A single father was having tea alone when an older woman leaned in and whispered, “Pretend you’re my daughter’s fiancé.”

She paused.

“Her father and I raised her that way on purpose. We never taught her to shrink herself to make others feel bigger.”

Marco nodded, though he wasn’t sure why the words struck him so deeply.

“Her father died four years ago,” Elena continued. “Pancreatic cancer. It happened so fast. And the last man she was engaged to, Jaime, contacted me months ago. He spoke of reconciliation, of regret. I agreed to meet him today because I thought maybe I had judged him too harshly. But an hour ago, his sister—who actually has a heart—messaged me with the truth. Jaime didn’t come to make things right. He came to watch her walk in alone. He’s been telling people in this circle that Valeria ruined the relationship, that she’s cold, difficult, arrogant. He wants everyone to see a woman abandoned and alone so it confirms the story he’s created.”