My sister kissed my husband in front of thirty people at her own anniversary party and called it a joke. kertati Her husband had a wrapped present in his hands and an envelope she had never opened.

“I tried to end it.”

“When?”kertati

“Many times.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

He looked away.

I understood.

“You didn’t want to.”

He didn’t answer.

That was the answer.

PART 4 — THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Sasha came to the house the next morning.

She knocked twice.

I opened the door.

She looked exhausted.

For once, she wasn’t wearing makeup.

For once, she didn’t look like the confident woman who could walk into a room and make everyone look at her.

She looked like my sister.

And somehow that made it worse.

“Can I come in?”

“No.”

She swallowed.

“Bryony.”

“You can stand there.”

She looked down.

“I want to explain.”

“You’ve had nine years.”

“I know.”

“That’s plenty of time.”

She closed her eyes.

“I loved him.”

“I know.”

“I didn’t plan for it to happen.”

“When did it happen?”

She didn’t answer.

“When?”

“2016.”

“I know.”

Her eyes lifted.

“You read the messages.”