Chapter 3

Rose was always like this.

She’d act weak and helpless in front of Shane, letting him fight her battles, while flashing me her smug, triumphant smile when his back was turned.

It wasn’t even subtle.

If Shane had cared enough to look, he would’ve seen right through her. But he never wanted to see.

Rose’s boldness came from the security Shane gave her. She knew he’d always take her side.

I didn’t have that.

I never did.

Looking at Shane now, I wasn’t angry anymore. Just… disappointed.

My silence seemed to anger him even more.

“What the hell is that look?” he snapped.

I didn’t bother responding. I turned and grabbed my suitcase, heading for the door.

As I reached the threshold, Rose’s voice rang out behind me.

“Claire, you keep this up, and even the most patient man will get tired of you eventually.”

She said it like a casual observation, but it was clear she was baiting Shane. And it worked.

His tone grew colder. “You know what, Claire? If you walk out that door, don’t bother coming back. I’ll file for divorce myself. I’m done wasting my time with someone as impossible as you.”

He thought I’d beg.

He thought I’d cry and plead for him to forgive me.

But he was wrong.

I didn’t even look back as I walked out the door.

That night, I checked into a hotel and got a call from my lawyer. The divorce papers were ready.

I signed them without a second thought, handed them off to the lawyer, and booked a one-way ticket to Riverton.

My family lived in Riverton.

This city didn’t belong to me. It belonged to Shane and Rose.

The moment my plane landed, my brother’s car was waiting to pick me up.

When I arrived home, my parents were standing outside, waiting for me.

The moment my mother saw me, she burst into tears and pulled me into her arms. “You’ve lost weight. It’s okay now. You’re home.”

My father, usually so stoic, stood awkwardly behind her, his eyes red as he fumbled with something in his pocket. Finally, he pulled out a black card and shoved it into my hand.

“Take this. Buy whatever you need. I’ll take care of you.”

My brother laughed and ruffled my hair. “What were you thinking, acting like you didn’t have a home to come back to?”

He wasn’t laughing for long—our parents smacked him upside the head in unison.

And just like that, I felt the weight on my chest lift.

This was family.

No matter what mistakes I made, no matter how far I fell, they would always be there to catch me.

Three days after leaving Shane, I sent him a little farewell gift.

That afternoon, I was helping Mom water the flowers in the garden. Earbuds in, I listened to my best friend laughing wickedly through the phone.

“You should’ve seen Shane’s face,” she cackled. “He went pale. Like, really pale. Claire, how the hell did you even come up with such a savage move? Genius!”