CYNTHIA's P O V

Nothing could have prepared me for the crushing agony I experienced when my mom told me that Julian had departed without even alerting me, or even bidding farewell to me before he flew back to France. Nor could anything have prepared me for the profound sense of loss that caused my heart to tighten, leading me to believe that it was going to cease beating altogether.

Even though I was aware, on some level, that he was meant to return and marry her, the fact that he did still hurt. How could he? How, after making love to me? After I had already given him everything?...