“When you put it like that…” My fingers twisted the hem of my shirt.“It sounds horrible.”
Wyatt leaned back in his chair, eyes dark, jaw working as if he were physically biting back words.“That’s because itishorrible, Rose.You just walked out.No explanation, no note, nothing.Do you have any idea what that did to me?”
Guilt sliced through me, hot and relentless, making my voice tiny as I answered.“I panicked.”
He laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that didn’t belong to him.“Yeah, I got that part.What I don’t get is why.One minute we’re us, and the next you’re gone.You don’t answer my texts, you don’t come home… You can’t just vanish and expect me to play along like everything’s fine.”
“I didn’t expect you to play along,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, but it trembled anyway.“I just needed time to breathe.”
“Time?”He slammed the laptop shut, and I flinched.“I gave you eleven years of time, Rose.I thought we were past running when things get hard.”
“I’m not running,” I said, but even to my own ears, it sounded weak.
He came around the desk, hands braced on the edge as if he needed it to stay upright.“Then what are you doing?”
The words pressed against my chest, heavy and desperate to get out.I wanted to tell him everything.Tell him the nausea wasn’t from stress, that my entire world—ourentire world—had changed that morning, but fear rooted me in place.The memory of his voice echoingI love you too much to marry youcut too deeply.
“I’m trying to figure things out,” I managed.
He huffed a humorless laugh.“Well, while you’re figuring things out, I’m over here trying to remember how to breathe without you.”
His honesty slammed into me like a dagger to the heart.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“You did anyway.”His voice broke, and it undid me.
“I just…” I swallowed the sob rising in my chest.“I didn’t want to say something I couldn’t take back.I thought if I had a little space, maybe I’d stop feeling like everything was falling apart.”
Wyatt shook his head, eyes glassy.“You could’ve told me that instead of disappearing.”
“I know.”
The silence stretched until it became unbearable.
Finally, he exhaled and looked away.“You don’t have to lie for me, Rose.If you’re done, just say it.”
My heart pounded.Say it.The truth burned at the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t.Not yet.“I’m not done,” I said quietly.“I just… need time before everyone knows.”
He blinked, confusion flickering behind the pain.“Knows what?”
Panic clawed at my throat.“That we broke up,” I blurted, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.“I don’t want questions.Not yet.”
He stared at me for a long, unbearable moment, searching for something in my expression I wasn’t giving him.Then he nodded once.“Whatever you want, Rose.”
I turned before he could see the tears threatening to spill again, my hand instinctively pressing against my stomach as I walked out.
Lying had never been my strong suit, so the fact that I was lying to every single person I knew tore me up inside.It was only a matter of time before my fake smile faltered and the truth spilled out in an endless stream of depression.
But Rose asked for time, and there was one thing I would always do, and that was give Rose whatever she wanted.
Except that was a big fucking lie now, wasn’t it?
I didn’t believe in marriage because it destroyed my family, but now, somehow, not getting married destroyed me and Rose.
With a loud sigh, I thrust my hands through my hair and let my head fall onto the steering wheel.This nightmare of a day was finally over.I could go home and avoid anyone who made me want to spill the beans.Which was… basically everyone I loved.
Though when I pulled into my driveway, it didn’t feel like home anymore.It felt empty and lonely.Rose wasn’t in the seat beside me.She wasn’t pulling up just after me.She wasn’t on the porch steps waiting for me with that beautiful smile and bright joy in her eyes.
