Chapter 6: The Truth They Tried to Hide

Three months passed.

London slowly became familiar.

I learned which café opened before sunrise, which train was always crowded, and which quiet park was perfect for clearing my head after work.

Most importantly, I learned how peaceful life could be when nobody was waiting for me to fail.

My new project was moving faster than expected.

Within weeks, I had earned the trust of the entire team.

For the first time, people praised me without comparing me to Tatum.

I had almost forgotten what that felt like.

Then one afternoon, my manager called me into his office.

"Briar, there's someone here to see you."

My smile disappeared.

Hudson Shaw was standing beside his desk.

He looked nothing like the man who had left me in the hospital.

His suit was wrinkled, his eyes were bloodshot, and there were dark circles beneath them.

He looked exhausted.

But I felt nothing.

He took one step toward me.

"Briar."

I turned to my manager.

"Could you give us a minute?"

He nodded and left.

The moment the door closed, Hudson lowered his head.

"I know I don't deserve to be here."

"Then why are you here?"

He swallowed hard.

"Because I finally know the truth."

I remained silent.

"Tatum lied to me."

My fingers tightened around the folder in my hands.

"About what?"

"Everything."

He pulled out his phone and placed it on the desk.

There were screenshots of messages between him and Tatum.

"She admitted she staged the suicide attempt."

"She admitted she created the fake screenshots and sent them to gossip accounts."

"She even hired someone to edit the messages so they looked like they came from you."

I stared at the screen.

None of it surprised me.

But then Hudson said something that made my heart stop.

"She also admitted she knew you were pregnant."

I looked up.

"What?"

"She knew before the wedding day."

His voice cracked.

"She told me she was afraid you'd use the baby to keep me from marrying you."

I laughed bitterly.

"Marrying me?"

"There wasn't even a wedding anymore."

Hudson closed his eyes.

"I know."

"I was an idiot."

"You were cruel."

He flinched.

For once, he didn't argue.

"You're right."

I walked to the window.

London stretched beneath us, gray and enormous.

"Do you know what I remember most about that day?"

Hudson didn't answer.

"Not the prank."

"Not the airport."

"Not even losing the baby."

I turned around.

"I remember reaching for you and realizing you had already chosen someone else."

His eyes filled with tears.

"Briar, I never wanted—"

"You did."

"Maybe you didn't intend to destroy me, but you kept choosing Tatum every time it mattered."

He lowered his gaze.

"I know."

There was a long silence.

Then he reached into his pocket and placed a small envelope on the desk.

"I brought this because I thought you deserved to have it."

I didn't touch it.

"What is it?"

"The wedding ring."

My eyes moved to the envelope.

"I found it in the house after you left."

"I thought you'd want it back."

I shook my head.

"Keep it."

His expression broke.

"Briar..."

"I don't want anything from that life anymore."

He stood there for several seconds.

Then his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen.

Tatum.

He declined the call.

A second call came immediately.

Then another.

Hudson finally turned the phone face down.

"She knows I came here."

"She's terrified you're going to expose her."

"That's not my problem."

I looked at him carefully.

"It isn't mine either."

He nodded.

Before leaving, he stopped at the door.

"There's one more thing."

I said nothing.

"Your parents know everything now."

My chest tightened slightly.

"They know Tatum lied?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"They're ashamed."

I almost laughed.

"They should be."

Hudson opened the door.

"They're coming to London tomorrow."

I stared at him.

"Why?"

"They want to apologize."

I looked back at the city outside.

Once, those words would have destroyed me.

Now, they barely touched me.

"Tell them they don't need to come."

"I already forgave them in my heart."

Hudson looked surprised.

"You forgave them?"

I smiled faintly.

"Forgiving someone doesn't mean letting them back into your life."

His eyes lingered on me for a moment.

Then he left.

I waited until the door closed.

Only then did I notice the envelope still sitting on the desk.

I picked it up.

Inside was the wedding ring.

Beneath it was a photograph.

It was an old picture of Hudson and me from college.

We were laughing at something outside the hospital.

On the back, he had written four words.

I chose wrong, Briar.

I stared at the message.

Then I folded the photograph in half.

I placed it back inside the envelope.

And put it in the trash.