My Husband and Bestie Filmed My Breakdown as 'Exposure Therapy'—I Fixed Them Both with a Divorce & a Lawsuit - Chapter 75

Chapter 9 Chapter 9 On the anniversary of Ashton's death, the bandages finally came off. Dr. Whitford unwrapped them slowly, one layer at a time. He handed me a mirror. My hands wouldn't stop shaking. Everyone kept encouraging me. I took a shaky breath. And lifted the mirror. Six years. It'd been six years since I'd seen my own face. The second I saw it, I lost it. Tears just poured out, and I couldn't stop them. Dr. Whitford handed me a handkerchief and wiped my cheeks gently. "Easy. Don't cry too much-you just healed." Then he pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. "Come on.

Let's go see Ashton. Show him his mom's beautiful smile." I looked at him, throat tight with emotion. Nodded hard. At the cemetery. Ashton's photo smiled back at me from the headstone-bright and happy, just like I remembered. I brushed the leaves off carefully. Talked to him about everything. Rambled. Cried. Laughed a little through the tears. Also brought toys and left them by his grave. "Ashton, Mama's never gonna forget you. Never.

And you better remember what Mama looks like, okay?" "So when I come find you someday, you'll recognize me right away." Chapter 9 I cried until my eyes burned and my voice cracked. Dr. Whitford didn't try to stop me. He just stood there beside me until the sun went down. After we left, he drove me home. On the way, I hesitated for a long time before I finally spoke. "Dr. Whitford... someone like me...

you don't have to be this good to me-" "Don't say that, Brynn," he cut me off: "Someone like you deserves everything wonderful." "You're one of the strongest, kindest people I've ever met." "I know what you're thinking... And yeah-I'm doing this because I care about you. A lot." I gripped my hands together, nervous. His voice stayed gentle. "But I know you're not ready to think about any of that yet. So I'm just gonna stick around until you've really moved past all this." "No pressure. And if you still want me around when the time comes? I'd be honored." My eyes stung again.

After a long silence, I managed to choke out the words. "Thank you, Lincoln." A year later, my divorce from Caden was finalized. Heard he spent every single day in prison on his knees, bowing toward Ashton's grave. Day after day. Never stopped. The guilt and endless labor destroyed him. Severe stomach issues. Depression that ate him alive. He wasted away to nothing but skin and bones. Just like I had. math with a Divorce & a Law Chapter 9 Then his depression got worse. Started having hallucinations. Saw me strapped to that table. Saw Ashton screaming for help.