When Veronica pressed further, asking if a decade of shared history was discarded over weight gained while carrying their two children, Max doubled down with a lingering question that haunted her for months: “When was the last time you even looked at yourself in the mirror?”
From that day forward, Veronica looked incessantly. Every mirror became a judge. Every outfit was selected not by what made her feel comfortable or happy, but by what would hide her waistline, cover her arms, or shield her from potential judgment. Max had successfully conditioned her to view her own body through his eyes.
A Favor Between Friends
When the wedding invitation arrived, complete with Max’s passive-aggressive note acknowledging her single status, Veronica decided she wouldn’t go alone. She turned to Edward, a tall, athletic, and fiercely loyal coworker who had become her emotional anchor throughout the divorce.
Edward was precisely the kind of man Max would notice—confident, poised, and effortlessly handsome. Sitting beside his desk on a busy Monday morning, Veronica asked for a favor: pretend to be her boyfriend for one night.
Edward’s response was characteristically direct. When Veronica admitted that she wanted Max to see her with someone impressive and regret leaving, Edward’s expression darkened slightly. Yet, after a long pause, he agreed.
The week leading up to the event was a battle of self-doubt. Veronica rejected dress after dress, hearing Max’s old critiques in her head every time she zipped up a garment. Ultimately, she made a quiet act of rebellion: she chose a dress simply because she liked it before imagining Max’s reaction.
The Wedding Spectacle
Saturday arrived, and Edward picked Veronica up in his car. In the back seat sat a large cardboard box marked for donation, which Veronica paid little attention to.
