- 2.
I knew how much thought Chad had put into
this ring.
He’d spent the last month sneaking off to a
million jewelry stores, asking questions,
comparing stones, until he found exactly the
right one.
I thought it was a surprise anniversary gift. It
made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Now, it
was just a slap in the face.
When I came out of the bathroom, my party
makeup was ruined, and my eyes were swollen.
く
I didn’t care. I just wanted to go home, to get
away from this awful place.
I was almost to the front door when I heard
Chad’s voice from around the corner.
“Tiffany, happy holidays. So, what do you think?
Do you like it?”
Then Tiffany, Chad’s new assistant, said in her
baby voice, “Oh, Chad! It’s beautiful! But… isn’t
this the grand prize?”
Chad just laughed.
“Grand prize? Please. I got it for you.”
Then he seemed to remember something, and
his voice turned cold.
“God, who knows what Sarah was trying to pull,
switching the names. You know, someone like
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her doesn’t deserve it.”
My head was swimming, my mind blank. The
tears I’d just stopped started up again.
I leaned against the wall, Chad’s words echoing
in my ears as I suddenly remembered
something.
During dinner, right before the drawing, Tiffany
had bumped into me and knocked my ticket to
the floor. She’d picked it up and handed it back.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I stormed around the
corner and saw Chad holding Tiffany by the
waist, one hand against the wall, about to kiss
her.
Chad, caught in the act, got pissed. Then he
saw me and looked almost panicked.
Tiffany, who was waiting for her kiss, opened
her eyes and saw me.
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2009
<
7:36
“Ew! How disgusting!”
She screamed, wrapped her arms around Chad,
and buried her face in his chest.
Chad, the picture of concern, patted Tiffany on
the back. His panic was gone.
“Sarah, what do you want? Did you come here
just to look like a ghoul and freak people out?! You’re such a drama queen!”
I finally realized. My ruined makeup had messed
up their moment.
I forced a smile, not even bothering to explain,
and pointed at Tiffany.
“Tiffany framed me! She switched my ticket
when I was eating.”
Chad just laughed.
く
He glared at me, his voice dripping with venom.
“Sarah, you’re really something.”
“You didn’t get what you wanted, so now you’re
lying? Look at yourself! What do you have that
Tiffany would want?”
I felt faint. I couldn’t even hear what Chad was
saying anymore.
Just those words: “You’re really something,”
ringing in my ears.
Three years of marriage, and Chad had never
said anything like that to me.
And now, he was calling me names for some
other woman.
Tiffany, acting all sweet, said, “Okay, Chad, you’re amazing, so Sarah’s probably just jealous that you and I are so close. She’s not exactly
<
534
stable. Let’s go, don’t reason with crazy.”
“Tiffany’s right. We should stay away from the trash.”
Chad patted Tiffany’s head and gave me a quick, dismissive look before turning back to the party.
Watching them walk away together, I gritted my teeth, wiped my eyes, and pulled out my phone to submit my resignation.
