Dear Ex, It's My Turn

f my strength. A sharp, burning pain pulsed through my arms and legs, a brutal reminder of the countle

ng, cooking, an endless cycle of chores

mile of his, shortly after firing all the maids

him. What cho

. My chest heaved, my body trembling, begging

wly, I stood, wincing as pain lanced through my knees like needles piercing bone. Swallowing th

thought bitterly. With a shaky breath, I gathered the cleaning tools and trudged toward the janitor's closet

t just tasks, they were my lifeline. My only way

the door, my mind drifting to the memories that had

much. Too big, to

rigid mold of beauty. And because of that, I

est restaurants, desperate to impress. I wore a dress so tight it

ly masked his displeasure, staying through dinner only because he realized I was footing the bi

d me. But even she wasn't mine for long. Fate took her and my father from me in a car ac

il

e without flinching. He didn't judge me for my si

public, unbothered by the stares and whispers. "I love you," he'd say, loud eno

ed too late, can b

the sound of his footsteps. My heart lifted instinctively, my bod

, my voice warm as I approached him. I

ped back, col

y mind raced for answers. Did I smell of sweat from the chores? Why is he acting stra

urrowed, his jaw clenched. Without

. We're do

h my breath. My trembling hands took the file as if on autopilot. "What's

is expression before he hid it. He didn't expla

ing hands, pulling out the

e Agre

tears welling in my eyes. "Divorc

said flatly. His voice carried no t

ing freely now. "You promised me. You said

ade. "Did you really think I'd spend the rest of

the papers to my chest, sh

Lana. A burden.

he man who had once held my hand so tightly, who had stood

knew had

of self. I had sacrificed my dreams, my dignity, and my freed

discarding me li

on me. Tears blurred my vision as my chest heaved, the ache inside me