Later, while the guests gathered outside for photographs, Edward and I stood near the garden. He admitted that he had agreed to pretend to be my boyfriend because he wanted me to see something I had forgotten about myself. \u201cYou keep trying to prove to Max that you\u2019re worth loving,\u201d he said gently. \u201cBut you don\u2019t owe him proof.\u201d I looked away, embarrassed by how accurately he had described my feelings. I had told myself that bringing a handsome man would make Max regret leaving me. Deep down, I wanted my ex-husband to look at me and realize he had made a mistake. I wanted his approval, even after everything he had said.<\/p>\n
Then I noticed my youngest daughter standing nearby. She had heard Max\u2019s cruel comment earlier and had been watching us carefully. \u201cMom,\u201d she asked, \u201cwhy did you pretend Edward was your boyfriend?\u201d I knelt beside her and finally told the truth. \u201cBecause I wanted your father to believe somebody still wanted me.\u201d She wrapped her arms around my neck. \u201cBut we wanted you here, Mom. We always want you.\u201d Those words broke through something inside me that Max\u2019s insults had damaged for years. My daughters had never measured my worth by my waist, my clothes, or the number on a scale. They had simply loved me.<\/p>\n
As we prepared to leave, Max approached us. His wedding smile had disappeared, replaced by an expression I couldn\u2019t quite understand. \u201cSo, what happens now?\u201d he asked, glancing at Edward. \u201cAre you two actually together?\u201d I realized that even then, he was trying to measure my happiness through another man\u2019s interest in me. For thirteen years, I had allowed his opinion to shape the way I saw myself. I wasn\u2019t going to do it anymore. \u201cThat isn\u2019t your concern, Max,\u201d I replied, taking my daughters\u2019 hands.<\/p>\n
In the car window, I caught my reflection. For once, I didn\u2019t inspect my waist or wonder what Max would criticize. I just looked at myself and felt strangely peaceful. Then my youngest leaned forward from the back seat and shouted, \u201cMom, go!\u201d I laughed, opened the door, and climbed inside. Edward had come as my fake date, but he had helped me understand a truth I should never have forgotten: I didn\u2019t need another man to choose me to prove that I was worthy. I needed to choose myself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Later, while the guests gathered outside for photographs, Edward and I stood near the garden. He admitted that he had agreed to pretend to be my boyfriend… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-story"],"yoast_head":"\n