I can’t be hearing this right.
He can’t be saying what I think he’s saying.
“You think I don’t know that?”
My throat works and it feels like I’m swallowing tiny pieces of my shattered heart.
He’s talking about me.
He has to be talking about me.
“Daddy issues?” Axel lets out a derisive laugh. “You have no idea-”
Nausea fills my gut, and my ears start ringing.
This is everything I feared.
My shoulders hunch forward.
I want to hide.
I want to curl up and hide from this.
Every word that awful woman put into my mind… he’s repeating them back.
Only this is worse.
This is so much worse.
“I won’t be repeating past mistakes.”
My chest heaves with a ragged breath and I press my hand over my mouth to muffle the sound, Axel’s car keys pressing into my lips.
If he catches me now…
Dampness slides down my cheeks.
I can’t do this.
I can’t confront him.
Not here.
Not like this.
I fight for another breath.
Probably not ever.
I watch him shake his head, glad I can’t see the expression on his face.
“I’m ending this before it goes further.”
My teeth clamp down on my bottom lip.
Don’t cry yet.
I turn, as quietly as I can, and take a few steps.