Throughout the day, Clara moved like a robot. After putting Bimo down for his nap, she stood for a long time in front of her wardrobe. Her eyes stared emptily at the rows of clothes, most of which Kael had bought for her.
She pulled out a large suitcase from under the stairs—an item she hadn't used since their honeymoon.
With slow but deliberate movements, Clara began filling the suitcase. Her simple clothes, some of Bimo's favorite toys, the family photo album, and important documents. Every item she packed felt like severing, one by one, the ties that had bound her to this house.
Kael, who was working in the living room, heard the sound of the suitcase scraping from upstairs. His chest tightened. He knew what was happening, but didn't dare confront it.
As dusk began to fall, Clara came down with the suitcase. Her face was calm, but there was tension around her eyes.
"Are you leaving?" asked Kael, his voice hoarse.
Clara nodded slowly. "Bimo and I will stay at my parents' house for a while."
"How long?"
"I don't know, Kael. I need time to... think about everything."
Kael stood up, wanting to approach, but Clara immediately raised her hand. "Don't. Please don't come closer right now."
"Clara, I—"
"I know you're sorry," Clara interrupted. "But sorry isn't enough right now. I need more than just words."
She took a deep breath. "All this time, I kept thinking if I were good enough, patient enough, loved you enough, then one day you would truly love me back. But now I realize, there's nothing I can do to compete with the ghost of your past."
"That's not true, Clara—"
"Then what is it, Kael?" asked Clara, her voice trembling for the first time. "Tell me, what should I do? Should I pretend I didn't see your photo with Elara? Should I ignore the way you looked at her at the gala? Or should I accept that in your heart, there will always be room for another woman?"
Kael fell silent. There were no words he could say to deny that truth.
"See?" whispered Clara, tears finally flowing. "You can't even deny it."
She picked up her suitcase. "I'm leaving now. Don't follow us."
As Clara opened the door, Kael asked in a voice barely audible, "Will we be okay?"
Clara paused for a moment, without turning around. "I don't know, Kael. But one thing's for sure, we will never be the same again."
The door closed with a soft click that sounded like thunder in Kael's ears. He sat down on the stairs, listening to Clara's car driving away, taking half his soul with it.
In the house that suddenly felt so silent and empty, Kael realized he hadn't just lost Clara—he had lost the family he had taken for granted.