Who angered Timmy.
Who hurt Timmy’s feelings.
Whether Timmy is hungry.
Whether Timmy needs to use the bathroom.
Whether Timmy wants sex.
Whether Timmyneedsto have a cigarette.
I’m not even a co-star—I’m an unwilling extra, dragged along as he dominates the stage.
I feel like a shadow of who I was when I arrived here—strong, confident, alive. Timmy’s constant demands have chipped away at me, piece by piece.
I know what needs to change. I’m just not quite ready to take the leap.
CHAPTER 101
VOLCANO OF STRENGTH
DEX
Isit in the truck, my knuckles white as I grip the steering wheel. The salty breeze outside does nothing to calm me.
Margaux is gone from the apartment, and for the first time in months, I feel something close to relief. No longer tethered to the chaos, she's taken a step toward freedom. She’s finally done it—left him.
I close my eyes, imagining Margaux sitting in her hotel room, Sabre curled up beside her.
At least she has Sabre.
That cat’s been her anchor in this storm, her one constant source of comfort.
I’m proud of her. More than proud. She’s brave, stronger than she realizes. But the rage bubbling inside me threatens to overshadow the pride. Rage at Timmy, sure, but especially at Phil, the puppet master enabling this entire circus.
Margaux is out there rebuilding herself from the ruins Timmy has left behind, and Phil has the audacity to callhera ‘volcano of pain’? The words make my teeth grind.
A volcano?She’s not the one erupting, raining destruction on everyone around her. That’s Timmy. Phil’s blind devotion to his underachieving son is staggering, a testament to just how deep their dysfunction runs.
What parent defends a son who spits on his partner, destroys her belongings, and gaslights her into oblivion? And then, when his son pulls some half-assed suicide stunt, they call Margaux to clean it up, and blame her for it happening in the first place?
I park the truck in a random lot overlooking the ocean and stare out at the horizon. Waves crash against the rocks below, wild and unrelenting. They remind me of Margaux’s spirit—relentless, enduring, though Timmy’s done everything he can to erode it.
Timmy.That cowardly bastard. If he’d actually gone through with his suicide, maybe the world would be better off. That’s a dark thought, one I can’t shake. The wreckage he’s left in Margaux’s life is a constant reminder of how little he values anyone but himself. He twists her kindness into a weapon, takes every ounce of love she offers, and spits it back at her with venom.
I check my phone for updates from her. Nothing yet. She’s probably resting, or maybe working through the rubble of her emotions.
Either way, she’s out of his reach for now. That’s what matters.
The wind picks up, whipping through my hair, and I let it carry away some of the anger. Not all of it—it’s too much to let go—but enough to keep me grounded.
The truck door creaks as I climb out, the setting sun casting long shadows on the ground. I lean against the hood, watching the waves.
Timmy might think he’s won, but Margaux’s stronger than he’ll ever be.
Margaux’s absence from her apartment is only temporary. Before I know it, she returns.
And yet, I understand why she’s gone back to the apartment.