Don't Fall In Love

When I got the news about my brain tumor, my Oscar-winning husband, William Brown, was off enjoying a romantic getaway with the rising starlet, Grace Anderson. The tumor was pressing on my nervous system, gradually robbing me of my memories of the person I loved most.

William thought I'd completely forget my past love and was eager to reconcile. But when he reached for a hug, I stepped back, coldly asking, "Who are you?"

To my surprise, his face lit up, and he eagerly announced our relationship to the world. Just a few months later, I was gone. And he lost it--though it was my deception that shattered him.

——

I vividly remember the day I got my diagnosis; my phone buzzed with a trending headline: [Oscar-winning actor William Brown and rising star Grace Anderson spotted on a romantic island getaway]. I couldn't help but give it a thumbs up and send William a photo of my pathology report.

His call came through quickly--so fast that the painkillers hadn't even kicked in yet. "Jane Thompson, you've really gone to great lengths to divorce me," he said, irritation lacing his voice. Honestly, he rarely spoke to me kindly.

"The doctor said I probably won't make it past next year," I replied flatly.

"You don't need to act so convincing. Grace and I will be back in two days," he shot back dismissively.

I sighed. He actually thought I was jealous. "I hope you and Ms. Anderson have a wonderful time," I said before hanging up and signing the divorce papers.

If I wanted to live past next year, I needed to cooperate with treatment, but I didn't want to fight anymore. I just wanted to see Michael Davis. He would definitely call me a fool.

I had married William to help pay for Michael's medical bills. What was worse was that I'd once dreamed of a future with this jerk. Blood dripped from my nose as I wrestled with the pain, wiping the mess from the floor.

Grace had added me using a fake account, sending me updates on every detail of her romance with William. Their island trip mirrored all the places William and I had once cherished together.

Seeing the photo of them kissing by the mermaid fountain stirred something deep inside me. She looked strikingly similar to how I used to.

William clearly didn't remember proposing to me under that very mermaid sculpture when I was 23. Now, just three years later, he had replaced me with the younger Grace. Among all the new actors, she was the one he'd chosen to co-star with.

Grace was climbing the social ladder on the back of his fame, and slowly, she developed feelings that were completely inappropriate. Using these details to rub salt in my wounds was her way of trying to take my place as William's wife.

I'd explained countless times that it was William who didn't want a divorce. But to Grace, I was just the liar in this twisted story.

When I heard the door lock click, I quickly stepped out of the bedroom and shut the door behind me. William kicked a suitcase in the entryway, and it bumped right into my knee.

I stifled the pain and tried to sound calm. "Why are you back so early?"

William leaned against the doorframe with a snort. "How was I supposed to know you were leaving if I didn't come back early?"

Grace snaked her arm around his, looking far too comfortable. "Jane, William just wanted to come home early to celebrate your birthday with you." She proudly held up a beautifully decorated cake as if it were a trophy.

I squeezed my eyes shut in frustration. "Didn't I tell you not to bring other women home?"

William's expression darkened further. "Home? You still think of this as home?"

Grace looked up at him, feigning innocence. "If Jane doesn't want me here, I'll just leave."

William tightened his grip on her wrist and switched to a softer tone. "No need; the cake is for you. We can share it."

I took a deep breath, my fists tightening with each passing moment. William, who had a cleanliness obsession, let Grace wear his slippers while he stood barefoot, completely at ease in this twisted scenario.

"Jane, can you give me a hand?" Grace bent down to untie her shoelaces and handed the cake to me.

I instinctively reached for it, but my fingers met empty air, and the cake crashed to the floor.

Looking up at me with tears in her eyes, Grace said, "I know you're not a fan of mine, but it's William's birthday."

The commotion caught William's attention. He stormed back into the room, pushing me down to the floor. "You can't even handle a simple task? Where do you think you're going after leaving me?"

Since secretly marrying William, I had lost my job, my social life, and even my freedom. Who would have thought that the wife of a multimillionaire Oscar winner like him would barely have a few thousand dollars in her bank account?

I landed in a puddle of frosting, my face drained of color. My vision blurred as I carefully felt my way around, slowly pushing myself back up.

In the dim light, I saw him hoist Grace into his arms, grinning at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine. Congratulations to her; she was one step closer to marrying William.