Minutes ticked by like hours until finally, Matt walked in, holding Lola’s hand. He stopped dead, his face draining of color as our eyes met. Lola, blissfully unaware, gave me a polite smile. I returned it with a glare that could freeze fire.

“Matt, darling,” I said, standing up and raising my glass, “a toast to you.”

The restaurant hushed, forks and knives pausing mid-air. Matt looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. Lola’s smile faltered, confusion setting in.

“To my wonderful husband,” I continued, voice steady, “who thought he could cheat and get away with it.”

Gasps and whispers erupted around us. Lola’s face turned beet red, realization dawning on her. Matt tried to speak, but no words came out.

“Jenna, I …”

“Save it,” I interrupted, stepping closer. “Lola, meet my husband.”

Lola’s eyes widened. “What?”

“Married,” I said, pointing at Matt. “To me.”

I walked over to their table, pulling the burner phone from my bag. Setting it down in front of Matt, I smirked. “Next time, find a better hiding spot.”

Matt’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Lucas stepped forward, his presence imposing. “Matt, just so you know, Jenna’s well aware of her legal rights.”

Matt looked at Lucas, then back at me, panic in his eyes. “Jenna, please, let’s talk about this.”

I shook my head. “We’re past talking, Matt.”

The satisfaction of seeing him squirm was intense, but I wasn’t done yet. I turned to Lola. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way. But you deserve to know the truth.”

Lola looked like she might cry. She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly. “I can’t believe you,” she hissed at Matt, before rushing out of the restaurant.

I felt a wave of empowerment wash over me as I walked back to my table. “Let’s go,” I said to my friends and Lucas. We left without another word, leaving Matt to deal with the aftermath.

Outside, I breathed in the cool night air, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. Nicole hugged me tight. “You were amazing.”

Tara grinned. “That was epic, Jenna. I’m so proud of you.”

Lucas put a hand on my shoulder. “You did the right thing.”

We headed to a nearby bar, ready to celebrate this small victory. It was just the beginning, but it felt like a significant step forward. My heart still ached, but it was a pain I could manage now. I had taken control of my life again.

As we sat down, Nicole raised her glass. “To new beginnings.”

“To freedom,” Tara added.

“To strength,” Lucas said.

I smiled, clinking my glass with theirs. “To the future.”

The road ahead wasn’t going to be easy, but I knew I could handle it. With my friends and family by my side, I was ready for whatever came next. For now, I was going to enjoy this moment of triumph. Matt might have broken my trust, but he hadn’t broken me.