"I didn't know until now. Until I knew you're about to kill yourself to prove a point."
Heat crawls up my neck. "I'm not killing myself. I'm racing."
She ignores that. "I'm moving to Salzburg."
"So, you're letting him win? Because I won't sit out one race?"
"I´m not going home. I found a flat, Nico. I got a job at Vektor. A few days ago." Her voice is steady now. Rehearsed. "I didn't want to tell you before the season ends, I thought I´ll just go back and forth and stay here. But after yesterday, after your decision, I know I have to leave."
I turn around to face her. "You got a job. And you're moving out. Because I'm racing Finals."
"Because you won't let me stand on my own. Because you're breaking yourself to save your princess, and I can't watch it anymore."
"I'm not breaking myself. I'm doing my job."
"Your job is racing. Not proving something to my father."
"I'm not—"
"Yes, you are." She steps closer. "You've been proving it since the day he told you I'd come running back. Every mortgage payment. Every time you wince and pretend you're fine. You're racing to prove you deserve me. And to me, that's just proof you're exactly like him."
The words hit like a slap.
"I'm nothing like him."
"Aren't you? He controlled my life because he thought he knew best. You won't let me work because it threatens you. You won't let me stand on my own because then you can't be the hero."
"That's not fair."
"It's true."
I lean back against the sink. "So, you're leaving me. Because I want to race."
"I'm not leavingyou. I'm leavingthis." She gestures at the flat, at me. "This thing where I'm dependent on you and you're killing yourself to keep me. I can't do it anymore."
"You think moving out saves us?"
"I think if I don't learn to stand on my own, I'll keep letting men decide what my life is worth. And if you don't stop trying to prove you're enough by breaking yourself, you'll hate me for it." Her eyes are shining. "When your knee gives out, when your career ends because you pushed too hard—you'll look at me and think,I did this for her.Maybe not today. But eventually."
Silence.
"So yes," she continues, "I might go back to Salzburg. One cage or another, what's the difference? At least he doesn't pretend he's doing it because he loves me."
"That's not fair."
"None of this is fair. But I'm done being your princess. I'm done being the reason you destroy yourself."
She turns and walks out.
I stand there, gripping the sink, staring at the mirror.
You're exactly like him.
No. I'm just trying to take care of her. He just wanted to own her. It’s different.
Isn’t it?
I limp out of the bathroom. She's at the table, laptop open, scrolling through apartment listings.
