relief. I walked through the ro

call was t

y and quickly. He can have the house, the company shares, every

but efficient. He promi

bonds, properties I'd owned long before Ben. I was a wealthy woman in my o

n account he couldn't touch. I donated a large portion to

. I packed up every gift he had ever given me. Jewelry, clo

lie. I fed them into the office shredder, one by one. The mac

rang. I

for a moment b

ell are you?

I replie

her ankle because you distracted her! She's at the emerg

hed. "Apologi

er!" he sputtered. "Leo is crying. He

nd, a high-pitched wail. "Daddy, is Mommy

n in my chest. My own son. My baby. The

The instinct to soothe him, to t

wall, looking at me with disappointment. I

something else. Somethi

Leah to take care of him, he doesn't need me anymore. I'm

silence on the oth

finally managed to ask, his

heard

fore he could respond.

me. Tears I hadn't allowed myself to cry for years finally fell. But

hoed in my hea

be one day he would see that I left to save myself, and in a

d car picked me up. Commander

and, a world away from my old life. T

elcome distraction. I ran until my lungs burned, I sparred unti

The woman I had buried under ye

there. And s

one, buzzed with a message. It was from Sar

's school play. Leah is there, sitting in the front row with him. She's w

mera. A perfect little family. Leah's hand was on Leo's should

thought had turned

e to be gone. He was repl

unknown number.

nsw

ying you're leaving? You emptied your closets?

said, my voice devoid of any emo

me and Leo while you've been having your little

The words were a

rgue. I di

e one I had been a part of for years. I saw the picture Be

lovely

so good w

no longer part of this family. P

group and blocked

onnecting me to t

nothing b