“Vanessa.”
“Eight.”
Adrian turned sharply.
“What the hell?”
She looked at him through tears.
“I’m not lying anymore.”
Eight months.
My birthday had been seven months earlier.
Vanessa organized the dinner.
She ordered the cake.
She took pictures while Adrian kissed me beneath the restaurant lights.
I asked the question even though I already knew the answer.
“Were you sleeping with him then?”
Vanessa whispered, “Yes.”
Something inside me became very quiet.
Adrian began talking rapidly.
“This wasn’t planned. We were both unhappy. Things between you and me had been difficult—”
“For whom?”
“What?”
“I didn’t know we were unhappy.”
“You knew I was distant.”
“You told me you were overworked.”
“I was confused.”
“You were sleeping with Vanessa.”
“That happened after things started going wrong.”
I looked at him carefully.
“No. Things started going wrong because you were sleeping with Vanessa.”
He rubbed his forehead.
Vanessa whispered, “Caroline, I’m sorry.”
I turned toward her.
“You called me three weeks ago crying because you said you were lonely.”
She covered her mouth.
“I spent two hours comforting you.”
“I know.”
“You were sleeping with my husband.”
Her tears fell harder.
“I never wanted to hurt you.”
“That sentence should be illegal.”
Adrian snapped, “Enough. She already said she’s sorry.”
There it was again.
Protection.
I looked at him.
“Get out.”
He stared at me.
“This apartment is mine too.”
“No, Adrian. This apartment belonged to my mother before she died. My name is the only one on the deed.”
“We’re married.”
“That doesn’t turn inheritance into communal property by magic.”
His expression changed for half a second.
Fear.
Small.
But unmistakable.
I noticed.
Then he recovered.
“Don’t make permanent decisions while you’re angry.”
“You slept with my best friend for eight months.”
“Caroline.”
“And you’re worried I might make a rash decision tonight?”
Vanessa looked at Adrian.
That look told me something.
They had discussed this.
Not merely the affair.
The possibility of me finding out.
Adrian said quietly, “Maybe we should take some time apart.”
Vanessa lowered her face.
But not quickly enough.
I saw the tiny smile.
A fraction of a second.
Relief.
That smile did more for me than any confession could have.
Until that moment, I still thought I was fighting for something.
Then I understood there was nothing left to fight for.
“Fine.”
Adrian blinked.
“What?”
“You want time apart? Take all the time you need.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know exactly what you meant.”
I walked into the bedroom and pulled a suitcase from the closet.
Adrian followed.
“What are you doing?”
“Leaving tonight.”
“This is ridiculous.”
I ignored him.
I packed clothes, medication, my laptop, passport, birth certificate, external drive, bank cards, and the leather portfolio containing documents from my mother’s estate.
