led our small apartment. It was a mix that always meant he

ng from the screen' s glow. Hours had bled together. This

e pressed to his ear. He

bsolutely brilliant. A network

hat made the half-empty pizza boxes

e, his face glowing with an excite

t believe the idea

id, not looking away fr

's a strategic networking event. The kind of place where real deals

with the money from my last successful game. The one that

he rent is late. I gave you

g my words like they were fl

to make money. You don't get that. You're a

stepping over a pile of his dirty laundry

ble. She said my pitch deck is o

ch deck for you," I

ly looked at me, for the first ti

a real-world perspective. She knows about marketing, branding, t

had spent a year building. The insult landed like

nt, Mark. They paid for your website, your bus

and condescending. It was his gaslighting voice. "It's just a fac

le my work while spending my money

isionary! She has half a million followers. What do

I pointed out his broken promises, the neglected apartment, the way he looked at her.

one thing he knew

nd. But you're stuck in your little fantasy land. It's no wonder

onths of tests, the doctor had gently suggested the problem might be with him, b

regnant," he sneered.

he late nights I' d worked to fund his dreams, all the love I had poure

k and pressed

an empire with someone who cries every ti

oor and opened it wide, letti

The Oak Room. I'm going. I can't have your negat

ed at him,

one I' d bought him for his birthday. He paus

do this anymore. I nee

this is my apartment. I

eed you out. I can't think with you here. Just pack a bag and go

alked out, slamming the door behind him. The

ely light on my face. He had kicked me out. He had taken my money,

ight on in my neighbor' s apartment. Liam. The quiet carpenter who lived ne

e "hello" in the hallway. But tonight, I

as going to say, but I knew I couldn't stay in that apartment for one more mi