Evans

able seemed to pause, forks suspended, conversations dying. All eyes

ly, their gazes darting between me and Hudson. One of them, Sarah,

My final act

" I said, my voice clear and steady, cutting through the silence like a kn

s, the murmur of conversation, everything ceased. The air felt thick, heavy

errible news. But you know what? You're amazing. You deserve someone who truly appreciates you. Ma

at, Sarah," I said, the words feeling surpris

tering glass tore

ng ominously in his hand. Blood, dark and stark, beaded on his palm, dripping onto the pristine w

s no flicker of concern in my heart, no familiar surge of worry.

kward silence. The dinner ended abruptly, people makin

arely a whisper, as I gathered my c

replied, my voice calm, unw

l bleeding, his face a mask of shock and disbelief. The ride home was silent, f

utside. I kicked off my heels, my back aching from the forced bow earlier, and wal

ed in a makeshift napkin bandage. "What was that, Alex?" he slurred, pushing the

ds flat against his chest, but he was too strong. He pressed me against the wall, his weight heavy,

the pain in my back giving me a surge of adrenaline. "You disgust me! You think you can just march in h

ith a mixture of confusion and hu

ulate, someone to do your bidding, someone to sacrifice for your pathetic ambition! I heard you, Hudson!

there, speechless, his mouth opening

oor. "Get out of my apartment, get out o

, then turned and stumbled out, slamming the

as over. Truly over. Our entire relationship had been a silent war,

Alex, Hudson just assigned you to the remote data center d

e, known for its hostile locals and unstable infrastructure. We called it "the corporate graveyard." Colleagues had

m not stuck decommissioning the Mendocino data center," I' d said, laughing. "That' s where careers g

e. Just an

y chest. I opened my desk drawer, pulled out the few personal photos and a plant,

was silent,