Chapter 5: Unspoken Truths
Two weeks passed. Glen sat in his empty house, the silence deafening. The living room was untouched; the dishes in the sink remained as a reminder of the day everything fell apart.
He had tried calling Sarah every day, leaving long, emotional voicemails, but she never picked up. Desperate to reconnect with his son, he drove up to the lake house unannounced.
When his car pulled into the gravel driveway, Sarah was in the yard hanging laundry. She froze as she saw him step out of the car. He looked exhausted, bags under his eyes, his clothes wrinkled.
""Sarah,"" Glen said, stopping ten feet away, respecting her physical boundaries. ""I'm not here to argue. I just... I needed to see Toby. Please.""
Sarah took a deep breath, fighting the surge of resentment inside her. ""He's upstairs reading, Glen. He's still confused. He's hurt.""
""I know,"" Glen choked out. ""I hate myself for what I did to both of you. I ruined everything because I was feeling invisible, because I was foolish enough to seek validation outside our home. I don't expect you to take me back, Sarah. But please, don't take my son away from me.""
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Sarah looked into the eyes of the man she had built a life with. She saw true remorse, but the wound was still fresh. ""I won't keep you from Toby, Glen. You're his father. But you need to earn his trust back. And as for us... we are over.""
Glen lowered his head, tears dripping onto the gravel. ""I understand.""
