Chapter 2

I didn’t go far, just to the small apartment I’d kept since before we married. A secret safety net I never thought I’d need. It was dusty, but it was mine. I sat on the old couch, the silence a comfort after the chaos of Ethan’s life. For days, I just existed. Then, I called him. “We need to talk, Ethan.” He sounded annoyed. “Liv? Where the hell have you been? I’ve been worried.” Worried. Right. “I’m at my old place. I want a divorce.” Silence. Then a scoff. “A divorce? Don’t be ridiculous. What is this, another one of your games? What do you want this time?” I met him at a neutral coffee shop a few days later. He swaggered in, all expensive suit and confidence. Candace was not with him, a small mercy. “Alright, Liv, let’s get this over with. What’s your price?” He pulled out a checkbook. “I don’t want your money, Ethan.” He looked genuinely surprised. “Then what? The house? The cars? You want to bleed me dry for embarrassing you?” “I want my freedom,” I said, my voice even. “I want nothing from you. Just sign the papers.” He stared at me, searching my face. “You’re serious?” “Deadly serious.” He leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. “Fine. You want to play tough? Go ahead. You’ll come crawling back. You always do.” He thought this was a tactic, a way to get more attention, more concessions. He had no idea. He was still seeing Candace, of course. I saw pictures on her Instagram, her posing in our kitchen, wearing one of his shirts. She even posted a story from his favorite chair in the study. It didn’t hurt anymore, it just solidified my decision. He was making this easy.