I was left alone, with the ladle at my feet and the emptiness inside me widening with every second. That night I didn’t sleep. I stared at the ceiling until dawn, repeating in my mind: “Enough. This is where it ends.”
When he woke up in the morning, he found the kitchen empty. There was no plate prepared for him, no steaming coffee on the table, and I was not by the stove. On the table, I had left only the apartment key and a note written with trembling hands:
“I’m tired of being just someone who waits. I’m tired of being your target. Today I choose to be me. Take care of yourself, Viti.”
When he read it, he was frozen. No words, no screams. Just silence. That silence I had longed for years, but which now came too late.
Meanwhile, I stepped out of the house for the first time free. With fear, yes, but also with a strength I had never felt before.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher do not assume responsibility for the accuracy of events or for how characters are portrayed and are not liable for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed belong to the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
