His raised voice carried on the air—no doubt the entire guest list had heard every word.
“I love you for who you are, Emmett. Not for who you were.”
He stepped forward and for one fleeting second she saw a dab of hope in his eyes. She sensed that he wanted to let go, lean in and commit to her forever and ever, amen.
But that hope was dashed a second later.
And his words were the final straw.
“I’ll never not be the guy who lost half his family on Christmas day. I’ll never not be from a broken family and a poor home. I’ll never fit in at art shows where you spend tens of thousands of dollars on shit like that—” he gestured to the painting nearest him as a few guests let out astounded gasps “—rather than buy something for someone who needs it.” He sent a scathing look down her dress that made her feel self-conscious. “Your heart’s in the right place, Stefanie. You are giving and loving and care about people. But I’m not one of your charity cases. And I won’t stay in a marriage that never should have happened in the first place.”
Witnessing Stefanie’s rage was helping him through his speech. He wanted her angry. Anger, he could take. Anger, he knew what to do with. He’d been empowered by anger years ago. It’d driven him to become a strong man rather than curl up next to his father on the couch and gather dust. Anger was an action. And if Stef needed to be angry to accept what he was telling her, he’d gladly be her target.
He’d warmed up for the felling blow, so he might as well get to it.
“We’re nothing alike. You eat at five-hundred-dollars-per-plate charity auctions and buy dresses you wear once and replace all the furniture in your house because you had a bad day.”
Stef blanched. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Chase breaking through the crowd and coming at him full steam ahead.
Fine by Emmett; he was almost done.
“We’re over. This. Is. Over.”
She blinked and tears streamed down her face, but a diamond-hard glint shone in her eyes. His wife. So strong.
“You can’t stand here and tell me you don’t feel anything.”
He was tempted to lie to her but he couldn’t. Not even to spare her feelings. He valued her too much—and what she knew in her heart. After she’d worked this hard to be independent and gain confidence in herself, he wouldn’t rob her of it.
“I didn’t feel enough.” His lip curled, his gut somersaulting as the anger faded from Stef’s expression and hurt replaced it. “I’ll send your things to your apartment.”
He turned away before more tears spilled down Stefanie’s cheeks, but he heard the gut-wrenching sob that climbed her throat. It was enough to weaken his knees and his resolve—but he couldn’t afford to take it back.
He’d done this for her.
Grateful for Zach and Chase, Penelope and Miriam, Emmett left comforting Stefanie to her capable family. The Fergusons always tended to their own.
It was a mistake to believe he ever could be one of them.