Sienna’s POV


    <b>My </b>heart felt crushed from the inside. How did this home–once filled withughter, love, and sacrifice–turn into a prison of me, hatred, and exile?


    Liam… the man I once proudly called mine<b>, </b>the one I once called home. Now he doesn’t <b>even </b>have a shred of trust in me. <b>He </b>just stood there in silence while I was used of stealing. Just watched<b>, </b>frozen, letting me get pped without a single <b>word </b>of


    defense.


    Noah… my son.


    The child I gave birth to with so much pain. The one I kissed every night before bed. The one I lovingly made school lunches for every morning. Now he’s hugging another woman right in front of me, epting every usation thrown my <b>way</b>.


    Tears kept falling, uncontrobly.


    I got up weakly, then sat on the edge of the bed. My eyesnded on the small calendar on the desk. Slowly, my hand reached out and pulled the red marker I had tucked beside it.


    Today… is day four in my countdown.


    My hands trembled as I uncapped the marker. That small click–normally so meaningless–this time sounded like a bell tolling in <b>my </b>ears. Day <b>four</b>.


    Four days since I started counting down to something I hadn’t dared to fully name. Not death. Not an escape. Just… <b>a </b>disappearance. Quiet, without farewells or drama. I just wanted to vanish. From this house that no longer felt like home. From a role I could no longer live in with joy.


    I looked at the red marks I’d <b>drawn </b><b>over </b>the past three days. The number five, crossed out. Now four–slowly, I marked it too. Three days left. Will they even notice? Or would they actually feel relieved that I’m finally out of their way?


    Noah’sughter still echoed faintly from the next <b>room</b>. Then his small footsteps <b>ran </b>across the floor, followed by Emily’s voice telling him to be careful. For a second, I closed my eyes. How easily they function without me. They even seemed happier. More alive. As if my presence had only ever been a noise too loud to exist in their perfectly warm world.


    I hugged my knees and let the tears fall <b>again</b>. I didn’t bother wiping them away. It didn’t matter anymore. My body felt hollow, like a lifeless shell held together only by responsibility, sacrifice<b>, </b>and old wounds that never seemed to heal.


    I looked at the red marker in my hand and ced it back beside the calendar. I knew I wasn’t truly ready to <b>leave</b>–but I also didn’t know how to keep staying. Three more days… at least I still had time. Time to find an answer. Or maybe, to say a proper goodbye to the version of me that kept fighting alone without ever being <b>loved </b>back.


    I rose slowly from the bed, forcing steady breaths into my chest. Though tired and fragile, I knew I still had to survive <b>today</b>. Maybe not as the perfect mother–but at least as a woman who hadn’t fully given up.


    I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Swollen eyes, pale cheeks–but a faint light still lingered in them. A flicker from a heart that <b>hadn’t </b>gone out yet. That <b>was </b>enough–for now. Enough for one more step forward, even if it was shaky.


    My phone vibrated on the table. Liliana’s name appeared on the screen.


    I quickly wiped the remaining tears from my cheeks and answered, trying to keep my voice steady.


    “Hello?”


    “Sienna?” Her voice was soft, concerned. “Are <b>you </b>home? Let’s meet up. There’s something I need to tell you.”


    I paused for a moment. My heart still felt shattered, my body worn from ack of sleep, but Liliana’s invitation felt like a tiny


    lifeline tossed in the middle of a storm. And I needed something to hold onto, even briefly.


    <b>“</b>I’lle,” I finally said, quietly. “I’ll <b>get </b>ready now.”


    <b>“</b><b>Okay</b>, I’ll wait outside theplex.”


    Inodded, though she couldn’t see it. “Thank you, <b>Liliana</b><b>.</b><b>‘ </b>


    H


    When the call ended, I stood. Took a long, slow breath, then began packing a small bag. I made sure myptop was inside, along with the charger and the manuscript I’d neatly filed in a clear folder.


    I stared at my reflection for a moment. Pale. Puffy eyes. But I was still standing.


    I grabbed the door handle and opened it slowly.


    As I stepped into the hallway, sounds from the living room reached me again–Noah’sughter. Liam’s voice. Emily’s soft<b>, </b>threadlike tone weaving itself into theirs, stitching them together into a family that didn’t include me.


    <b>I </b>kept walking, down the stairs, without turning back.


    Noah sat in Liam’sp, the two of them watching TV together. Emily was on the other side of the couch, smiling as she offered them a bowl of fruit.


    I nced slightly in their direction, just enough to keep walking straight. Don’t falter. Don’t break again.


    Then Liam’s voice followed me from behind.


    “Sienna? Where are you going?”


    I didn’t slow down. No answer. No effort to exin<b>. </b>


    Once, I would’ve stopped. Turned around. Replied gently and asked if he needed anything. But today… not anymore.


    Today, <b>I </b>wouldn’t offer myself up <b>for </b>understanding from someone who never wanted to understand.


    I opened the front door and inhaled the cool air outside. The world beyond this house had no idea what went on within. Didn’t know that a wife had been used of stealing, pped, and left without defense.


    And maybe that was a blessing.


    At least out here… I could pretend that everything was okay.


    I clutched my bag tighter to my side and walked out the gate, leaving that house behind–if only for a little while.


    In the distance, I spotted Liliana’s car pulled up by the curb, her turn signal blinking softly.


    I didn’t look back. Because if I did… I might break again. Today, I chose to be strong–even if only for a little while.


    <b>18 </b>