294 If It Matters

The buzzing of her phone interrupted her thoughts. Angela swiftly checked the notification and saw Lauretta had sent her a direct message from the social media app. When she tapped on it, a photo of Lauretta and Gael loaded on the screen. They were in front of a bridal shop. Lauretta's smile was wide, and Gael, who stood behind her, had a neutral expression.

The photo was a post from Lauretta's page, and she forwarded it to Angela's inbox. The caption read: "Wedding dress shopping with the fiancé. NY is cold today, so we're heading somewhere warm."

Lauretta sent the message without context, but it was obvious what she was trying to do. Angela thought the woman got to her this time. Her pretending to have a call with Gael wasn't nearly as hurtful as seeing them actually together right now.

She gripped her phone tightly until her knuckles turned white.