I have a surprise for you. Come by this afternoon”.

I murmured a vague assent, my expression unreadable.

Glenn's face lit up with surprise and relief, as if he'd anticipated a fight. Seizing the opportunity, he hastily collected his things and made a swift exit, the car keys jingling in his eager hand.

Even though I didn’t want to go, I was curious to see the surprise they had both planned for me, following the address he sent. I arrived at a shopping mall…. It was a shopping mall for wedding clothes!

As I arrived, I caught Adalynn and Glenn in an intimate moment. Adalynn's short white gauze skirt hugged her slender waist, revealing an expanse of pale skin that seemed almost ethereal. My gaze snagged on the smattering of kiss marks on the back of her neck, no one has to tell me it was Glenn who did that.

My sudden presence startled them, shattering the spell. Adalynn darted behind Glenn, using him as a shield as if I posed a threat. Glenn stepped forward, his tone casual as he spoke.

“You’re one hour late. I wanted to surprise you by letting you pick out your wedding dress, but since you were late. Adalynn was kind enough to pick one for you and herself. You can try it on”.

Imagine getting married without an actual proposal and the woman your partner had proposed to instead of you, picking your wedding dress for you.

Glenn presented me with a plain white dress, its simplicity starkly contrasting with the stunning gown Adalynn wore. The disparity was glaring. I felt a pang of resentment, my eyes locked on the elegant folds of Adalynn's dress. It was clear which one was meant for a bride.

Glenn, oblivious to my unease, beamed with pride. "Wedding preparations can be overwhelming and since it’s happening in such a hurry. Adalynn wanted to make things easier for you, help you unwind."

I scoffed inwardly at his words. Simplify? This was a deliberate attempt to diminish me.

"No need to try it on," I said firmly, my tone masking the turmoil within. "I'll just use this one."

Adalynn's eyes sparkled with malice as she tugged on Glenn's sleeve. "Adriana doesn't want to try it on," she cooed, her voice dripping with false concern. "Do you think she doesn't like the dress I picked for her?".

Glenn's frustration simmered as he glared at me. "I'm doing this for your own good. Can't you see that? We need a stunning wedding dress for the photos."

His condescending tone ignited my fury. "Then use AI to fake the photos," I retorted, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why must I try on a dress?"

My patience exhausted, I turned and walked away. Funny how he was trying to gaslight me into thinking I’m wrong, he was the one who cheated and proposed to another woman. And again, brought me here to humiliate me.

Glenn's anger erupted. "You're just dismissing this!" he shouted after me. "You can't compare to Adalynn's beauty. Maybe we shouldn't take photos at all, to avoid ruining the mood."

Adalynn intervened, her voice sugary sweet. "Don't be too harsh on Adriana, dear. She is your fiancée, after all."

The emphasis on "fiancée" only seemed to infuriate Glenn further. "Who cares if she's my fiancée?" he muttered, his irritation palpable.

I tuned out Glenn's hurtful words and focused on rebuilding my life. I packed my belongings and checked into a hotel, leaving the toxic atmosphere behind. Days passed, and Glenn's silence was deafening. I wondered if he was seething or simply oblivious to my absence.

Meanwhile, Glenn's social media accounts told a different story. He flooded his feeds with photos of himself and Adalynn, accompanied by saccharine captions. The latest post read: "After all the twists and turns, it's still you." The comments section overflowed with congratulations and admiration from our mutual friends, who were blissfully unaware of the truth.

"Glenn is so loving! He must have been smitten with her for years," one friend gushed.

"Congratulations to him for winning the heart of such a beauty!" another chimed in.

The chorus of approval continued, with one enthusiastic supporter declaring, "I've been rooting for you both forever! You're a perfect match!".

Glenn continued to curate his perfect facade, responding to each congratulatory message with a beaming smile emoji. His goal was clear: convince everyone that he and Adalynn were meant to be, regardless of the truth.

The day before our 7th anniversary and the supposed wedding Glenn has planned, he sent me a message, attaching a crudely generated AI wedding photo. "People, stop being so stubborn," he wrote, his sarcasm biting. "If you were half as thoughtful as Adalynn, we'd have had our wedding photos done ages ago. Instead, we're stuck with this rough AI creation."

I deleted the message and photo without hesitation.

On the 7th year anniversary, I left a brief, liberating breakup message, packed my belongings, and headed to the airport. As the scenery unfolded outside my window, I felt unexpectedly serene. Ending things with Glenn wasn't as agonizing as I'd anticipated.

But my tranquility was short-lived. Upon landing, my phone buzzed with an unexpected call.