Before I Go

chapter 3

The phone felt heavy and slick in my hand, vibrating with a notification that made my heart hammer against my ribs. My thumb hovered over the screen, reading the name again to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.

"I knew it! I freaking knew it!"

My voice cracked as I screamed his name. A second later, John emerged from the bathroom, looking startled. Steam rolled out behind him, and he was only half-dressed, frantically rubbing a towel over his face to get the stinging soap out of his eyes. He looked vulnerable, but I was too blinded by heat to care.

I marched up to him, thrusting the glowing screen inches from his nose. "Explain this. Who is Peter, and why is he calling you 'baby' at this hour?"

John snatched the device from my hand, his brows knitting together. The initial shock on his face melted into a weary, heavy-eyed frustration. Without saying a word, he tapped the screen a few times and swung it back toward me. He didn't show me a wall of romantic texts; instead, he opened a photo he had sent earlier that day—a sleek, polished car sitting in a lot.

"Now I’m just angry," he snapped, his voice dropping an octave as he glared at me. "I had this massive surprise planned for you, and you just went and stepped all over it. You have this habit, you know? You just start imagining things that aren't there until you believe your own lies."

I felt a sting of guilt, but I wasn't ready to back down. I folded my arms, keeping my tone leveled and low. "Well, can you really blame me for being a little paranoid? You basically ditched me the second the wedding ended today. I've been sitting here wondering where my husband went."

"I didn't ditch you!" he roared, the sudden volume making me flinch. His face flushed a deep, angry red. "Everything I do—every hour I work, every move I make—is for you!"

He took a sharp breath, shaking his head as if he couldn't even stand to look at me anymore. He retreated toward the bathroom, his shoulders hunched. "You know what? I don't even have anything left to say to you." The door clicked shut, leaving me alone in the sudden, ringing silence of the bedroom.

I sank onto the edge of the mattress, my head in my hands. I sat there for what felt like hours, replayng the fight in my head. Eventually, the water stopped running, and John walked back out. He was fully dressed now, moving with a cold, mechanical precision as he stood by the vanity, rubbing cream into his skin.

The silence was suffocating. I cleared my throat, trying to catch his eye in the mirror. "Are you really not going to say anything to me?"

He didn't even flinch. He kept his back turned, his focus entirely on the bottle of lotion in his hands. "I have nothing to say to you."

"John, come on. At least say *something*," I pleaded, my voice small. "Don't give me the silent treatment. Not tonight."

"I’m not giving you the silent treatment, angel," he replied, finally glancing at me with eyes that felt like ice. "I’m just not in the mood for this."

I stood up, trying to bridge the gap between us. "Well, get in the mood. I still want to have s*x. We’re supposed to be celebrating. You can stay angry at me tomorrow, but give me tonight."

He began buttoning his shirt, his fingers moving fast. "I don't want to have s*x, angel." He grabbed his keys off the nightstand, making a move for the exit.

I scrambled to the door, blocking his path with my body. "Okay, fine! I’m sorry. I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, especially not on our wedding day. Please, just stay. Don't leave again."

John looked down at me, his lip curling with a flash of pure irritation. His expression was a mask of unreadable coldness. Without a word, he placed a hand on my shoulder and firmly shoved me aside. I stumbled back as he swept past me and disappeared into the hallway, the front door heavy as it slammed shut.

I collapsed back onto the bed, hot tears finally blurring my vision. How could this be happening? This was the man who had just promised to cherish me for the rest of his life. How could he just ignore me and walk out after an apology? It felt like I was looking at a stranger. Had he been pretending this whole time?

I couldn't handle the emptiness of the house. My heart was racing, and I needed a distraction before I lost my mind. I grabbed my phone and dialed Karis.

Within minutes, she was knocking on my door. She found me sprawled across the bed, looking like a wreck. "Big sis, what happened?"

"The man who put a ring on my finger today is gone," I croaked, staring at the ceiling. "He’s angry, and he’s ghosted me already."

Karis reached down, grabbing my arms and hauling me up into a sitting position. "It’s normal, sis. Honestly, that’s just what marriage is. It’s a mess. Now, get up. We are going out to get a drink."

"I really don't feel like drinking, Karis..."

"Nonsense," she insisted, pulling me toward the closet. "Come on. It’ll help you numb the stress. You need to get John out of your head for an hour."

I didn't have the energy to argue. We left the house and began strolling toward a nearby bar. The night air was cool, but it didn't calm my nerves. We found a corner booth in a dimly lit spot, and Karis didn't even wait for a menu.

"Two bourbons. Neat," she told the waiter.

As soon as the glasses arrived, she leaned in. "Look, don't worry about him. John is being a total d**k. He doesn't deserve a woman like you. But be honest with me... did you guys even get it on tonight?"

I took a long, burning sip of the bourbon, closing my eyes as the alcohol hit the back of my throat. I could already feel the buzz starting to cloud my brain. "One round. That was it. And I didn't even finish. It was like he didn't even care if I was there."

Karis’s face twisted into a scowl of pure rage. "Oh, no. Now I officially hate him. Why are you even crying over him? You should find some cute guy in here and have some real fun. You deserve to be happy. And trust me, if he’s not touching you, he’s probably touching someone else."

I set my glass down a little too hard. "Careful, Karis. Just because John is acting like a jerk doesn't mean I’m going to go around throwing myself at strangers. It’s my wedding day, for God’s sake."

She shrugged, nursing her second bottle already. "I’m just looking out for you. But really... why did you marry him so fast? You never explained why you actually said yes."

I sighed, leaning back as the room began to tilt slightly. "You know how it is. Grandpa was breathing down my neck, the constant persuasion... and I’m not getting any younger. I never even liked the idea of marriage. I wasn't interested in dating anyone else, so I just figured, why not? But believe me, as soon as I get a child out of this, I’m dumping his ass."

By the time I reached my fifth bottle, the world was a blurry, humming mess. My limbs felt like lead. "This doesn't feel good anymore, Karis. I think I need to go home."

"Yeah, you're wasted," she laughed, standing up to steady me. She looped my arm over her shoulder, and we staggered out into the night.

It was late, and the streets were deserted. We couldn't find an Uber, so we started the long walk back. As we rounded a dark corner, three massive men stepped out from the shadows, the orange tips of their cigarettes glowing in the dark. They fanned out, surrounding us before we could turn around.

The one in the center, a hulking man with a jagged scar on his chin, leaned in. "Hey, beauties. Where do you think you're going all by yourselves?"

I gripped Karis’s hand, trying to find my voice through the drunken fog. "It's none of your business. Move."

He stepped directly into my path, blocking me. "Not so fast, pretty girl." He reached out, gripping my chin with rough, calloused fingers. "You’ve got a face that’s wasted on the sidewalk. I hope you know how to ride, because you're about to do a lot of it."

My instinct took over. I swung my hand, the slap echoing through the quiet street. "Don't you dare disrespect me. I’m a married woman!"

The man’s expression darkened instantly. He lunged forward, his hand clamping around my throat and pinning me against the brick wall. His two friends grabbed Karis, muffling her screams.

"I was trying to be a gentleman, you b***h," he hissed, his face inches from mine. "But it seems you like it the hard way. Me and my boys are feeling real restless, so you’re either going to give it to us, or we're just going to take it."

I gathered every bit of moisture in my mouth and spat directly into his eye.

He roared in fury, wiping his face as his eyes turned murderous. "How dare you!" He pulled his hand back, clenching a massive fist to strike me.

Just as he started to swing, a cold, steady voice rang out from the darkness behind him.

"Leave them alone."