Stella's gasp echoed in the quiet of the park, and I felt my stomach twist with guilt. Her eyes were wide with shock, and for a moment, she was completely speechless. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft but filled with disbelief.
“Married? Mel, I… I had no idea.” She paused, trying to process it all. “How...how could you get involved with a married man? How long have you been seeing him?”
I hesitated, looking away from her. The shame of what I had done weighed heavily on me. I felt my face flush with shame. I knew she was judging me, and I couldn't blame her. I had made a terrible mistake, a mistake that was now going to have far-reaching consequences. “A while… long enough for things to get messy.”
Stella shook her head, her expression a mixture of disbelief and anger. "You knew
