“I know, honey, I know. This has been hard on you,” he said like he was reasoning with a child. “But it’s the New Year. Please, give me some face and let it go, okay? Ryan’s just a kid—playful, that’s all. I’ll talk to him, I promise. You’re always so healthy—nothing really happened. Let’s just move on. Be good, alright?”
His words confirmed what I’d been trying to ignore. He didn’t care about how I felt—not even a little.
I closed my eyes, letting the tears spill over. At that moment, I saw him clearly for what he was. He wasn’t my protector, my partner, or my safe place. He was someone who expected me to endure, no matter how much it hurt.
That same thought rang clear in my mind: 'I have to get a divorce.'
But I couldn’t fight them head-on. Not here, not in this remote, isolated place. I’d read too many stories about people disappearing in small villages to risk it. If I made the wrong move, I’d be the one paying the price.
So, I softened. I pretended to let it go.
“Just make sure it doesn’t happen again,” I murmured, keeping my voice even. “I was really scared this time.”