Invisible String

Chapter 20 -Dr. Stevens

It's been a month since I started to see a therapist. The sessions have been challenging, but they've also been incredibly eye-opening. I've begun to unpack the chaos in my life, piece by piece, and I'm starting to feel more like myself again.

Logan has been a constant support, always checking in on me, and making sure I'm not bottling things up. We've fallen into a comfortable routine, balancing our busy schedules with moments of shared quiet.

Today, though, feels different. As I sit in the therapist's office, a sense of calm washes over me. I realize I'm finally starting to confront my fears rather than run from them.

As I stepped into Dr. Stevens' office, the scent of lavender enveloped me, calming my nerves like a soothing balm. Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a warm glow over the cozy space. It was a familiar setting, one that had become a sanctuary of sorts in recent weeks.

Dr. Stevens greeted me with a kind smile, gesturing for me to take a seat in the plush armchair opposite her desk. As I settled into the chair, a mix of nervousness and anticipation fluttered in my chest. It was time to dive back into the depths of my past, to confront the demons that had haunted me for so long.

"So, Genesis," Dr. Stevens began, her voice gentle yet probing. "Shall we pick up where we left off?"

I nodded, steeling myself for the journey ahead. With each session, I felt like I was peeling back layers of old wounds, uncovering truths that had long been buried.

We started with Noah. I recounted how we met and our relationship from begging to start.

"He seemed like the perfect guy at first," I admitted, bitterness tingeing my voice. "But as time went on, I started to see another side of him. He was controlling, manipulative... It was like I was living in a nightmare, and I couldn't find a way out."

As I spoke, memories flooded back. It felt like it was all from a different life now. "I wanted so badly to believe that he loved me," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. "But deep down, I think I always knew the truth."

The breakup was the hardest part. The discovery of Noah's infidelity shattered me, leaving me adrift in a sea of emotional turmoil. "I couldn't keep pretending everything was okay," I admitted, tears stinging my eyes. "I didn't want to, but I had to leave him, I refused to put myself in a place were I wasn't wanted."

As I recounted the aftermath, I felt a weight lifting from my shoulders. "Alexa helped me move out," I continued "But despite her support, the process was far from effortless. I had envisioned an entire future with Noah—marriage, children—the whole package. It was devastating to realize that our visions for the future were not aligned."

"That must've been so hard Genesis."

"But just when I thought I had escaped Noah's grasp, he resurfaced in the most unexpected way." I said, my voice trembling with anger and disbelief. "It felt like the ultimate betrayal, as though he aimed to dismantle me from within. It was as if he believed that if I wasn't content with him, then I couldn't possibly find happiness elsewhere."

Dr. Stevens listened intently, her gaze filled with empathy as she absorbed my words. "Betrayal of that magnitude can shake the very foundation of one's sense of self."

"It's like he took something sacred and twisted it into a weapon against me," I murmured.

"It's understandable that you would feel that way," she said. "But it's important to remember that his actions are a reflection of him, not of you."

Her words offered a glimmer of solace, a reminder that I wasn't to blame for Noah's betrayal. Yet, despite her reassurance, the wounds he had inflicted ran deep.