Chapter 1

I posted the picture from the Napa work retreat, a glass of red wine in my hand, vineyards stretching behind me.

A moment of peace, a small reward for months of hard work.

My phone rang almost immediately. Mark.

His voice was a whip crack in my ear.

"Napa? You're in Napa, drinking wine?"

I could hear the strain, the barely controlled anger.

"While I'm here, stressed out of my mind about Jessie? Her separation is getting nasty, Sarah, she's fragile!"

Fragile Jessie. Always fragile. Always needing Mark.

I looked at the divorce petition on my laptop screen, a sample I' d been drafting for a hypothetical client, something to keep my mind busy during the quiet evening.

Jane Doe vs. John Doe.

My fingers moved, deleting, typing.

Sarah Miller vs. Mark Thompson.

A quiet resolve settled in my chest. I was done.

Seven years of marriage, seven years of this.

"Sarah? Are you even listening to me? Jessie needs support, not you gallivanting around!"

His voice was still grating, insistent.

I took a slow breath.

"I'm listening, Mark."

"Good. Because when you get back, you need to talk to her. Apologize. She thinks you don't understand what she's going through."

Apologize. For his affair. For his neglect.

"No, Mark."

The line went silent for a beat.

Then, his anger, no longer strained, just raw.

"What do you mean, no? Sarah, she's breaking down! I'm trying to help her, and you're making it harder!"

Help her. He was always helping Jessie.

The words on the screen seemed to glow. Sarah Miller vs. Mark Thompson.

It felt right.

"I have to go, Mark. Enjoy your evening."

I hung up before he could escalate further.

The wine in my glass suddenly tasted bitter.

The vineyard view, once beautiful, now just a backdrop to a decision made.

I saved the document.

My decision. My life.