- Back at the Lodge -
The living room was warm and dimly lit, the soft glow of the fire flickering against the walls. Y/N and Miranda were nestled together under a thick blanket, Outside, snow fell steadily, muffling the world beyond the windows, but inside, a heavy silence hung in the air.
Miranda leaned against Y/N, her body weary and feverish. She shivered slightly, despite the warmth of the cozy room. Y/N had been attentive all day, ensuring she took her medications and even holding her hair back when she felt nauseous.
It was the kind of care and attention that Miranda would have killed for, the attention that Miranda had realised, Elizabeth might of have been taken for granted.
"Why are you still married to Elizabeth?" Miranda asked suddenly, breaking the stillness.
Y/N froze, her heart racing. The question echoed in her mind as she stared at the flickering screen. "What do you mean?" Her voice was soft, cautious, as if she feared the answer.
Miranda straightened a little, rubbing her temples. "I see how you are with the kids. You do everything for them. You bathe Amelia, make sure Nate brushes his teeth, you play with them, ask them about their day. You pay attention to everything they say and you're always there for their needs. But Lizzie?" She let out a frustrated sigh. "She's always on her phone or talking about work with Luca. It's like she's not even present."
Y/N's expression tightened. "I love her, Miranda. Even if things aren't perfect, I care about her deeply." But even as she spoke, doubt flickered in her eyes.
Miranda studied Y/N for a moment, her concern evident. "Damien told me about you guys... about why you hired Behati.. and Two years without intimacy is a long time, Y/N. I've seen you initiate hugs or try to spark conversations, but it feels one-sided. You're alone in this."
Y/N looked down at her tea, swirling the liquid. "It's complicated. I've tried talking to her about being closer, just spending time together. She never seems interested... she's a busy woman, she doesn't have time for that stuff."
Miranda shifted, her voice growing gentler. "You deserve more than this. You hired Behati for a reason, right? Because she made you feel appreciated, it was never about the sex, well... it was never JUST about the sex, you chose Behati because she gave you a sense of normality.... So why stay in a loveless marriage when you could be free?"
"I can't just walk away," Y/N replied, her voice trembling. "If I divorce her, she would get custody of the kids. I can't bear the thought of losing them. How many times have you been divorced?" Y/N asked and Miranda let out a deep breath.
"Twice," Miranda admitted, a hint of pain in her eyes. "Both my exes got custody because their careers were more stable. They thought it was better for the kids to be with wealthier parents... I have four kids and I never get to see them."
Y/N nodded, feeling the heaviness settle on her chest. "Elizabeth is from old money, a family that everyone knows. She runs a successful fashion brand, while I'm just the 'nepo baby' of a billionaire guy with ties to questionable people. If we split, I'd lose my kids, and if it comes down to it, A court would choose Elizabeth in a heartbeat"
"Living in a loveless marriage just to keep your kids is a hard choice," Miranda said gently. "is it really worth it?"
"It's not entirely loveless," Y/N replied, her voice barely a whisper. "I love Lizzie. Maybe not in the way I once did, but I care for her. I've spent most of my life with her. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her."
"But you're also cheating," Miranda pointed out softly. " so you are lying and being dishonest and unhappy and unfaithful... You're stuck in this cycle because you're afraid of what might happen if you make a choice for yourself. It's okay to prioritize your happiness."
" I am prioritising my happiness, that's why I hired Behati... I've been trying to fix things with my wife for years, but it feels hopeless. I didn't cheat the first time things got hard. I made that choice of hiring Behati after years of feeling alone, it feels good but I also hate myself for it,"
" my mother cheated on my father when I was a kid, she was unhappy, she cheated on him with his business associate and she left us and I never saw her again, and I hated my mother for that, But now I get it— I get her side. She chose herself, she wanted to be happy, and I want to do the same, but at the same time I don't want to abandon my kids like she abandoned me."
Miranda brushed Y/N cheek gently "You deserve to be happy, Y/N. There's gotta be a middle ground here, why don't you try to talk to Elizabeth again? Maybe go to therapy? See someone? Give her an ultimatum? I don't know... but you are too fucking amazing to be stuck between a rock and a hard place."
