Updated Feb 23, 2026 • ~5 min read
POV: Rory
I go to the house to pack the rest of my things.
It’s evening. Dominic’s car is in the driveway.
I let myself in quietly.
Plan to grab my stuff and leave without confrontation.
But then I hear voices from the living room.
Celeste. Laughing.
And Dominic. Laughing too.
I shouldn’t look.
I should just leave.
But I peek around the corner.
They’re on the couch.
Celeste is showing him something on her phone. Some video. They’re both smiling.
“Remember this?” she says.
“Of course. Our first dance lesson. You kept stepping on my feet.”
“You kept leading wrong!”
“I was TRYING—”
They’re laughing together.
And I see it.
The ease between them. The history. The muscle memory of a relationship that lasted five years.
I see what they were.
And what I might never be.
Celeste looks up at him.
“I miss this,” she says quietly.
“Miss what?”
“Us. How we used to be. Before everything.”
“Celeste—”
“I know we can’t go back. I know five years changed everything. But being here with you, remembering who we were… it makes me think maybe we could try again. Really try.”
“I don’t know—”
“I’m not asking for forever. Just… a chance. One real chance to see if we can find our way back to each other.”
Dominic looks torn.
And then Celeste leans in.
Kisses him.
It’s not aggressive. Not passionate.
It’s soft. Familiar. The kiss of two people who’ve kissed a thousand times before.
And Dominic—
He doesn’t pull away.
Not immediately.
For three full seconds, he kisses her back.
Muscle memory.
Habit.
History.
Then he pulls away.
“Celeste, we can’t—”
But it’s too late.
I’ve seen it.
My husband—the man who claims to love me—kissing another woman.
His WIFE.
I drop my bag.
The sound makes them both turn.
Dominic’s face goes white.
“Rory.”
“Don’t.”
“That wasn’t—I didn’t—”
“Save it.”
I turn to leave.
Dominic chases after me.
“Rory, please. It was just—it didn’t mean anything—”
I spin around.
“It meant EVERYTHING. You kissed her. You let her kiss you. After weeks of saying you love me, you kissed HER.”
“It was muscle memory—”
“I don’t CARE if it was muscle memory! You kissed another woman!”
“She’s my WIFE—”
“And what am I? What have I been for three years if not your wife?”
“You ARE—”
“No. Clearly, I’m not. Because your WIFE just kissed you and you didn’t stop her.”
“I did stop her—”
“After THREE SECONDS. You kissed her back for three seconds before remembering I exist.”
Celeste appears in the doorway.
“Rory, I’m sorry. That was my fault—”
“Don’t you DARE apologize to me. You knew exactly what you were doing.”
“I didn’t—I just—”
“You manipulated him with nostalgia and a kiss. Congratulations. You win.”
“That’s not—”
But I’m not listening.
I’m grabbing my bag. Walking to my car.
Dominic follows.
“Rory, don’t leave like this. Let’s talk—”
“Talk about what? How you kissed your first wife? How you can’t let her go? How I’m fighting for a man who doesn’t actually want to be fought for?”
“That’s not true—”
“Then why did you kiss her back?”
He doesn’t answer.
Can’t answer.
Because we both know the truth.
Some part of him still loves her.
Maybe always will.
And I can’t compete with that.
“I’m done,” I say quietly.
“What?”
“Done. With this. With waiting. With being second choice. With fighting for someone who won’t fight back. I’m done.”
“No. Rory, please—”
“You have a choice to make, Dominic. Her or me. But you can’t have both. And based on what I just saw, you’ve already decided.”
“I haven’t—”
“You have. You’re just too guilty to admit it.”
I get in my car.
He stands in the driveway.
“I love you,” he calls.
“Then you should have chosen me.”
I drive away.
Watch him get smaller in the rearview mirror.
Standing in the driveway of OUR house.
With HIS wife inside.
And I realize:
I’ve been fighting a battle that was already lost.
You can’t compete with history.
You can’t win against guilt.
And you can’t force someone to choose you who’s still in love with someone else.
Even if that someone else is supposed to be gone.
I drive to Priya’s.
Walk into her apartment.
She takes one look at my face.
“What happened?”
“He kissed her.”
“WHAT?”
“I saw him. He kissed Celeste. Or she kissed him. Either way, they kissed. And he didn’t stop it.”
“Oh, Rory—”
“I’m done, Pri. I’m really, actually done. I can’t do this anymore.”
She hugs me.
And I break.
Completely break.
Sob into her shoulder like my heart is splitting in half.
Because it is.
I just lost my husband.
To the wife he never really let go of.
END OF CHAPTER 15
Reader Reactions