DURING OUR 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY DINNER, I STOOD IN FRONT OF PEOPLE WITH A BLACK EYE.
“I absolutely do,” Emily cut in. “And so does she.”
For the first time that evening, Mark looked rattled. He scanned the room, searching for support, but found none. His coworkers avoided his gaze. One friend quietly pushed his chair back. Even his mother stared at him with something resembling shame.
Emily turned to me. “You don’t have to face this alone anymore,” she said gently.
Something inside me finally gave way—not in collapse, but in relief. I stepped out of Mark’s grasp. Then I took another step. The distance between us felt like air rushing back into my lungs.
“I’m done,” I said, softly but firmly. “I’m leaving.”
Mark let out a strained laugh, scrambling to regain control. “You’re overreacting. You’re making a scene.”
“No,” Emily said evenly. “What’s embarrassing is thinking you’d never be held accountable.”
The restaurant staff had stopped pretending not to notice. A manager lingered nearby. Someone had already contacted security. Lauren began crying, insisting it was “just family stuff.” Denise remained silent.
Emily wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided me toward the exit. Behind us, Mark kept talking—explaining, justifying—but for the first time in ten years, I didn’t look back.
The weeks afterward were difficult, but they were real. I moved into Emily’s guest room with one suitcase and a storm of emotions. Fear came first—fear of starting over at thirty-five, fear of retaliation, fear of admitting how long I’d endured it. But relief followed, calm and constant.
