Chapter 8

Matthew's expression changed as he rushed toward her.

“Don't move.”

“I'm fine, Matthew.”

“No, you're bleeding.” He grabbed her hand and looked at the cut. “How the hell did you manage to hurt yourself like this?”

“It's just a cut.”

“Just a cut? Look at your finger.” He pulled her up. “Come on. Let's clean that.”

I stood there and watched. He didn't even look at the broken photo, not once. The picture that represented the beginning of our marriage was lying shattered on the floor, but Matthew's entire attention was on Jennifer's tiny cut.

I looked down, and something inside me finally went quiet. So that's it. That's really it.

I'd spent years wondering when Matthew stopped loving me, but maybe I shouldn't have wondered. Maybe I should've just looked at the way he treated me.

I slowly crouched down, and my fingers brushed over the broken pieces of glass before I picked up the photograph. My younger self was smiling, and Matthew was smiling too. We looked so happy.

I stared at the picture for a long time before laughing quietly.

“What the hell happened to us?”

I placed the photograph inside my suitcase and was about to close it when something inside me suddenly snapped.

No.

I wasn't taking this with me.

I was done pretending.

I stood up and reached for my dark glasses. Matthew was still standing beside Jennifer, ready to treat her wound, so I slowly removed my glasses and dropped them onto the table. After that, I let go of my cane, and it fell against the floor.

The sound made Matthew turn around.

His eyes widened.

“Annika?”

I looked straight at him. For the first time in years, I wasn't pretending. I wasn't looking through dark glasses, I wasn't pretending to need my cane, and I wasn't acting like I couldn't see the man who had destroyed my marriage.

Matthew stared at me, and I could see the shock on his face.

“What the fuck...”

Jennifer froze.

I smiled bitterly. “My eyes are cured.”

Silence filled the room.

Matthew took one step toward me. “Annika...”

“Yes.” I looked directly at him. “I can see.”

His face changed completely. “Since when?”

“Long enough.”

I picked up my suitcase.

“Long enough to see everything.”

Matthew's jaw tightened. “You've been pretending?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I laughed quietly. “Why do you think?”

He stared at me, and I could see the questions racing through his head. How much had I seen? How much did I know?

I didn't answer any of those questions because I didn't owe him an explanation.

Matthew suddenly moved, and his eyes shifted toward the stairs.

“Jennifer!”

I turned just in time to see Jennifer standing near the staircase. She suddenly stumbled backward.

“Ah!”

Her body fell down several steps.

“Jennifer!”

Matthew's face changed, and he immediately rushed toward her. She landed at the bottom of the stairs and started crying.

“Matthew...”

Her voice trembled.

“My leg...”

Matthew ran to her without hesitation. “Don't move!”

“I'm scared.”

“Fuck, Jennifer, stay still!” He dropped to his knees beside her. “Where does it hurt?”

“My back...” She started crying harder. “Matthew, I think I hurt my back.”

“I've got you.”

He immediately reached for his phone.

“Call the doctor. Now!”

I stood there and watched him. A few seconds ago, he had been demanding answers from me, but now he'd forgotten everything because Jennifer had fallen down a few stairs.

I looked at the woman crying on the floor, and Jennifer met my eyes.

For the briefest second, her tears disappeared.

And I saw it.

That tiny smile.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

Of course she did.

My eyes narrowed. So this was her final move?

I almost laughed.

Matthew didn't notice because he was too busy holding her.

I looked at Matthew one last time.

I tightened my grip around my suitcase.

“Matthew.”

He looked up, and our eyes met. This time, he couldn't hide from me, and I couldn't hide from him.

“Take care of her.”

His face went pale.

“Annika...”

I turned around.

“Don't worry. You don't have to choose anymore.”

I walked toward the door. This time, I didn't need my cane, I didn't need my glasses, and I didn't need anyone to guide me. I could see perfectly well. And for the first time in three years, I could finally see my way out of the Brewster Empire.