Maybe that was why I had treated my marriage the same way.
I maintained it. I adjusted. I carried the details. I fixed the small cracks before they became visible. I handled the bills, the accounts, the taxes, the paperwork, the house, the repairs, the plans. Ethan brought charm, laughter, and energy. I brought structure.
For a long time, I thought that made us a team.
Later, I would understand that Ethan had never seen my effort as love. He had seen it as something he was entitled to.
My phone buzzed against the couch cushion.
Half-asleep, I reached for it, assuming it was Ethan sending another meaningless conference update. He had been texting on and off during the trip: photos of hotel food, quick notes about meetings, small things that made me believe he was thinking of me.
But the second the screen lit up, my breath stopped.
The first thing I saw was a photo.
