As the engine hummed to life, the car’s interior warmth battled the chill clinging to my bones. Damian’s presence was always commanding, but today it felt like a shield. I clutched his jacket, letting its heat and familiar scent ground me in the moment.
Outside, the world seemed distant, surreal even. The sting of humiliation from moments ago faded in the cocoon of the car, giving me space to breathe. I drew in a deep breath, steadying myself for whatever lay ahead.
We drove in silence until Damian broke it, his voice low and steady. “You deserve better than this, Lena. I’ve watched you bend over backward for their world, but that ends today.”
His words soothed the raw edges of my emotions. I had spent years trying to appease Kenneth’s family, attempting to fit into roles that never felt right. But today, that illusion had finally shattered.
Damian continued, “I’ve arranged for you to stay at the penthouse until you decide your next steps. Take your time to heal and think.”
I nodded, speechless. The penthouse represented sanctuary, a world away from pretenses, a place where I could breathe and perhaps rediscover myself.
As we stopped at a traffic light, reality sank in. My marriage lay in ruins, exposed under the harsh light of truth. And yet, there was a strange liberation in that exposure—freedom from lies, from pretense.
