Chapter 13
Liam’s POV
I had never noticed the home being so silent. It wasn’t the quiet that I used to love when Nora would be reading a book while cuddled up on the couch, her presence filling the room even when she wasn’t talking. No, the silence was hollow and empty, the kind that made the sound of the floorboards creaking sound like thunder.
The note she had left was lying in front of me as I sat at the dining table. Even after reading it at least a dozen times, the words still struck a deep chord with me.
to love so
“I don’t love you, so I won’t be going. I can’t continue who doesn’t respect me.
enough to be honest, therefore I’m going.
Every curve and loop in her calligraphy was a mirror of the woman I had lost. I had pushed the
woman aside.
I rubbed my face with a palm as I reclined in the chair. The blame was directly on me, and the weight of her absence was too much to bear. No amount of justifications or excuses could make up for what I had done or take away the suffering I had caused her.
I was distracted from my thoughts when I heard my phone vibrating on the counter. I scowled as I
looked at the screen. Isabel.
I thought about letting it ring for a second. But I picked up because of something inside of me, whether the hunger for answers or the underlying resentment
Isabel, what do you want? With a stronger tone than I meant, I asked
The person on the other end paused. She answered. “Well, hello to you too,” in a falsely charming.
voice. “I figured you could use some company.
“I’m not interested,” I snapped.
“Don’t be like that, Liam,” she reprimanded. “You don’t have to ignore me, even though I know that
life is difficult without Nora.”
I felt a surge of rage at her flippant reference to Nora. “You are not allowed to discuss her.”
Isabel let out a sharp, icy laugh. “Why not? Liam, it was her who went. Not me. I’ve been waiting
for you
you to notice what’s in front of you the entire time.
That’s enough,” I yelled, clutching the phone more tightly. “You don’t think I understand what you’ve been up to? influencing me, changing the facts to fit your plan? You have contributed to
her departure.
“A contributing factor?” In a guarded tone, she repeated. Don’t fool yourself, Liam. The truth was
too much for Nora to stomach, so she left. She was unable to deal with you. I am not to blame for
that.
As I spoke, I could feel the anger building and my voice increasing. The reality? You have absolutely no knowledge of the truth. I allowed you to creep your way back into my life, so you have no idea what we had or what I threw away
“Worm my way back?” Isabel retorted, her tone cold. “Remember that it was you who approached me? It was you who granted me entry
My voice quivered with rage as I added, “And I regret every second of it.” “All you’ve done is destroy everything positive in my life. And I gave you permission.
There was an overwhelming quiet on the other end. I was afraid she might hang up for a second.. Then, however, she talked in a poisonous tone.
“Liam, don’t blame me for anything. Your decisions were your own. Simply put, you’re too cowardly to accept accountability for them.
I didn’t let her words sink in, but they struck me harder than I had anticipated. I responded icily, This isn’t about me anymore.” “This concerns you. Isabel, I’m done with you. Don’t give me another call.
I slammed the phone down on the counter to end the call before she could reply
After the call, the silence weighed heavily on me, making the place feel even more empty. As I made my way back into the living room, I noticed the ripped photo that was still on the coffee
table.
I grabbed it up and ran my fingertips over its sharp edges. With her grin serving as a stinging reminder of what I had lost, Nora’s face gazed back at me
With the picture still in my hands, I sat down and allowed the remorse to consume me. It was the first time in years that I felt totally alone.
I woke up the following morning with a dull ache in my chest that persists no matter how hard you try to ignore it. I forced myself to get out of bed and take a shower, but the hot water did little to relieve my weight.
My phone was vibrating on the nightstand by the time I stepped outside. Isabel calls again.
I picked up my keys and went out the door, ignoring it.
My mind was racing with images of Nora, making the drive to work a blur. The way her laughter could brighten even the gloomiest days, the way she used to hum along to the radio. I couldn’t express how much I missed her.
I briefly sat in my car and gripped the steering wheel when I got to the office. I knew I couldn’t allow the regret and guilt to control me, even if they were choking me.
I needed to figure out how to proceed.
Isabel texted me that night when I was seated at my desk.
“We must speak.”
I kept my thumb on the erase button while I gazed at the screen However, I responded rather than removing the message.
“I have nothing more to say.
She responded almost instantly.
“Liam, you’ll regret this.”
My chest constricted as I put the phone down. I didn’t care that Isabel had warned me. I had had enough of her manipulation and shenanigans.
However, while I sat there looking at the television, a persistent thought began to creep into my head.
But what if it was too late?
When I arrived home, the house was dark and the silence was even more oppressive. As I entered the living room, the ripped photo caught my attention once more.
I felt the full weight of my errors and the decisions that had brought me to this point for the first time.
For the first time, I questioned whether I would ever be able to put things right.
My phone buzzed once more while I was looking at the picture. It wasn’t Isabel this time.
The number was unidentified.
“Are you prepared to accept reality?”
My heart pounded as I gazed at the message.
The reality.
I wasn’t prepared for whatever it was. But I was powerless
