Chapter 5: A Dress, a Rift, and a Stranger

The next day at work, Natalie showed up in a Michael Kors dress, pacing the break room and drawing every eye.

Some coworkers who knew about us called out, "Damn, Natalie! Is it your birthday or something? You look like you walked out of a magazine."

I glanced over. With the designer label, Natalie really did look radiant.

But I knew her family’s situation best. Where did a $4,000 dress come from?

When she came over, I planned to ask her directly. Usually, after a night of silent treatment, she’d try to make up with me. But all morning, she kept her distance, glancing at her phone, texting someone I couldn’t place.

Though I was angry, after five years, I still worried.

During lunch, I wandered over. She glanced at me, then finally said: "Still mad?"

I couldn’t hold back: "Where’d you get the dress?"

She hesitated, then shrugged: "My mom bought it for me."

Her mom? She probably didn’t even know what Michael Kors was.

"When did your mom get so much money?"

My concern set her off. She snapped, "What’s that supposed to mean? My family’s poor, so I can’t wear designer brands? Once the buyout’s done, I’ll wear whatever I want."

She yelled so fiercely, I was stunned. I blurted out, "I thought you didn’t care about flashy things."

She sneered, "What woman doesn’t love them? I just couldn’t afford them before. Things are different now. I’m going to make up for everything I owed myself."

This wasn’t the Natalie I knew.

I’d wanted to buy her nice things. One year, after my year-end bonus, we went shopping. Passing Coach, I saw her staring at the window. I was about to go in and buy her something.

She stopped me, hugged my waist, looked up at me, serious: "No! I don’t like these flashy things. Isn’t it better to save the money for our future together?"

I was touched back then. I thought a girl like her was rare.

Looking back, I was just naive…

Seeing my face darken, she tried to soften her tone: "Alright, it’s not like I buy them every day. Look at you, acting so hurt, and it’s not even your money."

Her words stung. I felt like I was talking to a stranger instead of the girl I’d dreamed about marrying.