I ended my engagement after my fiancée asked for a break to see if her ex still meant something to her. She thought I would sit and wait inside the life we had spent four years building — until three days later, her mother called me, and Tessa finally realized I was never her backup plan.

She blinked. “Sure?”

“Take your break.”

Her expression shifted.

She had expected argument, maybe pleading, maybe a desperate attempt to convince her to choose me. When none of that came, she looked almost disappointed. “Liam, I’m not trying to hurt you.

I just need space to figure things out.”

I nodded. “All right. If that’s what you need.”

She waited, as if there was supposed to be more.

When I said nothing, she stood slowly. “I’ll stay at my mom’s for a bit,” she said. “This isn’t forever.

We’ll talk when I’ve had time, okay?”

“Okay,” I said. She disappeared into the bedroom. I heard drawers opening, hangers scraping, the soft thud of clothes being pushed into a bag.