My Husband's Leaving LetterCHAPTER 1
The house was eerily silent. My breath caught in my throat as I stood frozen, staring at the envelope resting on the kitchen counter. It was out of place. A small, elegant thing, too neat for something that felt so heavy. The kind of envelope that you could never ignore, no matter how much you wanted to.
I hadn’t heard him leave. No keys. No footsteps. Nothing. Just this.
It couldn’t be. He wouldn’t. Not like this.
The room seemed to stretch and warp around me as I walked toward it, the letter seeming to grow larger with every step. My fingers hesitated for a split second before they reached for it. The paper was cold, too cold, and as I pulled it from the counter, I felt a sudden wave of dread wash over me.
I knew it was from him. Even without looking at the writing, I could feel Marco’s presence in the room, in the letter. But he wasn’t here. I was alone.
I turned the envelope over, the handwriting on the front unmistakable: Celia. My name.
A chill ran down my spine. There was no stamp. No return address. Only this.
I tore the flap open and pulled out the crisp, folded sheet of paper. My hands shook as I unfolded it, the words on the page swimming before my eyes. I read them once. Twice. Three times, each time feeling like I was drowning in the reality they revealed.
Celia,
I don’t know how to say this, so I’ll just say it: I’m leaving you.
I’ve made a choice. I’m in love with someone else. Her name is Victoria. I can’t keep doing this anymore. I can’t keep pretending that I’m still the man you fell in love with. That I’m still the man you deserve. I’m sorry. But I have to be with her.
I know this is a shock, and I wish I could explain myself, but it’s complicated. I thought I could keep everything together, keep you and her apart, but I can’t. I can’t lie to you anymore. I can’t keep deceiving myself. You deserve better than this. I’ll always care for you, Celia. I’ll always wish the best for you. But I can’t stay with you.
Goodbye.
Marco.
The letter slipped from my hands and fluttered to the floor. My vision blurred, the edges of the world fraying as my breath came in shallow gasps. My knees buckled, and I sank to the cold tile of the kitchen floor. It felt like the air had been knocked out of me.
My mind screamed in disbelief. I could feel my heart pounding against my ribcage, as if it were trying to escape, to leave this reality.