It was almost painfully practical.
And maybe that was why I believed him.
I was tired.
Tired of calculating whether I could afford medication when I was sick.
Tired of wondering if my landlord would raise the rent.
Tired of waking up already exhausted.
Russell was offering me a life where I could finally stop holding my breath.
I wish I could say I accepted only because I loved him.
I didn’t.
Not then.
I looked at that ring and thought about overdue bills.
I thought about my aching feet.
I thought about the word security.
And I said yes.
Some people called me reckless.
Others called me worse things behind my back.
Gold digger.
Opportunist.
Young woman looking for an easy life.
I told myself their opinions didn’t matter.
But one person’s opinion mattered more than I wanted to admit.
Russell’s daughter.
Marlene.
Part 3 — “You’ll Get Nothing”
Marlene attended our engagement dinner wearing a dark green dress and an expression that made it obvious she had already decided who I was.
