Chapter 3

After I got back to our old place, I started packing.

When Emma came home and saw the suitcase, she assumed I was getting ready for our honeymoon.

"Already? Someone's excited."

She glanced at the clothes I was packing and frowned.

"Why are you bringing summer clothes when we're going to Northreach? You're going to freeze."

I went still.

We agreed years ago that we would spend our honeymoon in Sorelia. It was where we first met.

Back then, she kissed my cheek and said, "No matter how many times we come back here, at least the person beside me will always be the same."

That was why I asked her to book the tickets three days ago.

Before I could stop myself, I asked, "Aren't we going to Sorelia?"

Emma frowned and pulled two plane tickets from her bag. They were for Northreach.

Then, a third ticket slipped out and landed on the floor. Same date. Same destination.

Emma froze for a second before forcing out an explanation.

"I must've heard you wrong. I thought you said Northreach. I guess I clicked the wrong thing when I booked everything and accidentally bought an extra ticket."

Kevin's name was printed right across it.

I remembered the post he made three days earlier, full of videos of the northern lights over Northreach.

[It would be nice if someone took me to see the northern lights. Guess I'll just put that wish out into the universe.]

Now, I knew exactly who decided to make it come true.

Emma might not always hear my words, but the truth was, she had stopped listening to me a long time ago.

I tilted my head back and blinked away the tears. "Cancel my ticket."

That was the last of Emma's patience.

"Why does it matter where we go? And what's wrong with Kevin coming? Having another person there just means there's someone else to help out. Why does everything have to turn into an argument with you? Lately, you take everything so personally."

I looked straight at Emma. I couldn't believe she was the one saying that.

After I finally got away from Joel's abuse, there was a period when I barely knew how to hold myself together.

Whenever I lost my temper or broke down, Emma never made me feel ashamed of it.

She would wipe my tears away. She would even put on that terrible version of my hometown accent and tell dumb jokes until I finally laughed.

Not once had she ever told me I was being too sensitive.

I took a breath. "I'm not trying to argue. I'm just saying I'm…"

Emma's special ringtone cut me off. Kevin was calling.

She covered the phone and disappeared into the study. The door shut behind her, leaving the words "leaving for good" stuck in my throat.

Late that night, I heard her sighing through the study door.

"He's already this difficult now. I don't even want to think about what it'll be like after we're married. I stayed by his side through all of that until he got better. I never complained, but sometimes, I wonder if he even realizes how much it took out of me."

I heard every word. Each one hurt more than the last.

I couldn't hear what Kevin said on the other end, but Emma's tone changed immediately.

"You're not feeling well? Alright. Wait for me. Once he's asleep, I'll come over to the new house."

Standing on the other side of the study door, I let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

She didn't need to sneak around anymore. I wasn't going to get in her way.

I leaned against the door for a moment, listening to the tenderness in her voice as she spoke to Kevin.

Emma had always hated voice messages, but she played his over and over.

Eventually, I had heard enough.

I went back to the bedroom and, for the first time in a long while, slept straight through the night.

I didn't even hear Emma leave.

Early the next morning, a burst of laughter and cheering from downstairs woke me up.