nership. "See, Liv? He's a coward. Always was. You're better off." His voice w

sfaction he craved. He pushed through the revolving doors and out into the

in her chest. She tried to pull away from Noah,

ld. "You need to get yourself together, Olivia. This little drama is getting

and meaningless. He arranged the cremation. He picked up his mother's ashes. He bought

. It was just him, the urn, and the quiet dignity of the trees. He said his own goodbyes, whisper

't check. Her absence at this moment was a final, damning confirmation of everything he

e. He needed to pack the rest of his things. The silence inside

urled up in the near darkness. She

ed. I've been waiting for hours." Her vo

and got a glass of water, his back t

he said, his voice devoid of emotio

ms outstretched. "I'm so, so sorry. I wan

ace stopped her cold. "But Noah

efore she masked it. "He did. It was an e

nspiratorial whisper. "I filed the divorce pap

e velvet box from the office. She opened it.

o to the courthouse on Monday. We can still have everything we

She was using his dead mother as a bargaini

e said

rrying and placed it gently on the kitchen counter. "I was with my m

I love you. This was all a stupid mistake." She hel

as supposed to symbolize their future, and fel

o late,

air between them, the b

blood r

eyes, his hair a mess. And he was wearing Liam' s gray sweatpants and his favorit

ight. He saw Liam standing there, and a s

al, as if he belonged there. "Liv,

asn't just the lies and the excuses. It was this. This man, in his home, in his clot

f connection to the woman