I fought to stay calm, to breathe through the pain. I wasn’t going to break down again. Not this time. I turned away and made my way back to my room, my mind a whirlwind of anger and heartbreak.
That night, as I lay in bed, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted. Everything was clearer now. The facade, the pretense, the lie that had been my life with Troy—it all collapsed in that moment. I couldn’t stay here anymore.
I pulled my laptop from the drawer and checked my email. The subject line made my heart race: Your Visa Has Been Approved.
And right beneath it, a message from my lawyer: The Divorce Papers Are Ready.
I stared at the screen, my hands trembling. It was happening. It was finally happening. I could leave. I could escape this nightmare.
I smiled to myself, a genuine smile. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a glimmer of hope.
The next morning, I made a call to my brother. “See you soon,” I whispered, the excitement in my chest blooming. “I’ll be there. I’ll be free.”
But fate had other plans.
As soon as Troy left for work, I started gathering my things. I couldn’t wait any longer. I was leaving today.