Behind Every Lie: A Bitter Truth

I've been caught in a relationship with a divorced man for eight years.

We've broken up and reconciled too many times to count. In the end, I tallied ninety-four breakups and five divorces between us.

One more would make it an even hundred, but I'm too exhausted to continue this cycle.

The first breakup happened when I was giving him my virginity. Halfway through, his ex-wife called asking him to pick up some bread, and he simply left.

The fifth breakup occurred when he abandoned me, newly pregnant, on the highway to comfort his ex-wife who was having complications with her own pregnancy.

I ended up in a car accident and miscarried. He arrived at the hospital with his clothes disheveled.

Despite all the pain he caused me, I could never bring myself to truly leave him.

Our most recent divorce happened for an equally absurd reason. His ex-wife and their child were participating in a family reality TV show that required them to appear as a complete family unit.

To protect his ex-wife's public image, he divorced me yet again.

When filming wrapped, he called to discuss remarrying.

This time I refused, because I'm going to marry someone else.

”Georgina, after we sign the divorce papers tomorrow, I'll temporarily move in with Lucia. I promise, once the show finishes filming, we'll remarry."

I ignored him and continued packing my suitcase.

A flash of worry crossed his eyes. "Did you hear what I said?"

I responded with a cold "Yeah."

"Then why are you packing?"

"Georgina, I promise this is the last time. I won't let her make you unhappy again, okay?"

I stopped what I was doing and met his gaze.

"Marcus, you know you've made me unhappy many times, right? Have you truly loved me all these years?"

He placed his hands gently on my shoulders, his thumbs making small, soothing circles.

"I love you. I've loved you since I first saw you seven years ago at that cafe. That has never changed and never will.

"But Lucia is struggling as a single mother. I just want to help her. When we divorced, I promised to always treat her like family."

I smiled bitterly. I'd heard these exact words countless times. Though I knew the answer would be the same, I still wanted to give him one more chance.

But inevitably, he disappointed me again.

I didn't let the conversation continue and simply told him, "I found my birth parents. They want me to stay with them for a while."

Surprise flashed in his eyes. "When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me? What are they like?"

I had been an orphan since childhood. I was told I'd been kidnapped and abandoned, and eventually taken in by an orphanage.

After getting together with Marcus, he had helped me search for my parents, but we found nothing.

A year ago, my childhood friend from the orphanage, Henry Leedon, helped me locate my birth parents.

At that time, Marcus had divorced me yet again for his ex-wife Lucia Sandwood, so I had no desire to tell him.

Even after we remarried, I lost interest in sharing this with him.

I replied flatly, "It doesn't matter. Go be with Lucia. I'll leave on my own."

His tone suddenly became anxious. "How can it not matter? They're my in-laws too. It's fine if they're not well-off. After we remarry, I'll buy them a condo near downtown, close to us, okay?"

I laughed coldly inside. I wanted to tell him my parents were the wealthiest family in Riverside County and didn't need his meager offerings, but I couldn't be bothered to say another word to him.

I picked up my luggage and walked out the door.

He followed me, offering to drive me, but just as he sat in the driver's seat, his phone rang.

I clearly saw the screen display: "Wife."

He glanced at me awkwardly and explained, "I changed it for the show. Don't misunderstand."

"Oh, I called an Uber. Answer it. Don't keep her waiting."

He looked at me with surprise. "You've suddenly become so..."

I put on a smile. "So indifferent, right? I cared for seven years. Did it make any difference?"

With that, I got into the car I had ordered and left that apartment without looking back.

—

The next morning, I arrived at the lawyer’s office right on time at eight-thirty.

I waited for over half an hour before he finally drove up.

Lucia got out of the car with him.

She looked at me apologetically, "I'm sorry, sweetie. You know it's hard for a divorced woman with a child to make it in the entertainment industry. This show is really important for me and my child, I..."