Paper Bride ✔️ (Book 4 - DP Series - COMPLETE)

28. Confessions

I stay locked in the bathroom for hours. I'm pretty sure I even fall asleep at some point—my head resting on the rim of the bathtub and my butt numb with the lack of movement. Seth had banged and pleaded at the door for nearly forty minutes, until exhaustion set it. I could hear it in his voice, a sense of hopeless defeat. Maybe he'd given up trying, or maybe he'd realized that he'd finally lost me. Whatever the reason, the small cottage has finally grown silent.

I have no idea where he could be, and though I'm tempted to take a peek out the door, I don't dare. When did I become such a coward? I feel stupid for my own behavior over the last few weeks. It's as if I've shriveled into this shell of the person I once was. I'm empty and spineless. I hate it. And yet, I feel stuck.

I know I've waited far too long, but I also know that the time to talk has gone far passed its limit. It might even be too late, but I also have a smidgen of hope left that's telling me that the only way we'll ever get passed this disaster and move onto the next phase is by hashing everything out. He has to confess his infidelity now or we'll just be stuck in this endless swirl of misery.

Taking in a deep breath, I pull my head away from its resting place and stretch out my muscles. My stomach is angry at me now; I haven't fed it since lunch and it's definitely passed dinner time. I almost feel like I should have some level of pity for Seth—I mean, I did just ruin his birthday beyond repair—but I don't. He deserves to be feeling whatever he's feeling right now, whether that be guilt, or sorrow, or anger. I honestly don't care.

A knock at the door has my eyes darting towards the sound as my body stiffens. For some reason I expect him to just turn the knob and walk right in, but I know he can't. The only way he's getting in here is if he breaks the door down.

"Mercy," he mumbles through the wood barrier, "I brought you some dinner."

I can almost feel him waiting with eager anticipation for me to swing the door open and gladly accept his peace offering... but I don't. I wait, expecting him to elaborate. Maybe I'm too gutless to step up and hear him out, but that doesn't mean I won't happily listen from behind the door. This thin sheet of wood separating Seth from entering is my only protection from him. If he sees me right now, he'll be watching as his own words nail my coffin shut.

I'm a fool.

Who knew that the most passionate moment of our lives could turn into such a disaster? This is not what I had planned for this weekend. We were supposed to find love again. I never expected to find myself giving up on us. It's like ripping a decaying tooth from your gums—painful but necessary. I need to start training my mind on ways to survive without him. As long as we're alone in this cabin we can easily pretend that hope exists, but the moment we get home, reality is going to drown us like a fire hose washing out an anthill. I need to be ready for that.

"I know what you think about me," he suddenly says, gaining my full attention. "Your face says it all. I've lost your trust and faith in me, and I have no idea how that happened. I swear to you, Merc, I'd never cheat on you. I would never do that. I know you don't believe me, but I want to prove it to you."

He pauses and I scoot slightly closer to the door, waiting to hear more, and then I realize how stupid all of this is. I'm not some nine-year-old hiding from a fuming parent. It's time I step up and be the adult that I should be. With a deep breath, I push myself up off the floor and swing the door open.

"I'm ready," I say with more boldness than even I expected. "I want to know everything."

Relief cascades across his face as he runs a hand over it.

"Finally," he says with a heavy exhale of air, as he sets a plate of steaming Mac N' Cheese on the bedside table. He nods for me to take a seat and then wisely settles himself down on the opposite end of the bed from me.