Chapter 1: Erased From His World

When I got back from my business trip, my husband had wiped every trace of me from his Instagram.

The phone felt heavier in my hand. The screen glared back at me, empty. Just days ago, my face had filled his grid—us at the lake, the anniversary dinner, goofy kitchen selfies. Now, it was like I’d been erased. I kept scrolling, half-hoping I’d missed something, but it was all gone. The kind of erasure that burns slow, deliberate—where you keep checking, just to make sure you didn’t make it up.

His friend chimed in, her tone practiced: "I just got divorced. He thought seeing that stuff might make me feel worse, so he deleted it... Hey, please don’t be upset. I’ll talk to him, okay?"

She was perched on the arm of the couch, her voice syrupy-sweet, a little too practiced. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, eyes flicking over me with that look—like she was on my side, but only because someone was watching. Her hand fluttered to her chest, and I caught a whiff of her perfume—light, floral, and annoyingly familiar. For a split second, I wondered if she’d borrowed my scarf, too.

My husband frowned. "It’s my Instagram. I don’t need permission from anyone to delete my posts, do I?"

He leaned back in his chair, arms folded, eyes darting between me and her. He tried to play it cool, but there was a challenge in his voice—almost daring me to push back. Everyone in the room watched, tension thick. I felt the pressure building, like they were waiting for me to explode.

I paused, then nodded. "That’s true."

I kept my voice steady, but my stomach twisted itself into knots. There was a time when I would’ve called him out, but no way was I letting them see me crack. My hand found the edge of the table, knuckles tight. I forced a smile—the kind you use at an office party when someone makes a joke at your expense and you have to pretend it’s funny.

"Since this welcome-back dinner is for me, I guess it’s cool if I invite a few of my guy friends to make things interesting, right?"

I let the words hang there, just long enough to let the meaning settle. I watched Colton’s jaw clench, Savannah’s eyes flick to him. The room seemed to shrink, the clink of glasses and soft background music fading out. Time to see how far they’d take this game.

The private dining room went dead silent.

Even the server froze, tray balanced midair. Someone coughed, the sound awkward and forced. The air felt heavy, like the moment before a thunderstorm, everyone waiting for someone else to break the tension.

Colton snatched the phone from my hand and tossed it onto the table.

The sudden move made me jump. My phone clattered against a wine glass, the screen lighting up with a notification I ignored. Colton’s hand hovered on the table, knuckles white, almost daring me to reach for it again.

Colton frowned. "Does someone really have to kill the vibe on a happy night?"

He said it loud enough for the whole table, his voice a little too sharp, like he was putting on a show for everyone. He shot me a look—half warning, half plea. I wondered if he even realized how much it hurt, or if he’d stopped caring altogether.

Savannah slipped her arm through his, her eyes curving into a smile. "Don’t be upset, sweetheart. Colton and I have been close since we were kids."

She leaned in, her laughter bubbling out as she squeezed his arm—just a touch too familiar. Her voice was honey-sweet, almost cloying. She looked at me like we were sharing some private joke, but I was definitely not in on it.

Someone at the table chuckled. "For real, don’t be mad. If those two were a thing, Colton wouldn’t have chased after you like a lovesick puppy!"

The guy across from me grinned, nudging his wife. Laughter rippled around the table, that practiced, easy kind of laughter. They were trying to smooth things over, but it just made me feel more alone than ever.

"Exactly! Colton would never go for Savannah!"

Another voice piped up from the end of the table. The speaker winked at Savannah, who rolled her eyes and pretended to be annoyed, but I caught the ghost of a smirk. This was all theater—every line another brick in the wall they were building to keep me out.

She looked a little embarrassed and tossed a napkin at the speaker. "Watch it."

The napkin fluttered across the table, landing in someone’s lap. Savannah’s cheeks colored, but her smile stayed steady. She was the life of the party, everyone’s favorite. I wondered if anyone else noticed how she always managed to be the center of attention.

The table broke into laughter.

The laughter was loud and easy, bouncing off the walls. Someone banged the table, silverware rattling. The noise built a wall between me and the rest of them. I took a sip of wine, the taste suddenly sour.

Everyone seemed to be having a great time—except me.

I watched them, faces glowing in the warm light, laughter ricocheting around the room. I felt like a ghost at my own party, invisible, out of place. My smile slipped for a heartbeat before I caught myself.

Next to Savannah, a little girl with pigtails slid off her chair and tugged Colton’s sleeve. "Daddy, is that lady mad...?"

She stuck out her lower lip, eyes huge.

She looked up at him, lip trembling, big brown eyes wide with confusion. Her shoes dangled above the floor, a stuffed bunny clutched to her chest. Her innocent question cut through the adult tension, pulling everyone’s focus.

Colton set down his wine glass and scooped her up, voice soft as he soothed her. When he looked up, his eyes were narrowed. "Lauren, don’t scare the kid."

He bounced Ellie gently on his knee, murmuring, "Hey, it’s okay, kiddo. Don’t worry." He shot me a look—part warning, part blame. Like I was the one upsetting her, not the circus of grown-ups in the room.

I met the little girl’s gaze in his arms. She grinned and stuck out her tongue at me.

It was quick, almost playful, but there was mischief in her eyes. For a second, I wondered what stories she’d heard about me—what lines she’d picked up behind closed doors.

Colton pinched her cheek and lowered his voice. "Ellie, can you help take care of Mommy from now on?"

He smiled at her, his voice softening as he tried to turn the moment into a joke. People watched, some smiling, some just awkward. Ellie’s eyes lit up, like she’d just been handed a secret mission.

The little girl shouted, "Daddy and I will take care of Mommy together!"

She pumped her little fist in the air, beaming. The adults around the table cooed and laughed, some snapping photos, others trading glances.

#familygoals.

The whole room burst out laughing at Ellie’s little voice.

Someone wiped away a tear, claiming it was from laughing too hard. The tension snapped for a moment, replaced by the easy camaraderie of people who thought they knew each other. I felt more out of place than ever.

A server set off a confetti popper with a loud bang, paper bits raining down.

The pop startled everyone, confetti fluttering onto the table and floor. Ellie squealed, reaching for the bright scraps. The room cheered, glasses clinking in celebration.

Everyone cheered, "Congrats to Savannah on being single again!"

A chorus of voices rang out, glasses raised, someone whistling. Savannah stood, took a dramatic bow, and blew kisses to her fans. The whole scene felt surreal—like I’d stepped into someone else’s party.

I caught the sympathetic look of a server and finally understood. The welcome dinner was real—but it wasn’t for me.

The realization hit me like a slap. The server’s eyes lingered, a silent apology. I looked around—the decorations, the cake with Savannah’s name, the inside jokes. My hands shook as I picked up my phone, shame burning through me.

I picked up my phone and smiled. "Excuse me, could you open another private room for me? Could you set it up the same way?"

I tried to sound breezy, but my voice cracked at the edges. The server blinked, surprised, then hurried off. I stood, smoothing my dress, refusing to let anyone see me fall apart. If they wanted a show, I’d give them one—just not the one they expected.

Colton hurried after me, brow furrowed. "Lauren, where are you going? Can’t you just sit through one dinner? Why do you have to make things so awkward?"

He caught up with me in the hallway, voice low and tight. His hand hovered near my arm, not quite touching. He glanced around, making sure no one else was listening. I saw the frustration in his eyes, the way he tried to keep control even now.

He looked me up and down. "One business trip and you forgot how to act? Savannah just got divorced. It’s not like you. We all grew up together, so of course everyone’s a little more protective of her. You should get that."

He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, like I was the one being unreasonable. Each word landed like a slap. I bit my tongue, not letting him see how much it stung. The hallway felt colder, the laughter from the dining room muffled by thick carpet.

I played along, pretending to understand. "Of course I do. I’m about to get divorced too. My guy friends might be extra nice to me—out of sympathy."

I smiled, the words sliding out like ice. For a split second, his face went slack with shock. Finally, I had the upper hand, even if it only lasted a second. I stared him down, daring him to argue.

Colton froze.

He blinked, mouth opening and closing. The confidence drained out of him, replaced by something close to fear. I could almost see him scrambling for a comeback. For a moment, he was speechless.

The private room door swung open. The little girl ran out and hugged Colton’s leg. "Daddy, Ellie missed you!"

She wrapped herself around his knee, looking up with wide, hopeful eyes. Her voice was soft, full of longing. The hallway stilled, everyone watching this little scene play out.

She looked up at me and gave a sweet smile, dimples popping. "Mommy missed you too!"

Her words lingered, innocent but sharp. I forced a smile, feeling the burn of all those eyes on me. The tension was thick enough to taste.

The hallway got real quiet.

No one moved. Even the servers paused, not sure whether to step in or keep walking. The only sound was Ellie’s tiny sniffle, her arms still locked around Colton’s leg.

The little girl clung to Colton’s leg, putting on her cutest act. He ruffled her hair. "Ellie, be good. Go back inside. Daddy needs to handle something, okay?"

He crouched down, smoothing her hair, voice gentle but firm. She pouted, but nodded, dragging her bunny behind her as she shuffled back to the dining room. I watched her go, heart aching for reasons I couldn’t name.

The private room door opened again. Savannah peeked out, smiling. "Hey, you two still aren’t done fighting?"

She leaned in the doorway, arms crossed, her smile wide and practiced. Her tone was light, but her eyes were sharp, flicking between us. She looked like she was loving the drama.

Interesting choice of words—"fighting."

It was the kind of word you use when you want to downplay things, make someone else feel childish. I caught the flicker of amusement in her eyes, the satisfaction of being on top.

She looked troubled as she came out and picked up Ellie. "If you really want to fight, Colton, just go home. Don’t bother with round two. Our friendship won’t change just because we skip a meal or two. Ellie, say bye to Daddy."

She scooped Ellie up, smoothing her hair. Her voice was gentle, but there was steel underneath. I felt the shift in power, the way she made it clear she was in charge. For a second, I almost admired it.

As soon as she finished, the little girl started to choke up. "Daddy... bye..."

Her voice wobbled, tears welling in her eyes. She clung to Savannah, burying her face in her shoulder. My chest tightened, a sharp pang of guilt and anger.

Colton’s face changed instantly. He pulled the child into his arms. "Lauren, if you want to leave, go ahead. I’ve never seen an adult get jealous of a kid!"

He scooped Ellie up, holding her close. His words cut deep, meant to hurt. He didn’t look at me. The coldness in his voice made my skin prickle.

He opened the door and went back inside.

The door swung shut, the party noise spilling out for a second before fading. I stood in the hallway, fighting the urge to scream.

Savannah crossed her arms, half-smiling. "I get what you’re worried about, but really, don’t stress. Colton and I have been close since we were little. If we were gonna be together, it would’ve happened already."

She stepped closer, lowering her voice so only I could hear. Her smile went tight, her eyes glittered with challenge. She was laying down the law, and I got the message loud and clear. Small-town rules—everyone knows, no one says a thing.

Her eyes flashed a challenge only another woman would catch.

For a split second, we saw each other for real. No more fake smiles, no more pretending. Just the truth, hanging raw between us.

She opened the door again, switching on a party smile. "It’s rare for everyone to get together like this. Tonight, nobody leaves till we’re all tipsy!"

She ushered Ellie inside, voice ringing out. The room cheered, glasses raised. The show must go on, no matter who’s left standing at the end.

Inside, shouts of "cheers!" rang out, mixed with the squeals of kids.

The noise was loud, wild, almost happy. For a second, it felt like nothing had happened, like we were just old friends celebrating. But I knew better.

The sulk ebbed.

I let the noise roll over me, the ache in my chest dulling. Maybe it was the wine, or maybe I was just tired.

Either way, I didn’t have the fight left in me. I turned and walked away, head high.