The washing machine hummed in the background as Chloe stood at the sink, fingers absently tracing the edge of her mug. The house was still, except for the weight of the conversation that had been waiting to happen.
Kevin shifted on the couch, rubbing sleep from his eyes as Carter remained curled beside him, his small fist gripping the fabric of Kevin's shirt. Their son—their anchor—oblivious to the quiet battle simmering between his parents.
Chloe inhaled slowly. She had no energy for rage. No space for dramatics. Just the need for clarity.
"I saw your messages," she said.
Kevin stilled.
The exhaustion in his posture told her everything. He wasn't going to deny it. He wasn't going to beg. This wasn't a man blindsided—this was a man who had already accepted the damage.
"You weren't supposed to find out like that," he muttered, voice heavy.
She let out a soft scoff—not bitter, just tired. "So how was I supposed to find out, Kevin?"
He looked away, jaw tightening. "I don't know."
Wrong answer.
She crossed her arms. "Months?"
His silence stretched too long. Then—finally—he nodded. "Yeah."
And there it was. Not a mistake. Not a moment of weakness. A choice made, over and over again, while she had been scraping together a life that was supposed to be theirs.
Kevin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I never wanted to hurt you."
Chloe blinked slowly. She wasn't sure he even realized how insulting that sounded.
"You didn't want to hurt me," she repeated, voice flat, emotionless. "But you did. And the worst part? I'm too exhausted to even feel it properly."
The house creaked. Carter shifted, sighing in his sleep.
Kevin swallowed, looking down at the sleeping boy beside him. He was still a good father. That was never in question. But the husband—the partner Chloe had fought beside for years—that version of him had faded too quietly.
She exhaled, fingers gripping the edge of the counter as if it could hold her up.
"I don't want your apologies," she murmured. "I want to know where we go from here."
Because this wasn't just about heartbreak. It was about survival. About choices. About the next step Chloe hadn't yet named—but knew was coming.