Page 29 of No Turning Back
“He suggested you stay.” I nod, pushing away the now-empty teacup.
“Yeah, I don’t know if he thought I’d actually adopt the kid or be some stepmom. Either way you slice it, it sounds crazy.”
Mom tilts her head, eyes narrowing like she’s sizing up a puzzle. “Well, it’s official, I have a terrible opinion about men. God, I thought Markus was actually a good boy.”
I bite back a bitter laugh. “How stupid am I that I never even suspected?”
Mom shakes her head. “Don’t you say that. You think I knew all those times? Heck, I had already been through it yet I was still surprised every time.”
I crack a grin. “Mom, you just said ‘heck.’”
She smiles, a little wicked. “Oh honey, if I ever see Markus again, ‘heck’ will be one of the nicer words I use.”
I twist my lips, the sting still fresh. “He actually thought I’d be okay with... the whole situation.”
Mom lays a hand on mine. “Honey, I’m so sorry.”
I whisper, “I don’t know what to do now, Mom.”
She asks hesitantly, “Do you… uh… want to stay?”
“No,” I say. “God no. But I don’t even know where to begin. I mean, he already said he’s not leaving the house. And come on, he only paid half the downpayment, the rest was all me. How do I even go about it? He’s unemployed, and what if he asks for alimony? What if-”
Mom interrupts me, “Stop. Breathe.”
I take deep breaths.
She says, “You know how I divorced your dad?”
I give her a look. “The first or the second time?”
She swats my hand. “Anyway, your father didn’t want the divorce and he tried using money to get me to stay, but I had an ace.”
“What?” I ask.
She says, “Philipp Dunbar.”
“Your attorney?”
She nods. “My shark. That man is as good as he is gorgeous.”
“Mom,” I say, half amused, half annoyed.
She grins, totally innocent. “I may have hired him to make your dad jealous. The fact that he was good was just a cherry on top.”
“Mom, you’re different,” I say.
She takes a breath, eyes distant. “I loved your dad, don’t get me wrong. But we were trapped in this toxic cycle. For the first time, it feels like I’m doing what I want instead of what wouldn’t hurt him.”
I nod slowly, the weight of her words sinking in. “That makes sense. It’s hard to break free when you’re always worried about the other person’s pain.”
She shrugs, a small, tired smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah. But sometimes, holding on hurts more than letting go.”
I look down. “I don’t want to wait thirty years to be happy again”.
She catches my gaze. “And you shouldn’t.”
Her phone buzzes on the counter. She picks it up, scrolling for a second. “I’m gonna call Philip, see if he can see you soon.”
