Married to my Ex’s Brother

Cleo "I think we should break up."For a moment, I just stared at Damien.The words didn't register.They hung between us, suspended in the air like something unreal.I blinked. "What?" Damien held my gaze.There was no smile on his face.No sign that this was some terrible joke.The noise of the restaurant seemed to fade into the background.The soft music.The clink of glasses.The low murmur of conversations drifting from nearby tables.All of it suddenly felt distant. "I think we should break up," he repeated. A laugh escaped me before I could stop it.Not because it was funny.Because it was ridiculous.Because five minutes ago I had been sitting across from him wondering if he was about to propose.Because tonight was our anniversary.Because people didn't end three-year relationships over crème brûlée and expensive wine. "Okay," I said slowly. "Very funny." His expression didn't change and the smile slowly faded from my lips. "Wait."A strange feeling settled in my stomach."You're serious?" The silence that followed was answer enough.My chest tightened and I looked around the restaurant as if someone might suddenly jump out and explain the joke I clearly wasn't getting.Nobody did.The couple at the next table continued their conversation.A waiter walked past carrying a tray of champagne.The world kept moving.Meanwhile, mine had just stopped. "Damien..." I shook my head,a nervous laugh escaping me. "W-what are you talking about?" He exhaled slowly and glanced down at the table for a moment before looking back at me. Something inside my chest tightened.I knew this man.Or at least I thought I did.I'd spent three years loving him.Three years memorizing every smile, every look, every little expression.But the man sitting across from me suddenly felt like a stranger.There was nothing in his face for me to hold onto.No hesitation.No regret.No sign that he wanted to take the words back.Just quiet certainty. "I didn't make this decision overnight, Cleo," he said calmly. The words hit really hard.Not overnight.Meaning he'd been thinking about this.For days.Maybe weeks. Maybe longer.While I was planning anniversaries.While I was imagining a future with him believing we wanted the same things. The pieces began to come together.The unanswered texts.The way he'd seemed distracted lately.The way our conversations had slowly become shorter.The signs were there and I'd noticed them.Of course I had.But every time a doubt surfaced, I'd find a reason to explain it away. And tonight...God.Even tonight.I'd watched him pull away from my touch.Watched him check his phone every few minutes.Watched him sit across from me looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.And somehow I'd still convinced myself he was nervous because he was about to propose.Because that was easier to believe.Because the alternative hurt too much.I swallowed hard. "Why?"The word barely came out above a whisper."Why are you doing this?" Damien was silent for a moment.Then he leaned back slightly in his chair."I just don't think this is working anymore." I stared at him.For a second, I honestly thought I'd misheard him.Three years. Three years together.And that was his explanation?That's all I got? "That's it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "That's all you're going to say?" He said nothing.I stared at him, searching his face for something,anything that would make this make sense.I couldn't find it. "Did I do something wrong?" "No."The answer came too quickly. "Then what is it?" I asked. "Talk to me, Damien." He rubbed a hand over his jaw."Cleo..." "I thought we were happy."He looked away."I thought you loved me." Still nothing.My chest felt so tight it hurt. "Please tell me what's wrong," I was literally begging at this point. When he didn't answer, panic began creeping in.Maybe there was a problem.Maybe something had happened. "We can fix it," I said quickly. "Whatever it is, we can work through it." I reached across the table and grabbed his hand."Please, Damien." For one stupid, humiliating second, hope flared inside me.Then he pulled his hand away.Not harshly.Not gently either.Just... deliberately.Like he didn't want me touching him.I felt the rejection all the way down to my bones. “You need to stop this,you're embarrassing yourself,” he said coldly. My voice shook."Why our anniversary?" He remained silent. "Why now?" I whispered. "Why bring me here and do this now?" Still nothing. A tear slipped free before I could stop it.I wiped it away immediately. "Is there someone else?"For the first time all evening, something flickered across his face and suddenly my stomach dropped. "Oh my God."The words barely came out. "There is." Damien looked away and that told me all I needed to know. A laugh escaped me.Broken.Disbelieving. Humiliated. "Oh my God."I pressed a hand against my mouth and my vision blurred."There really is someone else." "Cleo…" "No." I shook my head again.Tears spilled down my cheeks despite my efforts to stop them. "How could you do this to me?” I hated myself for being so desperate and sounding so pathetic. But I couldn't stop.I loved him. His expression remained unchanged."We're done." The words hit me like a slap. "Damien, please. Three years. You can't just throw away three years." "I don't want to be with you anymore.There isn't anything you can say that's going to change that." The finality in his voice shattered whatever hope I had left.For a moment, neither of us spoke.Then Damien reached into his wallet, pulled out a few dollar bills, and dropped them on the table. "For the meal."The casualness of it made me feel sick. As if three years together could be settled as easily as a restaurant bill.Without another word, he stood.And walked away. Just like that. I sat there staring at his retreating figure,unable to move.Unable to breathe.Unable to understand how the man I'd loved for three years had just walked out of my life.Slowly, I became aware of the whispers around me.The curious glances. The sympathetic looks which only made the humiliation worse. My phone suddenly buzzed inside my purse. My heart jumped and before I could stop myself, I was already reaching for it, a tiny, desperate part of me hoping it was Damien.Hoping he'd text me and tell me this had all been a mistake.A misunderstanding.A cruel joke.Anything. My fingers trembled as I pulled out my phone.The hope died almost instantly. It wasn't Damien.It was my best friend Lexi.