Chapter 2 - A Decade of Illusions
I had planned the entire anniversary party myself, pouring my heart into every meticulously curated detail. I selected the historic downtown ballroom, hired the ten-piece live band, and tasted a dozen variations of buttercream before settling on the perfect three-tier cake. I had even paid extra to have our initials—E & L—elegantly embroidered in silver thread onto the crisp, linen napkins. It was supposed to be a celebration of ten years with Eric. A full decade of my life, dedicated to a man I believed was my partner in everything.
Just that morning, I had stood in our sunlit laundry room, carefully pressing his light blue dress shirt—the one he always smiled and said was his absolute favorite. I wanted everything to be flawless.
And then there was Natalie. My younger sister. She was the baby I had carried around on my hip when we were growing up in a chaotic household. She was the sister whose mounting credit card debts I had quietly paid off over the years, protecting her before our parents ever found out about her reckless spending.
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She arrived at the venue wearing a stunning, fitted red dress. She walked right up to me, wrapped her arms around my neck in a tight, affectionate embrace, and whispered softly into my ear, “I love you so much, sis.”
As she pulled away, a scent caught my attention. She smelled exactly like Eric’s expensive, distinct cologne. At first, my mind deflected it. I thought nothing of it, assuming they had simply hugged by the entrance. But the seed of doubt had already been planted months ago, and her scent was the water it needed to grow.
