My face burned.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I grabbed the teacup in front of me and hurled the contents straight at that lying face.
Warm tea streamed down her cheeks, smearing her flawless makeup into a mess.
"Ahh!"
Claire shrieked.
Daniel shot to his feet and yanked me out of my chair. His grip was terrifyingly strong. A ring of red welts bloomed around my wrist instantly.
"What the hell is wrong with you!"
I wrenched free of his hand and let out a cold laugh.
"She just slandered me in front of everyone. Are you deaf?"
Daniel's eyes were bloodshot, boring into me.
"So she said something and that gives you the right to attack her? You've humiliated the entire Sanchez family! Apologize to her. Now."
Apologize?
For what?
I looked past him. Claire was dabbing at her face with a handkerchief, but behind the delicate performance, her eyes gleamed with triumph.
I spoke slowly, every word razor-sharp.
"She deserved it."
"You—" Daniel was shaking with rage. "You're absolutely hopeless!"
A crack split the air. His palm connected with my face with everything he had.
My head snapped to the side. A high-pitched ringing flooded my ears.
I stumbled backward and slammed into the sideboard. Expensive porcelain plates crashed to the floor, shattering across the tile.
In the chaos, I gripped the edge of the table and pulled myself upright.
Then, in a voice so calm it didn't sound like my own, I said it.
"Daniel, I want a divorce."
I didn't look at him again. I turned and walked away.
Behind me, his shouting echoed through the dining room, tangled with Claire's syrupy pleas for him to calm down.
I heard none of it.
Back in the bedroom, I locked the door and sealed every last noise on the other side.
The pounding. The yelling. It all sounded like it was coming from underwater.
I opened the closet and started packing.
The first dress Daniel ever gave me.
The first designer bag he bought me.
The limited-edition jewelry he'd bid on for my birthday.
Everything that carried his name, his touch, his memory. I left nothing behind. Every last piece went into the suitcase.
Finally, I slid the wedding ring off my finger. The one he'd placed there himself.
Under the light, it still sparkled.
But all I saw now was a cold circle of metal.
I set the divorce papers I'd prepared long ago on the nightstand.
Then I called my mother.
The moment the line connected, the tears finally came.
"Mom, I'm coming home tonight."
A few seconds of silence on the other end.
"Did you and Daniel have a fight?"
"Mom, we're getting divorced."
I told her everything that had happened at dinner.
On the other end of the line, my mother's voice trembled with fury.
"Come home. This house will always welcome you. We will always have your back."
I hung up, wiped my eyes dry, and dragged the suitcase downstairs.
Daniel was standing in the living room, his expression dark as a storm.
He stepped into my path, his voice low and heavy.
"Lillian, haven't you caused enough of a scene tonight? Do you want to embarrass the Sanchez family even more?"
I sidestepped him and headed straight for the door.
"We need to talk." He grabbed my arm.
I shook him off and met his eyes.
"There's nothing to talk about. I'm afraid you'll slap me again."
That stopped him cold.
His expression froze. Something flickered across his face, uncomfortable and raw.
"I... it was a moment of impulse." He tried to apologize.
"The papers are on the nightstand," I cut him off. "Look them over. If everything's in order, sign them."
He couldn't seem to accept it. His voice shot up an octave.
"Over one slap, you want a divorce? Lillian, are you serious right now?!"
Are you serious?
I looked at him and suddenly laughed.
"Dead serious."
My tone left no room for doubt. Not a hint of humor.
The calm seemed to unsettle him more than hysterics ever could.
The last of his patience burned out.
He stepped back, jaw clenched, glaring at me through gritted teeth.
"Fine! You want a divorce, you've got one! But don't come crawling back, Lillian!"
Crawling back?
I gave him one final look.
"I won't. Daniel, I will never regret this."
