Chapter 1: The Day You Vanished
I still remember the silence.
That morning, everything felt normal. The sun was shining. The birds were singing. Our child was still asleep.
But you were gone.
No message. No explanation. Not even a lie to hold onto.
Just an empty room, a missing wallet, and a heart that instantly knew—this time, you wouldn't come back.
You left without a word.
You took everything with you: the promises, the money, the hope I had foolishly held on to.
And you left me with nothing but debt… and a child who kept asking, "Where's Daddy?"
I didn't cry.
I stared at the wall for hours. I held my phone, waiting for a message that never came.
I kept checking, again and again, convincing myself, Maybe his phone died. Maybe he's stuck somewhere. Maybe he's coming back.
But deep down, I already knew the truth.
You didn't forget me.
You chose to forget.
The pain came slowly, like poison in my veins. Not loud. Not fast. Just… endless.
I told myself to stay strong. For the child. For the bills. For the image I didn't want anyone to see shattered.
But inside, I was crumbling.
I didn't eat. I didn't sleep. I just existed.
I kept asking myself over and over:
"What did I do wrong?"
Was I too soft? Too forgiving? Too stupid to see the signs?
Maybe.
But even if that's true…
You were still the one who walked away.
And even though it destroyed me,
even though you left me drowning in pain and shame—
I still loved you.
That was the part that hurt the most.