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Laurel
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"What?" The word slips from my lips, barely more than a breath, while my mind races, replaying his words, desperately seeking some other meaning, some hidden context I might have missed. There's no way he could have meant what I think he said.
I look into his eyes, expecting him to laugh and say it was a joke, even though he would never joke about something like this. But I don't know what to make of this.
We've been struggling, yes, and I've suspected the worst, but this? This is something I never expected. I couldn’t even let myself imagine it, even in my darkest moments.
"I’m sorry, Laurel. I never meant to hurt you," he says, and the room seems to close in around me as my heart starts pounding like a trapped bird's wings. He speaks again, but th
