“But you go to her place all the time, don’t you?”
Why was she asking this? It would only hurt her more. But I didn’t lie. “Yes.”
Her voice broke slightly as she asked, “Did you fuck her while you were still living with me, Cameron?”
Her eyes started to glisten, and she blinked hard, refusing to let the tears fall. That was Sloane. She never showed emotions. Never let anyone see her break. She wore her silence like armor and never let the cracks show, not even when they hurt.
“Yes.” My voice was barely audible, the weight of guilt choking my words, but somehow, she still heard me.
The sharp inhale she took made me want to rush to her and pull her into my arms.
I’m so sorry, Sloane.
But she stiffened quickly, forcing herself to regain control.
“You blamed the fights, Cam, but you’d already slept with her before you left. Just admit it. You left for her.”
“They were all the same reason, Sloane. We weren’t together anymore—not in any way that mattered. It stopped being amarriage, or even a relationship, when we barely spoke, barely looked at each other. When every word turned sharp, and all we did was hurt each other.” I paused, searching her eyes. “We don’t even touch anymore. We don’t kiss. When was the last time we kissed? Because I can’t remember.”
“Then why did you stay?” she asked, bitterness lacing her words. “Why did it take you that long to leave me, especially when you already have her?”
“Because...” I let out a slow breath. “Because I couldn’t stand the thought of hurting you. I know it’s hard to believe, but you still matter to me.”
She looked at me with pure devastation in her eyes. “Just not enough to love me.”
I didn’t answer her. But in my mind, the question echoed: did I still love her? Was there any part of that feeling still left in me? Or maybe it was just the memory of it, clinging like smoke in the aftermath of fire.
But I knew deep in my heart that the answer still came surprisingly easy, and I could not deny it.Yes, I did. I still loved her.
“And now you want me to understand? To forgive you?” she said, her voice rising, trembling with disbelief. “You cheated on me. You left me. And your excuse is that we were fighting too much?”
I didn’t respond to that. I couldn’t, because it would hurt her more.
But that was exactly what happened. We drifted so far apart that somewhere along the way, we stopped recognizing the people we had become. We lost ourselves, piece by piece, without even noticing. And by the time the silence between us felt unbearable, it was already too late. We no longer knew how to reach out to each other. We didn’t know the way back.
Sloane was silent for a long moment, her eyes fixed on the floor, her hand never leaving her throat. Then she spoke softly. “Cameron...” Her voice faltered, and she still wouldn’t meet my gaze. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive you. Or understand why you gave up on us and found comfort in someone else.”
Her eyes finally lifted to meet mine, distant and cold. “But I’m letting you go. I’m not going to argue, and I’m not going to fight for you. I’m certainly not holding onto any hope that you’ll come back. From now on, our relationship will be about co-parenting. Nothing more.”
I remained silent, unable to find words. There was a finality in her voice, a sharp edge I hadn’t felt before, even though we had been apart for a month. This time, it felt like the end.
My hands slipped into my pants pockets, trying to hide the trembling as I nodded. “Okay.”
She nodded too, and I saw how hard she was fighting to keep it together. “Now, Cameron. Please leave.” She turned back to the vanity without looking at me. “You don’t live here anymore.”
I stood there, watching her, and I could feel her heartbreak from across the room. I knew I’d broken her. But as much as it hurt, I also knew I couldn’t keep living the way we had been.
“I’m sorry, Sloane. I know forgiveness feels out of reach right now, maybe even impossible. But I hope that one day, you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me. We loved each other once, truly and deeply. And no matter how far we’ve fallen, that part of us will always remain.”
She stayed silent, offering no response. And I understood. It was hard for me, too.
Just as I started to turn away, I heard her say quietly, “I’ll file for divorce. And I’m taking everything I have the right to. But custody of Harper will be mine. We’ll figure out the visitation.”
Her words hit me like a blow, and I spun back toward her, panic flaring. “I’ll see her whenever I want, Sloane. You can’t take my child away from me.”
She didn’t flinch. “I’m not taking her away. Of course, you’ll see her. You’re her father. But you can’t simply come and go from this house whenever you please. It’s not appropriate anymore. We’ll set up a schedule. You’ll call first and arrange a time.”
I knew arguing with her was pointless at that moment. And deep down, I had to admit she was right. I could no longer come and go as freely.
