A Premeditated Betrayal: The Hidden Truth

The day before the Fourth of July, I dragged my suitcase downstairs. My fiancé, Callum Reid, and I were supposed to drive back to his hometown in Maine. Our families had been planning this engagement party for months. I had turned down my biggest client. Pulled an all-nighter to finish a proposal. All just to squeeze out a week off for the holiday. Mom started prepping the smoked brisket three days in advance. She rubbed in the spices over and over, slow-smoking it at a low temperature. She wanted to leave a flawless impression on Callum's family. The SUV was parked outside. The trunk was wide open. It was packed to the brim with camera gear. I did a quick headcount. Callum. His childhood best friend, Miles. Miles's girlfriend, Willa. Callum's business partner, Delaney Cross. Delaney's cat. Two massive cases of photography equipment. A seven-seater SUV. Not a single spot was left for me. He rolled down the window. "Maren, be a good girl and take the Amtrak. I already checked. There are plenty of tickets left." "Delaney brought all her gear to shoot our engagement short film. We can't have her crammed in there." A soft meow came from Delaney's arms. The cat carrier was sitting right in my seat. "Alright. Drive safe." He looked incredibly pleased. "That's my girl. I knew you'd be reasonable." The SUV pulled away. The bass from the stereo shook the street. I dragged my suitcase back upstairs. Dug out the car purchase contract. Seven years together. He couldn't even save me a seat. It was a long road ahead. But some rides just weren't worth taking anymore.