Chapter 1

Caleb' s mother invited me to Thanksgiving dinner, a first in the seven years Caleb and I had been together. I thought it was a sign of acceptance, a step forward. I even picked out a thoughtful, expensive gift for her.

When I arrived, the warmth I expected wasn't there. The air was thick with a strange tension. And then I saw her. Maria Chavez, Caleb' s high school sweetheart, was standing in the living room like she owned the place.

A small boy, maybe five years old, was with her. He saw Caleb and his face lit up.

"Daddy!"

The boy ran and hugged Caleb's legs. Caleb just ruffled his hair, a casual smile on his face. He didn't even look at me.

"Maddy, you're here," he said, his tone flat. "This is Maria and her son, Leo. She' s having a tough time, so she' s staying with my mom for a bit."

A bit? The whole scene felt wrong. I stood there, holding the gift, feeling like an intruder in my own life.

The dinner was a performance of my humiliation. Caleb' s mother, who had never called me anything but Madisyn, cooed over Leo, calling him her "perfect little grandson." She completely ignored me.

Caleb and Maria sat side-by-side, sharing food from the same plate. At one point, he picked up a piece of turkey with his fork and fed it directly to her. They laughed like I wasn't even at the table.

I tried to stay calm, to endure it. But then, Maria started to cry softly, telling Caleb how hard her life was as a single mother. Leo, seeing his mother's tears, turned to me. His small face was twisted in anger.

He pointed a tiny finger at me. "You made my mommy sad!"

Before I could react, his small hand flew out and slapped my cheek. It didn't hurt physically, but the shock of it froze me.

The entire table went silent. Then, Caleb's mother spoke, her voice sharp. "Madisyn, apologize to Leo. You upset him."

I stared at her, then at Caleb, waiting for him to defend me.

He didn't.

"Maddy, just say you're sorry," Caleb said, his voice laced with annoyance. "He's just a kid. Don't make a scene."

My eyes scanned the room and landed on the mantelpiece. Sitting there was a high-end architectural drafting set, the kind for professionals, not children. It was the exact set Caleb had me buy last month. He told me it was for his "nephew" who was "gifted in art."

It was for Leo. He had lied, using my money to buy a gift for his ex-girlfriend's son.

That was the final straw. The carefully constructed fantasy of our life together shattered into a million pieces.

I stood up, my chair scraping loudly against the floor. I didn't say a word. I just turned and walked out of the dining room, leaving the gift I brought on the table, unopened.

Caleb followed me into the hallway, grabbing my arm. "Where are you going? Don't be so dramatic."

"Let go of me, Caleb." My voice was cold, empty.

"Not until you go back in there and apologize. You were cruel. Maria is a victim, and Leo is a fatherless child. You have no empathy."

I just looked at him, at the man I had loved and supported for seven years. I didn't recognize him.

"No."

His face contorted with rage. The sound of his hand hitting my face echoed in the hallway. It was sharp, stinging.

He stared at me, his chest heaving. "You're toxic, Madisyn. You're so damn cruel."

I didn't cry. I didn't even flinch. I just felt a profound sense of clarity. It was over.

"We're done," I said, my voice steady.

I turned and walked out the front door, leaving him standing there in the ruins of our relationship.