Chapter FiftyOne

The letter felt heavy in my hand, as if every word I’d scrawled on it held a weight I wasn’t ready to carry.

My fingers tightened around the edges, crumpling the paper slightly, but I didn’t care.

This wasn’t about perfection or politeness.. it was about reclaiming my life. For once, I was choosing to walk away before the pain could fully sink in.

Taking a steadying breath, I straightened my back, squared my shoulders, and pushed open Caleb’s office door without knocking.

Caleb looked up, eyebrows lifting in surprise.

“Sam?” He glanced at the clock on his desk, confusion written across his face. “Is something wrong?”

I ignored the warmth in his voice, willing my heart to stay calm. I stepped inside, the letter practically burning my fingers.

“I need to talk to you,” I said, forcing my tone to stay steady.

His gaze shifted to the paper in my hand, and I saw the flicker of concern flash through his eyes.

“What’s going on?” His voice softened, the gentle edge enough to make me falt