My sister wasn’t bitter.
She was terrified.
And she still tried to protect me.
That realization hurt worse than Ryan’s betrayal.
He stepped toward me.
“Alice, please…”
I looked at him and pictured Claire driving through rain trying to reach my wedding before it was too late.
Then I picked up the suitcase I had packed before he got home.
His mother began crying.
Mine whispered my name.
Ryan reached toward me and stopped.
“Please don’t leave like this.”
I turned back around because some endings deserve eye contact.
“You broke my sister’s heart,” I said quietly. “Then you stood beside me while I buried her and let me believe she was the problem.”
Ryan lowered his eyes.
That was enough.
I left.