Chapter 12 - The Photograph Online
The first photograph appeared eighteen months after the divorce.
Julian was standing outside a small consulting office in Boston.
No tailored entourage.
No black SUV.
No Chloe.
The headline asked whether the “disgraced former Vale Meridian CEO” was planning a comeback.
I closed the article.
His life was no longer mine to monitor.
Later that week, Maya came into my office.
She had been promoted to vice president of executive operations.
She placed a coffee on my desk.
“You didn't read the comments, did you?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because the internet remains the internet.”
I laughed.
It felt good.
Maya sat down.
“Do you ever wonder what would have happened if he answered?”
Every day, once.
Now maybe once a month.
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I don't know.”
That was the truth.
Maybe Daniel still would have died.
Maybe Julian would have reached the hospital.
Maybe our marriage would have survived the affair.
Maybe it wouldn't.
There are alternate lives we can torture ourselves imagining forever.
May you like
Eventually, I had learned to stop living in them.
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