The moment my hand met Leon’s cheek, the room shattered.
He let out a high-pitched cry, stumbled back, then turned and ran, screaming for Kate. “Auntie! She hit me!”
I stood frozen in the mess of paint, canvas, and shame, my hands trembling, my stomach turning in on itself. But before I could follow after him—before I could explain—footsteps pounded up the stairs.
“What the hell did you do?!” Samuel’s voice thundered as he pushed open the door. His face twisted with rage. “You hit my son?”
“He ruined my painting,” I managed to say, my voice shaking. “It was for a client. I—I just snapped.”
Samuel scoffed. “Client? What client, Mom? You don’t have clients. You’re a nobody in the art world. You think someone wants your scribbles?”
“I—”
“She’s making excuses,” Johann spat as he entered behind Samuel, eyes ablaze. “You dare raise your hand to my grandson?! He was just playing!”
“She slapped him,” Kate added, her voice quivering with fake concern. “But… maybe it was just an accident, she didn’t mean it, right?”
But her eyes sparkled as she said it. She was enjoying this.
“I didn’t mean to hurt him,” I whispered.
But no one was listening. Johann crossed the room in two strides and slapped me.
Once. Twice. Three times.
Then it kept coming. Over and over. Like he was hitting every year I had spent by his side. Every birthday forgotten. Every insult I swallowed. Every dream I let rot.
Ten. Fifteen. Twenty.
My face burned. My ears rang. My knees buckled. The world spun.
“Stop!” Kate finally cried out, still pretending, still smiling inside. “Please, she’s had enough! It was just a painting—”
But Johann didn’t stop.
Thirty. Thirty-five. Forty.
And then… I collapsed.
I don’t remember how long I was unconscious. When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the kitchen floor. Alone. My cheek pressed to cold tile, dried blood on my lip. The faint sound of laughter echoed from the living room.
I reached for my phone with shaking fingers, hands bruised and barely working.
A message from my father lit up the screen.
Dad: “Everything’s ready. Your flight to Japan is booked. Sunday morning. Cherry blossoms, just like you wanted. The lawyer said that divorce documents are in your email just print and have him sign. Then come home.
Tears blurred my vision. I stood slowly, holding onto the wall for balance. My ribs ached with every breath. My lip was split. My cheekbone throbbed.
But I smiled.
I printed the divorce papers from my email in silence, tucked them into a folder, and took one long look in the mirror. The woman staring back at me was broken… but not defeated.
Not anymore.
Downstairs, they were all gathered like nothing happened.
Kate was pouring wine, laughing softly. Samuel was scrolling on his phone while Leon played with toy trains. My mother and Johann were going over hotel bookings and tourist spots since she would also be coming with them.
“…And I think we should go to Kyoto on the third day, Kate,” Johann said. “It’ll be the peak of cherry blossom season.”
Kate smiled. “You’re spoiling me.”
I walked into the room and stood by the door. No one noticed.
“Johann,” I said quietly. “Can you sign these papers? They’re for the bills and estate forms. Needs your signature.”
He barely looked up. “Yeah, yeah. Just leave it here.”
“No,” I said, stepping closer. “Please sign it now. It’s urgent.”
He sighed, irritated, and grabbed the pen. Without even glancing at the documents, he scribbled his name across every line I pointed at.
“There,” he muttered. “Happy now?”
“Very,” I said softly.
I gathered the papers and turned toward the stairs.
“Hey, where are you going?” Samuel called out.
“Just upstairs,” I said. “To pack your things for your trip. I’m not yet done.”
They didn’t even question it. Their laughter resumed. Their plans continued without pause.
And that was when I realized: I could disappear from their lives entirely and they wouldn’t notice until the next day… or week… or year.
But it didn’t matter anymore.
Because I wasn’t asking to be seen.
I was finally setting myself free.
