Keith

was heavy, each beat of my heart a dull thud against my ribs. Five years. Five years I' d poured i

d together. "We'll bring it back to life, Ella. Our legacy. Our home." The words now echoed li

of my devotion. The doctor had warned me about stress, about how it could exacerbate

m. I let it ring, then answered on the last

ent. "I' m going to be late tonight. A last-minute

declaration. The words were a practiced lie, worn smooth f

word hanging in the air,

nfusion through the phone. He was used to my questions,

e I could tell him that waiting was no longer an option for me. The l

d at the ceiling, the shadows dancing, until my phone vibrated with a notification. It was

his shoulder. They were at a fancy restaurant, the kind he said was too expensive for "campaign funds." The caption read: "Celebr

, a statement to the world. And I was nowhere in the picture. The comments below were a landsl

like a drowned rat. Can't you ever present yourself better? You're a reflection on me." His words were cold, devoid of any warmth, any concern

im, done being his shadow. The rain outside intensified, lashing against the windowpane. I watched it for a long time, the rh