Best Kept Vows By Maya Alden

Sometimes, the hardest vow to keep is the one to never give up.

I’m Sebastian Boone, and my life is a lesson in how to destroy a marriage.

For twenty-two years, Lia was my partner, my anchor, the steady force behind our family. While I worked to save Boone Metals, she raised our children, ran our home, and supported me without question. I didn’t see how much I was taking for granted.

But there’s always a last straw. For Lia, it was her graduation—the night she realized I hadn’t even bothered to show up. After years of putting everyone else first, she was finally doing something for herself, earning a degree and starting a career. I dismissed it as a phase, a distraction.

So, she left me—walked away from our marriage, our home, and the life we built. And the worst part? Our children stood by her. They didn’t just help her pack; they told me I deserved this, that I lost her and their respect.

At first, I tell myself she just needs time. That she’ll come home. But as days pass, I see the truth. Lia isn’t waiting for me to fix things. She’s building a new life—one where she isn’t my wife first and herself second.

For the first time, I What if she’s better off without me? Because the truth is staring me in my I am not better without her.