Caroline waited until everyone had left before turning back to me, her voice a hiss. “Explain to me what the fuck is going on with you.”
My response was just as sharp. “Nothing that’s your business, Caroline. You and Caleb need to stay out of it.”
“Of course it’s our business, you asshole. You’re our brother, and it is embarrassing what you did. You’re the youngest, and believe it or not, we prided ourselves on the fact that you grew up to be a good man.”
She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. And even though she was seething, this was a good version of Caroline. Her tongue was sharp as a knife, and her temper matched.
“Until this fucking news I heard this morning.” She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at me. “You told Caleb he didn’t understand because he’s not married. Well, I’ve been married for fifteen years. I have three kids. So tell me—what exactly is it that I don’t know?”
The pain throbbing in my head was getting worse, and all I wanted was not to talk about this, to be somewhere alone. Somewhere no one would question me or look at me like I was despicable. I just wanted silence. I just wanted space.
But I knew there was no escaping Caroline. Maybe Caleb, but not her.
“Sloane and I have drifted apart,” I said. “It’s been years of fighting, pulling away, barely even talking. I can’t be with her anymore.”
When I didn’t continue, she said through gritted teeth, “Go on, tell me. What other excuses do you have?”
“I’ve tried, Car. I’ve tried for years. But after twelve years, I finally realized she never loved me. It was so fucking hard for her to open up, to let me in. She built this wall so high I couldn’t even see over it, let alone climb it. And I’ve had it. I want to move on.”
Caroline folded her arms tighter. “You knew the kind of person Sloane was. You dated her. You married her. And now you’re complaining? People don’t change, Cam, not at their core. You can’t reshape someone’s bones and expect them to fit the version you want. It was up to you to accept her for who she is and adjust accordingly. You chose her. So own that choice.
“Now ask yourself—did you ever really love her? Or just the idea of who you thought she could be?”
“I love Sloane. I still do. But I can’t be with someone if all I feel is anger and pain all the damn time. You think I never tried? I did, Caroline. I fucking tried. I tried to understand her. I tried to accept that she never said she loved me. That whenever something was bothering her, she’d shut down, pull away, and retreat into herself. Whenever something was wrong, she wouldn’t talk to me about it. Instead, I got a cold shoulder. Sometimes for days. Sometimes for weeks. Until she was ready, on her terms, for us to talk again.”
“Sloane is a strong woman. Fiercely independent. Her guards wrapped around her like armor, and they always have been. That’s just who she is. You know that. And I respected it. But she needs an even stronger man to handle her. Have you ever thought about that?”
Caroline stepped closer and poked my chest with her finger. “You’re just not strong enough for her.”
“Maybe,” I sighed. “Maybe I’m not. But I’ve been trying, persistently, Car. I tried for twelve years. Isn’t that enough?”
She searched my face, not even trying to hide the disappointment. Then she shook her head slowly. “I just can’t with you, Cameron. You didn’t just break her heart. You broke Mom’s, Caleb’s, and mine. We love her. What you did is despicable. Tell me, who is this other woman you fucked every night?”
Her harsh words scraped down to my bones. I lowered my voice. “Her name is Evie.”
“Where and when did you meet her?” she prodded.
“Things started getting really bad these past three months. I could barely stand being at the house. After we picked up Harper, I dropped them off and went for a drive. I met Evie at the pier. I went there for solitude and silence, a place to think. She was sitting on the other bench on my left. We both had a bottle of beer in our hands.”
I paused, daring myself to meet Caroline’s eyes. Her anger only seemed to grow.
“We talked. Then I came back the next day, and she was there again. One thing led to another.”
Caroline was silent, seemingly at a loss for words.
“One day, I followed her home. And I found myself coming back again and again. That’s how this thing between us started.”I paused and sighed. “I left home about a month ago. I rented a studio near the hospital.”
“So, three months with this woman could erase twelve years of a relationship? Ten years of marriage with Sloane?”
“It’s not erasing, Car. I’m moving on. I want to be happy.”
“And this woman you barely know—she can give you that?”
It took me a few seconds before I replied, “Yes.”
Caroline’s eyes narrowed to a slit. “You don’t sound so sure, Cam. You forget I know you better than that.”
When I didn’t respond, she said, “And now you’re asking for a divorce?”
