I didn’t marry Hunter for love. I married him for peace. We were best friends—two steady souls who had seen the worst of life and wanted something quiet, something stable. Our marriage was built on companionship, not passion. And for a while, that was enough. We laughed, we made dinner, we built a calm life together. No wild sparks, but no chaos either. But peace doesn’t always mean happiness. Over time, something shifted. He grew quieter, more withdrawn. His eyes started to linger elsewhere,

his smile grew more distant. He wasn’t cruel, just… absent. And when I finally followed him—something I never thought I’d do—I saw him with her. Alison. His first love. They didn’t touch, didn’t cross any lines. But I didn’t need proof. I saw it in the way he looked at her—like someone remembering a song they hadn’t heard in years. A piece of him I never knew returned in her presence. Later, he admitted it: he still loved her. Maybe he always had. I didn’t yell. I didn’t cry. I didn’t ask him to choose. Because deep down, I knew this wasn’t betrayal—it was unfinished business. And strangely, I understood. So I did something unexpected.Behind his back, I tracked Alison down at the airport. She was leaving town, again. I asked her to stay, just long enough to talk to him. I told her the truth—he needed closure, maybe more. She hesitated, then agreed. They met again. They talked. They kissed.And me? I was in the car, parked outside, watching the sky darken. Kieran sat next to me—my sarcastic, loyal coworker who somehow always knew when I needed company. He passed me a coffee without a word, and when I finally spoke, it wasn’t about Hunter. It was about me. About how tired I was of surviving. Of settling. Kieran looked at me, eyes soft for once, and said, “Maybe peace isn’t what you need. Maybe it’s time for something real.” And as I watched the man I married rediscover his love, something unexpected stirred in me too. Maybe my story wasn’t over. Maybe love hadn’t passed me by. Maybe, just maybe… it was my turn now.