Chapter 343

　　She swallows hard, a tiny break in her wall, a flicker of something as she watches me, but it’s only a small drop of raw emotion in an ocean full of false affection. It’s the only reaction I’ll ever see. But it’s not enough and it’s far beyond too late now.

　　“Goodbye.” I whisper, letting the tears fall, letting it hurt because this is what I need to do to let her go. I turn and leave and don’t look back. I don’t stop and I don’t feel regret. And she doesn’t stop me.

　　My heart aches and I know I’ll probably grieve for her at some point, maybe sooner than later but I need to do this for me, for my own happiness and my future with Jake. I need to do this for a child who will look to me to learn what love really is and I am doing this to make sure they’ll never know anything but real devotion, and a real mother who would die for them. A family who will shelter and protect them every step of the way.