“That’s rich, coming from you.”
“What doe–”
Eliana’s brows leapt straight into her hairline as she straightened and pointed at the mats below. “Hey, look! It’s Abby’s turn.”
They fell silent, watching as Abby spun and punched and kicked her way across the floor. Eliana snuck a sideways glance and fought a snicker at Milo’s bemused expression.
“Does she get points for fighting the air?” He asked.
Eliana laughed, nodding, ignoring Jesse as he fumed ather side. She explained how it was a foundational skill—showcasing technical mastery and mental discipline.
But as she watched, and she explained, she suddenly understood Abby with crystal-clear clarity. She was always so stressed about whether she’d practiced enough. Prepared enough. Worked hard enough. Fighting the air, not just on the mat—but every second of every day.
Eliana should’ve been pissed at Milo for goading Jesse, for picking a fight that she now needed to finish, but Eliana found she didn’t care. The clock was ticking to put things in motion, and Jesse was right—now was as good a time as ever.
Eliana was sick of fighting the air.
She was ready to spar.
Carpe diem, right?
As soon as Abby finished her routine, Eliana stood, indicating for Jesse to stand with her. “We’ll be back in a moment,” Eliana said to Milo, who nodded, his eyes watchful.
She hurried back down the bleachers, then turned for the doors at the back end of the gymnasium, away from the concession. As she moved along the edge of the wall, dodging feet and loose children, she glanced up to find Abby’s eyes tracking their movement—but the girl turned away as soon as Eliana raised a hand to wave.
That was odd.
She didn’t have time to think about the matter before she was at the doors, and she found herself standing in an abandoned hall, lined with lockers and darkened classroom windows. It smelled like disinfectant and feet.
“I know about the credit cards,” Eliana said, jumping straight into the matter before he had a chance to speak. The first, most vital thing she needed to do was curb his spending. There was nothing for him to say, and she had nointerest in hearing the words. She was aiming for the element of surprise, and she was pleased to note she’d succeeded.
Jesse’s eyes were wide when she met them. As crystal clear as the Emerald Coast, and yet—he was floundering within. Panicking.Good.
“I’m guessing you asked the bank to pull your credit score recently, because you received a copy of your credit report in the mail last week. Imagine my surprise to find out you had over sixty thousand dollars in personal credit debt.”
“I—”
Eliana lowered her voice as she recited back the words he’d said to her so long ago. “It’s all in my name, so if you call, they’re just going to want to talk to me anyways. It’d be easier if I just took care of it. Can you trust me to do that?” Eliana paused, holding his stare. “That’s what you said to me when I asked if I could help. Do you remember that? So many things make sense, knowing this. Why you kept me in the dark for so long. You werehidingthis. You were manipulating me. Gaslighting me every step of the way.”
Jesse was shaking his head, his eyes wild, but Eliana pushed forward, barely pausing long enough to suck in another breath. “I’m giving you eight weeks. Eight weeks to make a change. To cut away the fat. Refinance. Maybe get yourself some help and learn how to control your spending.”
“How—”
“I don’t care.”
“You can’t?—”
“No.” Eliana stepped forward, jabbing a finger into his chest, fire flashing in her eyes. “You lost the privilege to tell me what I can’t do when you betrayed my trust.” She turned away, holding her chin high and forcing her shoulders backdespite the exhaustion weighing them down. The relief is what carried her forward—knowing that something was finally out in the open. That she no longer had to pretend things were normal, or that she wasn’t furious.
“What if I can’t?” Jesse’s voice called, desperate, as she paused by the door, her fingers wrapped around the handle. “We’re married, Elly. We’re partners.”
“We’ve never been partners,” Eliana said. “I’m only disappointed in myself that it took so long to see the truth.” She glanced back at him, ready to deliver the final blow that she’d practiced in the mirror just that morning. “If I don’t see that things have changed, then I don’t see a point in continuing this sham of a marriage.”
She watched the meaning of her words land, his features twisting. It was a calculated risk, hinting at what she planned to do—but she needed him to panic. To act rashly.
“You don’t mean?—“
“I assure you, I do,” Eliana worked to keep the sharpness from her tone, aiming for one of regret and sorrow. Something that would inspire hope, to keep him moving. But even she wasn’t a good enough actress to hide the bite in her voice when she said, “I hate the fact that I need to say this in the first place—but if one penny goes missing from the girls’ college fund, I will not hesitate to walk away.” She turned the handle. “Eight weeks.”
