Part 5/9:
He lay awake through the night, absorbing the reality of his situation. Silence engulfed him, and with it came profound revelations about the disconnect that had characterized their marriage. The next day brought no messages from Lorraine, deepening his realization that perhaps she had already moved on – she hadn’t even noticed his absence.
The Test of Silence
His phone finally buzzed, but the message felt void of concern. "You didn’t come home last night. Where are you?" Here was a stark contrast to the love he sought, a reminder that he had been more of an afterthought than a partner. Ignoring the message was liberating; for the first time, he was not tied to her whims or validation.