Chapter 1The day I got laid off, I called everyone freaking out. Nobody picked up. Back home?
Turns out they were all there throwing a wedding. For my best friend. And MY boyfriend.
Everyone I knew was there. Cheering.
Right in the middle of the crowd, they were making out.
The second I walked in, the whole room went silent.
I stared at him. Voice shaking.
"What the HELL is this?"
Callum didn't even flinch. Just shrugged.
"Maisie and I got married last year. Today's the wedding."
My ears rang.
I slapped him. Hard.
"Get OUT. Both of you—OUT! This is MY place!"
Next thing I knew? They threw ME out.
My parents walked up. Looked disappointed.
"This isn't your place anymore. We gave it to Maisie. Wedding gift."
"It's their big day. Don't make a scene. Just go inside."
My blood went cold.
Five years together. Three years living here.
My boyfriend? Legally her husband.
My parents? Handed them my place.
My friends? All knew. All covered for the cheaters.
And me?
Just the joke everyone was in on but me.
---
I got shoved into the bedroom. My knee slammed the bed frame.
Door shut in my face.
Outside got messy for a minute. Then the party started up again.
They kept me locked in from noon till dark.
Nobody opened the door. Nobody checked on me.
I yelled till my voice cracked.
Ended up sliding down the door. Sat there listening to them party.
Weirdly? My head started clearing up.
When it finally went quiet, the door opened.
I grabbed the bed, pulled myself up. My legs—numb.
My parents came in. Callum and Maisie Hartley behind them.
Mom's eyes were red. Like she'd been crying.
"Tatum, so... you and Callum did that health screening before the wedding, yeah?"
"We saw the report. Doctor said you probably can't have kids."
I froze.
That screening—Callum and I did it together. We were gonna get married.
The report never made it to me. Callum said he'd grab it. I didn't think about it.
Turns out everyone else did the thinking for me.
I looked at Callum. "You knew?"
He stared at the floor.
Dad kept going. "Callum's an only child. This was always gonna be a problem. You think you could handle a breakup?"
Mom jumped in. "So we talked. Maybe Maisie and Callum get married first, have the baby. You come back later. Life goes on."
My head buzzed. My lips shook.
"Are you people insane?"
Maisie stepped forward.
Red eyes. Soft voice.
"Tatum, your parents are worried. I've been alone forever—you guys are family to me. If I can help you keep Callum, I wanna do it."
She put her hand on her stomach.
"Plus, I'm pregnant."
I stared at her belly. Felt sick.
Then looked at Callum. "So you're cool with this?"
He said nothing.
Everything went black. My chest caved.
I passed out.
Woke up in the dark.
Found my phone. Notifications everywhere.
Missed calls. Texts from work. Group chat—over a hundred messages.
I opened it.
At first people were asking why Callum suddenly married Maisie.
Then the chat totally switched up.
[omgggg the ship i was rooting for is REAL older protective guy + younger sweetheart im dead]
[rightttt?? maisie's literally an angel. that other girl was always starting drama like girl BYE]
[remember when callum was working late and SHE made him go get her food at like midnight? so fking selfish]
[LMAOOO fr she had that coming]
My hands went cold.
That night—Callum told me to tell him what I wanted. He'd get it.
I said forget it, too late.
He laughed, said it was fine.
Now I'm selfish?
I stared at the screen. Typed without thinking.
[You all knew?]
Chat went quiet.
Then I got kicked.
They didn't even bother explaining.
I sat there. Almost laughed.
Not just my parents. Not just Callum.
My friends. My coworkers. All of them.
All liars.
I got up. Started packing.
Couldn't stay another second here.
Chapter 2
I dragged my suitcase out. Streamers and balloons still everywhere.
Maisie's jacket on the couch.
Like they couldn't wait to move in.
Halfway through packing, I noticed the birdcage by the window.
Empty.
I stopped. "Where's my bird?"
Mom was clearing the table. Didn't look up.
"Maisie said keeping it caged was cruel. She let it go."
The clothes in my hands dropped.
"Let it go?"
Maisie sat on the couch. Voice soft.
"I thought it'd be better for it. Freedom's better than a cage, right?"
I whipped around. Voice cracking.
"That's a house bird. It's gonna die out there."
She flinched. Hand went to her belly.
"How was I supposed to know? I was trying to help."
"Help?" I stared. "I raised that bird for YEARS!"
Then looked at my parents.
"You gave me that bird for my birthday. And you just let her do that?"
Dad shrugged. Like it was nothing.
"It's just a bird. It flew away. You want another one, we'll get you one."
Just get another one.
I stood there. Couldn't talk.
Just kept packing.
Mom saw I was really leaving. Panicked.
"Stop being dramatic. You don't even have a job—where're you gonna go? We're doing this for YOU."
I picked up my suitcase. Looked at her.
"If this is 'for me,' you shouldn't have had me."
I walked out.
Dad called after me. Voice hard. "Tatum, you walk out, don't come back."
I didn't stop.
At the door, Callum finally spoke.
"It's still raining. Don't do this."
I turned back.
"Callum, don't talk to me."
His face went pale.
I carried the suitcase downstairs. Arms aching.
Ended up at this run-down motel.
Tiny room. Window didn't close right. Wind made it rattle.
That night, I barely slept.
Lost my job. Lost my place.
Boyfriend's my best friend's husband now. Parents took their side. Friends are laughing at me.
But morning came. I dragged myself up. Started sending resumes.
Had to survive.
I used to be good at my job. Solid at the company.
Thought no matter how bad it got, I'd land something decent.
Wrong.
Company one—nailed the interview. Then boom: "Sorry, position's taken."
Company two—walked in, phone rang, and just like that they went cold.
Third didn't even let me in.
After a few rejections, I knew something was off.
Then one day outside the bathroom, I heard people talking.
"That's her. Wynn said she got fired for being a homewrecker."
"Didn't she steal someone's husband? Can't believe she's even here."
I stood there. Blood turned cold.
Wynn. My cousin. She worked at my old company.
She was at the wedding.
I took a car straight there.
Walked in. People stared.
Then some pretended to be busy. Others whispered by the break room.
I walked up to Wynn's desk.
"You been spreading shit about me?"
She looked up. Did the whole innocent act.
"What're you talking about?"
"That I'm a homewrecker. That I stole someone's husband. That I got fired."
She leaned back. Smiled.
"I didn't make anything up. Just told people what I saw."
I laughed. No humor in it.
"I'M the one who got screwed over."
Saying it out loud just made the whispers louder.
Nobody believed me.
Right then Maisie walked in.
There for paperwork. Walked into the mess.
I looked at her like she was my last shot.
"Tell them. Who stole who?"
"You and Callum got together behind my back, didn't you?"
Everyone looked at her.
Her face went white. Hand to stomach. Voice barely there.
"Don't do this. I've got a baby."
That sealed it.
Everyone turned on me.
She let tears fall. Stepped back.
"Look, it happened. The baby needs a father. You wanna blame someone, blame me. Just stop."
I stared at her. Chest tight. Couldn't breathe.
Security walked me out. Everyone watched.
Chapter 3
Rent was due. Had to eat.
Didn't matter how unfair it was. I had to survive.
Got a job serving at a restaurant.
One night, manager told me to refill water in a private room.
Pushed the door open.
Froze.
My parents. Callum. Maisie. Some relatives.
Sitting together. Laughing. Like family.
Me? In uniform. Holding a pot.
Room went silent.
Mom's face changed.
Callum looked up. Stared.
Maisie paused. Hand to stomach.
I gripped the tray. Knuckles white. Didn't say anything.
Just walked in. Poured water for each of them.
Mom's voice was low. "Why're you working at a place like this?"
Relative nearby muttered.
"She went to college. How'd she end up here?"
"Didn't she used to have an office job?"
I stood by the table. Pot burning my hand.
Their words burned worse.
Was about to leave. Then Maisie spoke up.
"Tatum, you under a lotta stress lately? Sit down, eat with us."
"Stop being mad."
I finally looked at her.
She sat there. Belly slightly rounded. All concerned.
I just felt cold.
Some people steal everything from you. Then act like they pity you.
Like you're the problem.
I said quietly. "I'm working."
Mom jumped in.
"How long're you gonna do this? You'd rather serve tables than come home?"
I looked at her.
"I'm making money. That's 'doing this'?"
Dad's face darkened.
"Look at yourself. When you're done throwing a fit, come back. Stop embarrassing us."
I laughed. No humor.
"I'M the embarrassment?"
"But when you handed my boyfriend to Maisie—that wasn't?"
Room went dead quiet.
Mom's face twisted.
"Can you not talk like that?"
I looked at her. "Like what? I'm working. Pouring drinks. Being professional. How am I the problem?"
Callum hadn't said anything since I walked in.
Then, real quiet: "Tatum."
I looked at him.
"Don't call me that."
His mouth moved. Nothing came out.
Maisie slowly stood. Same soft look.
"Tatum, nobody wanted to hurt you. You're out here alone—we're worried. Let's just talk."
I stared at her.
"Talk about what? You wanna brag?"
Her eyes welled up. Hand to belly.
"Don't be like this."
"Like what?"
I stepped forward. "You're so good at playing nice. So tell everyone here how you married Callum 'for my own good.'"
Relatives looked down. Nobody spoke.
Mom panicked. Grabbed my arm.
"Enough. You trying to make this worse?"
I yanked my arm back.
"So I'm the problem?"
"Since that wedding—tell me—which one of you actually gave a shit about me?"
I turned to leave.
Someone gasped behind me.
Maisie clutched her stomach. Body swayed. Collapsed backward.
Glass fell off the table. Water everywhere.
Then—red stain spread across her dress.
Room erupted.
"MAISIE!"
Mom screamed. Rushed over.
Dad went pale.
Callum lunged. Caught her.
Maisie curled into him. Face drained. Tears streaming.
"I didn't blame her... really didn't..."
Every pair of eyes turned on me.
I just stood there. Freezing from inside out.
"I didn't touch her."
Nobody listened.
'Cause I'd been standing closest.
Mom rushed at me. Slapped me.
"You trying to kill her?!"
My head snapped to the side. Ears ringing.
Relatives piled on.
"You can't attack a pregnant woman."
"What if something happens to the baby?"
"She's heartless."
Ambulance came fast.
Maisie rushed to the hospital.
Tests came back. Doctor said baby was fine—just shaken. Needed rest.
At the hospital, Maisie lay in bed looking wrecked. Pale. Eyes swollen and red.
But even then, she kept up the innocent act.
"I don't blame her. Really."
"She's been through a lot. Not stable. I get it."
Snapped my head up.
She wouldn't look at me. Kept talking to my parents.
"Maybe take her to see someone. I'm scared she'll hurt herself. Or someone else."
Mom jumped at it.
"You're right. She hasn't been normal."
Dad's face was hard. Didn't argue.
I backed up. Throat tight.
"I'm not sick."
Callum stood by the bed. Face tense. Like maybe he was noticing something.
But he didn't say a word for me.
Dad made a call that day.
That night, they forced me into a private psych hospital.
