Chapter 3A Three-Person Anniversary Is Two People Too Many

Leaving Starbucks, I headed straight for a jewelry store in the mall. I was going to buy myself the gold necklace I'd been eyeing for months to soothe my wounded heart.

I was excitedly trying it on when Ava materialized behind me like a ghost.

"Hannah, that necklace is beautiful. It's a little mature for you, though. I think it would suit me better. Too bad it's so expensive. I could never afford it."

She stared at the necklace around my neck, her eyes glinting with greed.

I rolled my eyes. "Whether it suits me or not is irrelevant. What's important is that I can afford it, and you can't. What's the point of it 'suiting' you if you're broke?"

My retort made her eyes well up with tears, her lip trembling in a perfect pout. "Hannah, I know you have Michael to buy you whatever you want. But at least the little I have, I earned myself. What right do you have to look down on me?"

I almost laughed out loud. So now Ava was implying I was a kept woman, a sugar baby, while simultaneously painting herself as a hardworking, independent woman.

I glanced at Michael. He stood there, silent, making no move to defend me. And in that instant, I understood. This misconception of Ava's had to be his doing.

In our three years together, besides exchanging gifts, we had always split our expenses. When he was starting his business, I was the one who covered our living costs, knowing money was tight for him. After he became successful and his assets multiplied, not only did he never thank me for my support, he insisted we go back to splitting everything.

And yet, after all that, he was still out there telling people I was living off his money.

I was shaking with rage. I handed the necklace to the salesclerk to be boxed up, desperate to get away from these two toxic individuals. I was afraid if I stayed a second longer, I'd literally have an aneurysm.

"Wait."

My hand, extended to the clerk, froze in mid-air. I turned to look at Michael.

"Get a different one," he said, his voice flat. "Ava likes this one. I'm buying it for her."

My eyes widened in disbelief. He knew how long I'd wanted this necklace. Just yesterday, he'd told me he was going to buy it for me for our anniversary. I had been excited all night.

And now, not only was he not giving it to me, he was taking what I loved and giving it to her.

All the hurt and frustration I'd been bottling up exploded. "Why should I let her have it?" I yelled, my voice cracking. "When I was your girlfriend, you favored her. Now that we've broken up, you still favor her! Michael, just because I loved you, does that mean I deserve to be treated like this?"

Michael's face was a stony mask. His tone was as cold as ever. "Hannah, it's just a necklace. Don't make such a big deal out of it. Ava rarely likes anything. What's the big deal if I buy it for her this once? I've given you plenty of gifts. Why are you being so petty?"

"Be more mature. Don't fight with a young girl over a trinket."

Ava stood beside him, a triumphant smile playing on her lips. "Hannah, if you really like it that much, you can have it. I don't want to fight. I don't want to make things difficult for Michael."

Watching these two, a tag team of treachery, I ground my teeth in fury.

"I'm not giving it to her!" I clutched the necklace box tightly.

Michael gave me a long, hard look. Then, he reached out and squeezed my wrist. A sharp, searing pain shot up my arm, making my vision go black. I had no choice but to let go.

I leaned against the counter, cradling my throbbing wrist, tears streaming down my face.

I have a very low tolerance for pain. A small cut that most people would barely notice could leave me in agony for hours. When Michael first learned this about me, he had been so careful. He padded all the sharp corners in our apartment with foam. He kept comfortable slippers for me in his car, his office, even his backpack, just in case my high heels started to hurt my feet. He even said he never wanted me to go through the pain of childbirth, that we should be child-free forever.

Now, all the vulnerabilities he once so tenderly protected had become the blunt instruments he used to stab me in the heart.

It hurt. It really, really hurt.