Marianne let out a choked sob. James’s eyes burned with anger.

Greg tried to defend himself. “It was a mistake… I didn’t mean to…”

“It wasn’t a mistake,” I snapped. “It was a choice. You betrayed me. And now you face the consequences.”

He begged for forgiveness. “Please, Lilith… I love you…”

I laughed.

“You love me? Greg, you don’t even know what love is. If you did, you wouldn’t have done what you did.”

He crawled toward me, “Please… I’m begging you.”

I stepped back. “It’s over. You destroyed us the moment you crawled back to Sarah.”

James stepped forward, voice like thunder.

“Get up,” he ordered. “Stand up and face what you’ve done.”

Greg slowly stood. He looked pitiful in his wrinkled tuxedo, his tear-streaked face—a man who had lost everything.

I turned to his parents.

“I’m leaving,” I announced, my voice steady. “He’s your problem now.”

“Lilith, please,” Greg cried one last time. “Don’t go…”

But I was already done. I wrapped a robe around me, covered the tattoo, and walked to the door.

“Lilith!” he screamed after me. “I can change! I’ll fix this!”

I didn’t even turn around. There was nothing left to say.

As I walked down the stairs, I heard James’s voice—low, furious—cut through the silence:

“This is what you did, Greg. You ruined everything.”

And then Greg’s broken sobs filled the house.

But they didn’t touch me.

I walked away from that house with my head held high.

Free of lies.

Free of betrayal.

Free of Greg.