Shattered Truths

Chapter 8: Claire's Justification

The next evening, Matt found himself sitting across from Claire at a small café they'd once considered "theirs." The familiarity of the setting felt strange now, tinged with the bitterness of everything that had unfolded between them. He looked at her, noticing how calm she appeared—almost as though she were having just another casual conversation. There were no signs of the emotional turbulence he felt inside, no flickers of remorse or hesitation. Just Claire, serene and self-assured, as if the betrayal hadn't shattered him at all.

Claire took a slow sip of her coffee, her gaze unwavering. "I'm glad you agreed to meet. I thought we needed to have a proper conversation. For closure, you know?"

Matt forced himself to remain composed. "I just want to understand, Claire. I don't get how... how you could just go behind my back like that. Why didn't you say anything? Why did it have to end this way?"

She let out a soft sigh, leaning back in her chair. "Matt, I know you're hurt, but try to see this from my perspective. You were...well, let's just say, a bit controlling. And over time, it felt suffocating."

Matt's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Controlling? Claire, I gave you your space. I was there whenever you needed me, but I didn't restrict you or anything. I trusted you. I didn't even question those late-night 'work meetings' until recently."

She rolled her eyes, a slight edge in her tone. "See, that's exactly what I mean. You trusted me, but you also constantly doubted me. You were always second-guessing my decisions, my choices. And, frankly, it made me feel like I couldn't be myself around you."

Matt clenched his fists under the table, struggling to contain his frustration. "I never doubted you until you started being secretive. I asked you directly if anything was wrong, if there was something going on, but you brushed it off every time. And now, after all that, you're saying I was the one who was too controlling?"

Claire's expression softened for a moment, but there was a hint of exasperation as well. "It's not just that, Matt. This has been building up for a while. I needed to feel free, and instead, I felt like I was constantly under your watch. I needed excitement, and with you, everything was... predictable."

Matt shook his head, trying to process her words. "Predictable? So, what, being in a steady, committed relationship was boring for you?"

"Don't put words in my mouth," she replied, her tone sharper. "I cared about you, Matt. I did. But I also felt trapped in this image of who you thought I was. I wanted to explore, to find what else was out there for me. And yes, I met up with my ex. He understood me in ways you didn't."

The words stung, each one feeling like a new wound. Matt tried to hold back his emotions, but he couldn't help the tremor in his voice. "So you didn't feel you could 'be yourself' with me. Did you ever think about talking to me instead of going behind my back?"

Claire hesitated, casting her gaze downwards for a moment. "I did think about it," she said quietly, almost as if confessing a sin. "But every time I tried, I felt like you'd just brush it off or get defensive. I didn't want to risk another argument."

Matt let out a bitter laugh. "So instead, you decided sneaking around was the better solution?"

She pursed her lips, looking at him directly. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Matt. But I wasn't happy, and I felt like I had no choice. I was trying to find some part of me that I felt was missing."

Matt took a deep breath, trying to ground himself amidst the rush of emotions. "Claire, I would have done anything to make you feel heard, to make you feel happy. You say I was controlling, but maybe you never actually gave me a chance to see things from your side. Maybe you just assumed I wouldn't understand."

Her face softened, but she didn't say anything, just nodded slightly. It was the closest thing to an acknowledgment he'd gotten from her since their confrontation.

"Do you even regret what you did?" Matt asked, his voice barely a whisper, almost afraid of the answer.

Claire looked away, her fingers tracing patterns along the edge of her coffee cup. "I regret that it had to come to this. But do I regret trying to find what I needed? No, I don't. I think it was something I had to do."

Matt stared at her, his heart sinking. The woman he had thought he loved, the one he had poured his trust and loyalty into, was unapologetic. She had made up her mind and was sticking to it. For her, this was a justified decision, not a mistake to learn from.

"So that's it, then?" he asked, his voice empty. "You found what you needed, and I was just... a stepping stone?"

She met his gaze, unflinching. "Maybe it wasn't right, but I did what I felt was necessary for me. I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth."

Matt let out a sigh, nodding slowly. "Thank you for finally being honest, at least. I wish you'd been this straightforward from the start."

Claire remained silent, her face a mask of indifference. Matt could see now that this conversation was for his closure, not hers. She had already moved on emotionally, leaving him to pick up the pieces.

Without another word, he stood up, placing a few bills on the table. He couldn't bear to be in that café, with her, any longer. He needed air, space—anything to clear his mind and reclaim some part of himself that hadn't been tainted by her betrayal.

As he turned to leave, Claire called out softly, "Goodbye, Matt."

He didn't look back. Walking out of that café, he felt a strange, hollow relief. He had the answers he'd come for, though they'd only deepened the pain. But he also felt the faint stirrings of a new resolve. This was the end of their chapter together. And though the betrayal and bitterness lingered, he knew he was finally ready to start moving forward on his own.