“Yes.”
“Over one argument?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“You know what.”
“The clothes?”
“No.”
“Because I threw some shirts outside?”
“This is not about shirts.”
“Then explain it.”
I leaned back against the conference table.
“You decided you should control my paycheck and savings.”
“I wanted us to combine finances.”
“You brought two friends to pressure me.”
“They were there for support.”
“When I still refused, you threw my belongings out of a second-floor window and ordered me out of a house I bought before I met you.”
“I said I was sorry.”
“For getting angry.”
“I was angry.”
“I know.”
“You are really ending six years because I had one bad night?”
I was quiet for several seconds.
“No.”
My voice was calmer than I expected.
“I’m ending it because that night showed me what disagreement had become.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means I said no, and you treated no like misconduct.”
She said nothing.
“I disagreed with you. You treated disagreement like disobedience.”
“That’s not fair.”
“You brought witnesses.”
“Stop saying that.”
“It matters.”
“You are throwing away our marriage.”
“No.”
I closed my eyes briefly.
“I’m accepting what happened to it.”
That silenced her.
When Lauren spoke again, her voice was different.
Less angry.
“You’ve already decided.”
“Yes.”