Chapter 4

The next morning, I was ready.

Suitcase by the door. Passport in my pocket.

I' d already emailed Jess a brief note. "I'm leaving. The engagement is off. My lawyer will be in touch about the apartment."

She came out of the bedroom, yawning, then saw the suitcase.

Her eyes widened.

"Mike? What' s this? Are you going on a trip?"

She hadn't read her email. Of course.

"I'm leaving, Jess," I said, my voice even.

"Leaving? Leaving where? For how long?" She looked confused, then a flicker of annoyance. "Is this still about Ethan? I told you, you' re overreacting."

I picked up my suitcase.

"Mike, stop." Panic finally entered her voice. She rushed towards me, grabbing my arm. "Don't go. What are you doing?"

Her touch felt alien.

"I meant what I said in the email, Jess."

"Email? What email?" She fumbled for her phone.

"It doesn' t matter now," I said. I gently removed her hand from my arm.

"Mike, please," her voice cracked. "Don't do this. We can talk about this. We can fix this."

Fix this? Seven years of erosion, culminating in blatant disrespect and lies?

"There's nothing to fix, Jess."

I opened the door.

"Don't go, Mike!" she cried, tears welling in her eyes. "I love you!"

Her words, once the anchor of my world, now sounded hollow, desperate.

Tainted.

I stepped out into the hallway and pulled the door shut behind me, her cries muffled.

I didn't look back.

The words "I love you" echoed in my mind, but they were just noise now.

Static.