“The Apartment Below: The Night I Chose Myself Over Four Years of Lies”

His hands trembled as they reached for mine.

“Please… listen to me,” he said, his voice breaking in a way I had never heard before.

I stood still.

I didn’t pull away.

But I didn’t hold him either.

There was nothing left in me to give.

“Four years,” I said quietly.

Not shouting.