Another year of paying.
Another secret.
Another excuse.
Another betrayal.
Another demand.
Another piece of myself sacrificed to keep everyone else comfortable.
That night, I had walked away from a restaurant bill.
But what I had actually walked away from was a lifetime of being used.
And sometimes, the most expensive thing you can lose is a relationship that was never truly costing the other person anything.
The best thing I ever bought was my freedom.
And unlike that birthday dinner, it was worth every penny.
