Chapter 35

“We should get a divorce,” I said, barely recognizing the sound of my own voice.

It came out flat, too quiet, but somehow it still cut through the silence like a blade. My throat burned. The words tasted like ash, bitter and final.

Benjamin turned to me first, then my mother. Their eyes snapped toward me like the world had just shifted. I didn’t look at either of them. I just stared ahead, blinking rapidly as the tears I had been trying to hold back finally pushed through.

“That’s the only thing we can do now,” I murmured, wiping my cheek with the back of my hand, even though another tear slipped out right after.

Benjamin’s fingers ran through his hair, dragging roughly at the strands like he wanted to tear something apart. He looked… lost. His jaw clenched as he looked at me. “This isn’t right,” he said in a broken whisper.

My chest tightened. “I know.” My voice cracked. “But what choice do we have, Benjamin? We can’t keep doing this. It’s wrong.”