Nine
Teller
Everything is crashing down around me, and all I can see is Frank's face.
Frank, who's been setting me up.
Frank, who's been lying to me.
Frank, who's been destroying my marriage while I smiled and nodded and played along like a fucking idiot.
"You," I say, my voice low and dangerous. "You did this."
Frank holds up his hands. "Tell, buddy, I was just trying to help—"
"Help? HELP?" I'm shouting now, and people are staring, but I don't care. "You've been setting me up on dates! You've been lying to me! You've been—"
"I thought you knew!" Frank says, but his eyes are shifty, guilty. "I thought you were just playing it cool in front of Susanna—"
"Bullshit! You knew exactly what you were doing!"
Clarissa and Emmaline are both standing now, looking confused and uncomfortable.
"Wait," Clarissa says. "You didn't know these were dates? Frank said you were separated. He said you were looking to meet someone new."
The words hit me like a physical blow.
"Separated?" Susanna's voice is barely a whisper. "He told you we were separated?"
"I'm so sorry," Emmaline says, her face flushing. "I would never have—if I'd known you were still together—"
"We ARE together!" I roar. "We're MARRIED! I love my wife! I would never—"
But even as I'm saying it, I know it's not true. Not the cheating part—I haven't physically cheated. But the rest of it? The emotional betrayal? The neglect? The gaslighting?
I've done all of that.
I've been doing it for weeks.
And I didn't even realize it.
"You son of a bitch," I say to Frank. "You fucking son of a bitch."
"Tell, come on—"
I don't let him finish. I grab my jacket and turn to Susanna.
She's crying. Silent tears streaming down her face, and it's the most devastating thing I've ever seen.
"Susanna, please. Let me—"
"Don't." She holds up a hand. "Don't touch me. Don't talk to me. Don't—"
Her voice breaks, and Hillary wraps an arm around her.
"You need to leave," Hillary says to me, her voice cold. "Now."
"But—"
"NOW."
I look at Susanna one more time. She won't meet my eyes.
I've lost her. In this moment, in this restaurant, surrounded by strangers and the wreckage of my own stupidity, I've lost her.
I turn and walk out, my heart pounding, my hands shaking, my whole world crumbling.
Behind me, I hear Frank calling my name.
I don't look back.