Helena’s expression became serious.
“Daniel didn’t take anything from you. You made the decision to leave.”
For a moment, anger rushed through me.
I wanted to argue.
To point out Daniel’s mistakes.
To say something that might make Helena question her relationship.
But then I remembered the night I’d walked out.
The way she’d been folding laundry.
How she’d asked whether there was another woman.
How I’d expected her to beg me to stay.
And how I’d felt offended when she hadn’t.
I took a slow breath.
“You’re right.”
Helena stared at me.
I turned toward Daniel.
“I’ve been treating you like you’re responsible for everything that went wrong in my life.”
He said nothing.
“But you didn’t make me leave my marriage. I did that.”
Then I looked at Helena.
“For years, I told myself you’d changed. That you’d become too busy, too tired, too focused on the kids.”