Edward told Max that I never judged his body or told him he needed to change before he deserved happiness. “She didn’t fix me,” he said. “There was nothing wrong with me that needed fixing.”
Later, Edward admitted he had agreed to the fake relationship because he hoped I would realize I didn’t need to prove anything to Max. Then my daughter overheard Max’s cruel comment and asked why I had pretended Edward was my boyfriend. I finally told her the truth: I wanted her father to believe somebody wanted me. She hugged me and said, “But we wanted you here.”
That mattered more than anything.
As I left with my daughters, Max asked what would happen between Edward and me. I realized he still wanted my worth to depend on whether another man wanted me. I simply walked away.
In the car window, I saw my reflection. For once, I didn’t inspect my waist or wonder what Max would criticize. I just looked at myself. Then my youngest shouted, “Mom! Go!” I smiled, opened the door, and got in.
