“Take him and leave my house. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
At my words, Lavinia’s eyes went wide with panic. She reached out to grab me.
“Phineas, don’t do this, okay? You can show kindness to a stray cat, so why are you so cold to someone who’s lonely?”
I pushed her hand away, my voice flat. “Because when I saved the cat, it gave me warmth in return. But him? Helping him only makes him worse.”
“When we dated, you always dragged him along. When we were in bed, you left me to calm him down and put him to sleep. Even our wedding, it was ruined again and again because of him. Tell me, if being with you means nothing but exhaustion, why should I keep staying with you?”
“We’re breaking off the engagement right now. From this moment on, we’re done.”
“Take him and go.”
Lavinia’s face went pale at my shouting. Having been caught in such shamelessness with Cedric, she had no strength left to argue.
Cedric, however, grew agitated. He clenched his fist and swung at me.
“Don’t bully Lavinia. I’m mentally ill, if you make me angry and I kill you, I still won’t go to jail.”
That same excuse again. Rage boiled in me, and I kicked him hard, sending him sprawling.