Page 92 of The Most Perfect Wrong

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I flip through the streaming options, sneaking a glance at Cooper as she tucks herself into a blanket beside me. She looks… relaxed, but there’s a hint of worry buried behind the brave front she puts on.

“Got a preference?” I ask, keeping my voice casual. “Or should I just pick something you’ll pretend to hate but secretly enjoy?”

She elbows me, rolling her eyes, but a smile sneaks through. “Just nothing intense. I need something light to keep my mind off things.”

I keep scrolling, but I can’t shake the question sitting at the back of my mind. Part of me doesn’t want to bring it up—she’s clearly not eager to talk about it. I set the remote down, looking over at her.

“Hey, Coop…” I start slowly, keeping my tone gentle. “Have you talked to Brad at all today? Does he know where you are?”

Her shoulders tense for just a second, her fingers playing with the edge of the blanket. “Nope.” Her eyes flick to mine. “I know I should, but…”

I nod, trying to stay open, supportive. “Look, I get it. I can only imagine how heavy it all must feel. I just… you can’t avoid him forever, you know? You’ll have to face him eventually.” I watch her, the once relaxed expression now hardening into a scowl. “Do you have a plan?”

She looks at me. “No. I’d love to avoid him forever… sneak in when he’s gone, grab all my stuff, leave a note on the counter saying, “peace out,” and be done with it.” She forces a laugh, and even though she’s joking, I get the feeling she wishes it were that easy.

“Are you really that afraid to face him?” I ask carefully. “You said he doesn’t hurt you. What is it that makes you so nervous? Or is it just the confrontation… the fight?”

She stares at the blanket, rubbing it between her thumb and index finger, her gaze fixed downward. “I hate who I become when he’s upset. I turn into this… robot, retreating into a shell. I’m a wimp around him. I’ll say anything to keep the peace. It’s either that, or we end up yelling, and it turns into this toxic, aggressive battle that ends in twisted, fucked-up angry sex.” She glances up at me, pain flashing in her eyes. “You don’t know what he’s like when he’s mad. He doesn’t just get angry—he turns everything back on me. Makes me feel like I’m some… ungrateful whore who doesn’t appreciate all he’s supposedly ‘done for me.’ The last time I tried to break up with him—when I met you—he called me some pretty awful names, said I’d end up alone, that no one else would put up with my ‘bullshit’ like he does.”

She looks away, swallowing hard. “And then he… he went so far as to threaten me. Said if I left, he’d… somehow ruin things for me. I know it sounds crazy, but I just remember how calm he was when he said it.” She pauses, rubbing her temples.

“Then he’d soften, you know? Play the wounded act—charm me back. He’d promise he’d change, be better, swear he’d never really looked at another woman—not the way he looks at me. And I… God, I always believe him, every time. Or at least, I want to. I know it sounds stupid, but he makes everything feel like it’s my fault, and then somehow, I’m the one apologizing.” Shepauses, taking a shaky breath, her voice lowering. “And I just fall for it… because maybe, deep down… I think he’s right.”

“He’s not right, Cooper.” I shake my head, jaw tight, trying to absorb all that she’s said. “God, what afuckingbastard.” Words don’t feel strong enough for what I’m feeling right now; there’s no way to describe how much I hate him for putting her through this.

Cooper stands, walking calmly over to her purse. She digs around, pulls out her phone, and tosses it into my lap. “Here. You can see the kind of shit he does.”

I hesitate, glancing at her. “You don’t want to look at them first?”

She shakes her head. “No. I already looked at some of them this morning.”

I glance down at her phone. Twenty missed calls, fifteen unread messages. I open them, scrolling up to find the earlier ones, and start reading.

“Oh, read some of them out loud,” she says, her tone casual, but I can see the tension in her eyes.

“Okay,” I reply, hesitant but knowing it’s what she wants. “This is really how you want to treat me? After everything we’ve been through? Unbelievable. Come home. Now. Where the hell are you? Why are you ignoring me? I’m not playing around here. Are you with him? If I find out you’re with him…” I glance up at her, my stomach clenching.

She manages to play it cool, barely blinking. “Keep going… there’s more. You haven’t even scratched the surface.”

I look back down at the messages. “Answer. Your. Damn. Phone. Cooper, this is pathetic. Stop acting like a child and come home. Are you really this desperate for attention?”

Then, as I keep scrolling, his tone changes, as if a switch has flipped—a full Jekyll-and-Hyde shift.

I continue reading. “Coop, I’m just worried about you, that’s all. Please just let me know you’re okay. You know I care about you. This isn’t like you, disappearing like this. I’m sorry if I came off wrong earlier. Let’s just talk, okay?”

I sigh and set the phone beside me. “He’s such an asshole,” I mutter, shaking my head. “Why have you stayed so long, Cooper? He’s a fucking narcissist.”

“I don’t know.” She stands, taking a deep breath, arms wrapping around herself as if warding off the chill of reality. “I better get going. I’ve got a room booked at the Hyatt until we leave for Austin on Tuesday.”

“Don’t you want to watch a movie?”

She shakes her head, her gaze dropping to the floor. “Not really. I think I just need some time to be alone.”

“Coop. Don’t go. Just stay here. There’s a bedroom for you… I’d feel better if you weren’t alone right now.”

“I appreciate it, Ryan, but…” She looks away, clearly struggling with her words. “I think I just need space.”

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