“All these five years, we've all seen how good Amos has been to you.”
My hand stopped midair.
Through the gap in the door, Felicia went quiet for two seconds. Then her voice came, certain of itself.
“I'm not breaking up with him.”
“Five years. All those years together. You don't just cut that off.”
“You know Samuel. He's too soft-hearted. Every fight we have, all I do is apologize and he comes around on his own.”
“Give it a couple days. Once I'm out of here I'll buy him something nice, smooth him over, and the whole thing blows over.”
Sienna sighed.
“But Felicia, don't you give too much of yourself to Amos?”
“What man can stand his own wife throwing herself at another man with no limits? What are you even thinking?”
Felicia's tone went hard all at once.
“That's two completely different things.”
“Amos's family is bankrupt now. He's got nothing left.”
“I said I'd take care of him for life, so there's no way I walk away from him. I owe him this. I have to pay it back.”
She paused, and her voice softened a little.
“Samuel's reasonable. He understands things. Once we're married I'll be twice as good to him. Worst case, I'll make it up to him somewhere else down the line.”
“But Amos, I can't ever let go of him. Not in this lifetime. Samuel will get used to it eventually.”
That was when Amos's spoiled voice cut in behind me.
“Hey! What are you standing in the doorway for?”
The talking inside the room stopped dead.
On the bed, Felicia's head snapped up.
The second she saw me out in the hall, panic flooded her face.
“Sam, when did you get here? Let me expl—”
I cut her off.
“Don't bother.”
“Felicia, I've heard all of this so many times I'm sick of it.”
The color drained from her face.
“Sam, stop, okay? That with Sienna just now, it was just talk, one thing leading to another.”
“And I already told you, this is the last time. From now on I swear I'll—”
I gave a faint twist of my mouth.
“The last time?”
“How many last times have you told me?”
“It was all just tests. Wearing me down, one after another, until I'd swallow this sick little arrangement between you two. Right?”
Her face shifted. Her lips moved, but nothing came out to argue back.
My eyes started to sting.
“Felicia, every time you go run one of those illegal races up the mountain with no guardrails, I don't dare close my eyes the whole night!”
“I sit there with my phone, terrified I'll get the call from the hospital. Terrified one day it's you and the car going off the cliff, and you die in there!”
“But did you ever think about me? Even once. Did you ever think I was home waiting for you?”
Felicia's voice shot up, frantic.
“Nothing's going to happen to me!”
“I know what I'm doing, I'm a good driver, I walk away clean every time. See? I'm fine.”
I let out a very soft laugh.
“Fine?”
“Then let me ask you, Felicia.”
“Even if we got married, even if we had kids someday, the moment Amos says a word, the moment he wants something, you'd still hide it from me and go to a place like that and risk your life to make money for him. Wouldn't you?”
Felicia said nothing. She dropped her head, not daring to look at me.
I pulled my gaze away.
“Give me that black bag by your bed.”
She blinked.
“What do you want the bag for? Sam, what are you doing?”
“Give it to me.”
Sienna took one look at me, turned, and pulled the bag out, pressing it into my hands.
I pulled the zipper open, confirmed the ID and passport were both inside, and turned to go.
The next morning at nine sharp, I was standing in Professor Lambert's office.
"You're sure? Once you hand over the documents and the process starts, there's no taking it back."
I said it without hesitation.
"I'm sure. No regrets."
...
Three days later.
A thick patch of bandage on her forehead, Felicia pushed open the apartment door.
In her hand was an expensive tailored suit she'd had made for me, ready to do what she always did: soften, bow her head.
"Sam, I'm out of the hospital. I got you—"
The apartment was silent. No one answered.
She frowned, changed out of her shoes, and walked into the bedroom.
"Still angry? Look, I came straight home to make it up to you—"
Her voice cut off the instant she slid the closet door open.
