Love's Wrong Turn

Zach lost his temper at my indifference. He stormed over and threw all the clothes I had just folded onto the floor, his voice low and bitter with anger.

"Anna! And to think I was actually waiting for you to come back so we could discuss whether Kathy or Felicia should go to Trinity Elementary! Just looking at you now—I never should've given you any thought!"

Trinity Elementary was the best primary school in our village. He taught there and had a single spot to recommend a student for admission. He said he was undecided, but in truth, he never once considered letting Kathy go.

In my last life, he had already secured that spot for Felicia before he even told me about it.

He'd acted so concerned back then, saying Kathy was still too young, that there'd be more opportunities next year.

But there was no next year. Kathy died on the cold floor before she ever got the chance.

The memory hit me hard. My disappointment in Zach only grew deeper.

I looked down at the clothes scattered on the floor. Messy. Tangled. Just like everything between us—broken beyond repair.

Jennifer added fuel to the fire with a smug little smirk on her face. "No wonder Zach always said you and Kathy are such a pain. Not like me and Felicia—we're so much easier to love. Seems he was right."

Zach stared at me with that same cold expression. When I stayed silent, he exploded.

"The Trinity Elementary spot is going to Felicia! You never deserved a chance like that!"

He took a step closer, fists clenched, eyes boring into mine. "And let me be straight with you, Anna—Jennifer and I have gotten our marriage certificate, and I've adopted Felicia as my daughter."

I nodded, and a faint, detached smile lifted the corners of my lips. "Great. Zach, from now on, we're nothing to each other."

His face darkened instantly. The tension in the room thickened. When he spoke, his voice was glacial.

"Anna, do you even know what you're saying? You're almost thirty. Still acting like a kid? You want to leave me? Seriously? Aren't you ashamed? We have a daughter!"

The unspoken meaning was clear—if I divorced him, he wouldn't take Kathy.

I let out a short laugh. "Don't worry. I'll be taking Kathy with me."

Jennifer clung to his arm, watching the scene like it was her favorite soap opera. "And where would you even go, Anna?" she sneered.

She knew how to provoke him. The next second, Zach's mind jumped straight to the worst possibility—that I had someone else.

He lunged forward, grabbing my wrist with frightening force, barking, "Anna, are you seeing someone else?! Is that it?!"

I wrenched my arm free, my voice like ice. "Zach, you and I never even registered our marriage. You're legally married to Jennifer. So whoever I'm with now—it's none of your damn business."

With that, I turned and walked out the door without hesitation. I didn't care about the luggage. I didn't care about anything else. All that mattered was getting away from Zach—and keeping Kathy by my side.

"Anna!" His voice cracked from the force of his screaming. "Give it a few days, you'll come crawling back! Begging me to let you in!"

His roar echoed through the neighborhood. If the neighbors weren't all off at work, half the street would've come out to watch.

In my past life, we'd had scenes like this more times than I could count. Each time I'd storm out with Kathy, furious and hurt, and check us into a cheap inn at the edge of town.

And each time, I'd cave and come home—because I couldn't bear to stay away.

He knew me too well. He knew I loved him too much to leave over something "small."

But this time, I knew better. And this time, I knew—I wasn't coming back.

I picked Kathy up from daycare. Then, the two of us boarded the train.

And just like that, we left.