As the months passed, the gap between us widened, and I felt like I was living with a stranger. I kept hoping things would improve, but the reality was more brutal than the fantasy I clung to. My work was my refuge, a world where I was respected and valued, unlike the icy atmosphere at home.
Then, life took an unexpected turn. I was hospitalized due to stress-related complications, my body finally giving in to the relentless pressure of balancing a demanding career and a crumbling marriage. I thought, perhaps naively, that this would be a wake-up call for Brandon, a moment for him to step up and show he still cared.
But it wasn’t. While I lay in that sterile hospital room, contemplating our life together, Brandon made his move. I didn’t hear from him for days, and when I finally managed to get hold of him, his words were like ice water on my already fragile heart. “Caitlyn,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion. “I think it’s time we face the truth. This isn’t working.”
