I stand there frozen, the sting of his words louder than anything else. I pull on my old clothes, my heart confused and heavy. For a second, I thought I felt more, but I should’ve known better. He has a fiancée. He already belongs to someone else.

I’m not special. I’m not loved. I’m just the mistress.

This isn’t how I imagined my first time. It was supposed to be with a man who cherished me, not one who used me and reminded me of my place.

Escaping from one monster, I landed in ...