Chapter 2

When I finished speaking, I turned and headed to the bedroom to pack my things.

I didn't want to waste any more words on Kathy. I didn't want to see her fake, manipulative face anymore. The "tests" she disguised as love were never love. They were a slow, drawn-out torture—ripping apart my trust in her piece by piece, draining every last bit of hope I had for this marriage.

For five years, I'd told her over and over: I hate being tested. I hate being suspected. I told her that marriage is built on trust and honesty. But she never listened. She only cared about her own feelings. She only cared about keeping me under her thumb.

"Sean, no!" Kathy suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my wrist.

Her hand was cold and trembling.

"I'm sorry, Sean. I really mean it. I won't test you anymore. I won't act out anymore. Just forgive me this once, okay? Let's not get divorced. Let's just… be normal. Please."

Her tears fell onto the back of my hand, ice cold. In the past, seeing her cry would have broken me. I would have caved. But now? I just felt numb.

"It's too late."

Slowly, firmly, I pulled my hand away. My eyes were cold. Distant.

"I gave you chances. The first time you put another woman's hair on my coat to test me, I told you I hated it. The first time you faked those sexting screenshots to show me, I told you never to do it again. But you? You ignored everything I said. You kept pushing my limits. You kept pushing me to the edge. And now… it's too late for any of that."

Kathy stood frozen, tears streaming down her face. She looked at me with desperate, unwilling eyes.

I didn't say another word. I walked into the bedroom, opened the closet, and pulled out the suitcase I'd packed weeks ago. There wasn't much inside—just a few changes of clothes and some important documents. This marriage had given me so little and left me with so much pain.

I zipped the suitcase shut and walked back out.

Kathy was still standing there, staring at me with empty eyes.

Just as I reached the front door, she suddenly ran at me and wrapped her arms around my waist from behind, holding on tight.

"Sean, you can't leave! You can't just abandon me!"

Her voice cracked, raw with desperation.

"I'm pregnant! Sean, I'm pregnant! Do you want our baby to grow up without a father?"

I stopped in my tracks.

Pregnant?

For a second, I hesitated. Then it hit me. This was just another one of her tricks. Another desperate attempt to keep me trapped.

We hadn't been intimate in nearly a year. I'd spent every single day consumed by her games, her suspicion, her endless tests. I was exhausted. Completely drained. There was no way she was pregnant.

I turned around slowly and looked at her tear-streaked face. I had to admit—her acting had gotten good. The wounded look in her eyes, the trembling in her body, the desperation in her voice… it would have fooled anyone.

But five years of lies and manipulation had left me completely hollow. I wasn't going to believe another word out of her mouth.

"Oh, really? You're pregnant."

My voice was flat. Emotionless. Like I was talking about the weather.

"Fine. Then let's go to the hospital right now. If the test comes back and you really are carrying my child, I'll pretend none of this ever happened. We'll start over. We'll make it work."

Kathy's crying stopped instantly.

Panic flashed across her face. She stammered for a moment before finally managing, "I-it's too late for that. The hospital… they're closed. Let's just go tomorrow, okay?"

I almost laughed. Fake. Of course, it was fake.

I didn't call her out. I just pulled out my phone, unlocked the screen, and started dialing. "No problem. Private clinics are open twenty-four hours. I'll call one right now and book an appointment. We're going. If you're really pregnant, I'll bring you straight home and take care of you myself."

Kathy's face went white. She shrieked and lunged for my phone, grabbing at my hand.

"No! Sean, don't call! Please!"

Her face was pale as a ghost. Her eyes were wide with pure terror.