Chapter 7 - THE CONFRONTATION
Lucas came sprinting down the stairs, having clearly been listening from the landing.
"Divorce?!" he yelled, his face turning bright red. "Stella! Are you out of your mind?! You're tearing our family apart over money and a Thanksgiving meal?!"
"No, Lucas," I stood up, looking down at him. "I didn't tear this family apart. You did. You tore it apart every time you let your mother treat me like an interloper. You tore it apart when you stole five thousand dollars from your own daughter's therapy fund to bankroll your mother's lifestyle. You tore it apart when you let your sister publicly mock me on the internet while you sat there like a spineless coward!"
"I am NOT a coward!" Lucas roared, stepping into my personal space.
"Then act like a husband!" I shouted back, finally letting my voice ring out through the house. "A husband protects his wife! A husband prioritizes his child! You are not a husband, Lucas. You are an adult child who uses my salary to purchase your mother's fake love!"
Linda stood up, trembling with real rage now. "You wicked, ungrateful woman! We welcomed you into this family! We accepted you when you had nothing!"
"I was a registered nurse making seventy thousand dollars a year when I met your son!" I shot back, pointing a sharp finger at Linda. "I brought stability, love, and a home to your son when he was swimming in credit card debt! You didn't welcome me—you targeted me!"
"Get out," I added, turning back to Linda and Cassie. "Get out of my house before I have the sheriff escort you off the property."
"Lucas!" Linda shrieked, looking at her son. "Are you going to let her speak to me like this?!"
Lucas looked back and forth between his mother and me. For six long years, he had operated in the gray area, trying to keep both sides happy, sacrificing me to appease the dragon. But the gray area was gone. The line was drawn in steel.
"Mom..." Lucas stammered, his voice weak. "Maybe... maybe you guys should go for today."
Linda looked at Lucas as if he had slapped her. "Unbelievable," she spat. "You are weak, Lucas. Just like your father was."
Cassie grabbed her purse, throwing a venomous look in my direction. "You're going to die alone, Stella. Lucas will leave you, and no one will ever love a bitter bitch like you."
"I'd rather be alone than spend another second in the company of parasites," I replied calmly, holding the front door wide open.
They stormed out into the cold November rain, slamming the door so hard the glass pane rattled.
Lucas stood in the hallway, panting, looking at me with a mixture of terror and realization.
May you like
"Stella..." he whispered. "Please."
"Pack your bags, Lucas," I said, my heart breaking for the man I thought I knew, but firm in the knowledge of what I had to do. "You're going with them."
