My eyes fluttered open, slowly.
I must have dozed off.
The room came into focus as the memory of the recent ordeals flooded my mind, replaying like a broken record.
It drifted from James to Darius and back to James.
The memories still lingered but their power over me was fading. I remembered the whispered lies, the manipulation, the gaslighting, and the isolation. But, my heart and my happiness will be taken into consideration, henceforth.
I slipped into my gown and walked out of the room. I descended the stairs and caught sight of him.
James-- he sat on the couch, phone in hand, murmuring a few words that seemed private.
I smiled at the realization that I wasn't even surprised or bothered to know what it was about.
He dropped the phone the instant he noticed me behind the coffee
