Before leaving, he threw me one last sentence. “Elara, hold on for a bit. I’ll take Briar to the hospital and come right back to bandage your wound.”

I watched them disappear down the hallway.

Slowly, I wiped away my tears and the blood on my face.

Then I closed my suitcase, set the signed divorce papers neatly on the table, and picked up my travel documents. Without looking back, I walked toward the train station.