My First Words in Three Years Were "We're Over"

Chapter 3

The following day was my scheduled session for psychological therapy.

When I pushed open the door to the consultation room, Marlin Clayton was brewing coffee. Seeing me walk in, he gave a warm, welcoming smile. "Ah, you're here. Have you had breakfast yet?"

After saying that, he went straight back to measuring out the coffee beans, not expecting an immediate response from me.

I stood by the doorway, taking a deep breath. I focused entirely on activating my vocal muscles, forcing the words out slowly, rough and raspy. "Haven't... eaten."

"Perfect timing," Marlin said, gesturing toward his desk without skipping a beat. "I bought two fresh croissants. They're on the table—help yourself."

I squeezed my eyes shut, pushing the air through. "Thank... you."

Marlin poured me a cup of juice and nodded approvingly. "Look at that, tremendous progress. With a bit more intensive therapy, you'll be speaking fluently in no time."

A small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of my lips.

Marlin was an old friend of my late parents. Upon learning about my functional aphonia, he had rushed back from Zorvada, desperately wanting to take me back there for systematic neurological treatment.

Back then, though, I was far too codependent on Andrew. I would rather have remained mute for the rest of my life than be separated from him by an ocean.

So, Marlin stayed behind, taking a position as a chief psychiatrist at a hospital in Veyra just to keep an eye on me.

What Andrew and Sarah never realized was that sheer terror doesn't cure a damaged voice—it suffocates it. The only reason I was able to utter words now was because I had secretly doubled my therapy sessions over the past few months.

Day after day, I forced myself to unearth those horrific memories I had spent years trying to bury, dragging my bleeding heart into the light to face the agony head-on.

Every single time I wanted to give up, the image of their hopeful, expectant eyes flashed in my mind, pushing me to endure one more agonizing hour.

They kept telling me they were doing everything for my own good, but they were completely oblivious to the fact that I was also fighting with every breath I had.

I was trying so hard, and they just never cared enough to notice.

A wave of bitter sorrow surged into my throat, choking me into silence once more.

Marlin looked at me and let out a soft, sympathetic sigh. "When do you plan to leave?"

My fingers moved swiftly through the air. "As soon as possible."

When the session ended, I took the elevator down. As it reached the third floor, the doors slid open with a soft chime.

Sarah was standing outside, her arm tightly entwined with Andrew's.

The moment Andrew caught sight of me, he instinctively tried to jerk his arm free from her grasp. "Lauren..."

"Lauren, please don't misunderstand!" Sarah blurted out instantly, her voice dripping with dramatic urgency. "I almost passed out from severe menstrual cramps today, so Andrew rushed me to the hospital. It's probably because I lost so much blood from my hand injury yesterday..."

As she spoke, she bit her pale lips, swaying weak and lightheaded right toward Andrew's chest.

Andrew immediately wrapped a protective arm around her waist, his face darkening as he glared at me. "What is there for her to misunderstand? She's the one who made you bleed."

He sneered coldly, his tone dripping with disdain. "Did you come down here to apologize to Sarah?"

I shook my head slowly. I raised my hands, wanting to tell him that I was completely done with both of them.

But the second my hands began to move, Andrew closed his eyes tightly, turning his face away in total disgust. "Save it. If you're not here to apologize to Sarah, then I have nothing to say to you. And I'm done with you."

Even though I had endured this routine a hundred times before, a sharp, needle-like pain still prickled deep inside my heart.

I pressed my lips together in a firm line. In absolute silence, I finished signing the sentence anyway. Then, I reached out and pressed the button, watching the elevator doors glide smoothly shut between us.