A honeymoon for Jason and Lily. A family vacation for my son—without me. A sharp, hollow ache spread through my chest, but I crushed it down.
I called again. And again. Still, no answer.
Finally, I opened my messages and began to type.
To Jason Romano
“Thank you for teaching me the most painful lesson of my life. Thank you for showing me how little I meant to you. Thank you for making it so easy to let go. Congratulations on your new family. I hope Lily makes you happier than I ever could.”
I hesitated, then added one final line.
“Goodbye, Jason.”
Then, with a steady breath, I pressed send.
That was the last message he would ever receive from me.
I made sure the flames consumed everything. The memories. The pain. The Emma Romano that had been discarded like trash.
As the fire spread, I stood outside in the shadows, watching the flames engulf the place I had once called home.
The laughter that once filled these walls was gone.
Noah used to run through those hallways, calling my name in excitement.
"Mommy! Mommy, look at me!”
He used to crawl into my lap, his small arms wrapping around my neck as he whispered, "I love you, Mommy."
But now—now he was in Lily’s arms.
Now he called her Mommy.