Chapter 1

I'd been married for three years, and every year, my husband, Andrew Sullivan, and I would have a huge fight about where to spend Christmas.

This year, he promised we'd go to my parents' place, but instead, he drove straight to his parents' place.

We got into a heated argument on the highway, and he actually told me to get the hell out of the car.

This time, I actually did it. I got out, and I was never looking back.

*****

On the highway, the car suddenly jerked and stopped on the shoulder. Andrew snapped, "Get out. Get the hell out."

I froze. "Did you really say that?"

Those words came from my husband, the guy I moved 1,100 miles for, thinking he was the one I could trust with my whole life.

Andrew spun around and shouted, "Didn't you hear me? I said get the hell out."

"Andrew!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Are you out of your mind? We're on the highway."

He turned to me, eyes icy. "I told you to get out. Right now. Don't make me say it again."

I was shaking with anger.

We were fighting because last year we spent Christmas at his family's place, so this year it was supposed to be my family's turn.

My parents had been looking forward to it for ages, bringing it up every time we talked on the phone.

I went to the mall and bought my mom the chocolate she'd always wanted but never splurged on, and got my dad some knee supports.

This morning before we left, I asked, "You set the GPS, right? Don't mess up the directions."

Andrew grunted, "Yeah," without looking up.

Once we got in the car, I fell asleep with our dog, Buddy, in my arms. I'd been packing until two in the morning, and I was exhausted.

I didn't wake up until we were already on the highway.

The scenery flashing by outside the window snapped me awake. We were heading north.

"Andrew, are you going the wrong way?" I asked.

Andrew kept his eyes on the road, his voice cold. "No. We're going to my family's place this year."

"We agreed we'd go to my family's place. My parents have been waiting all year. You promised me."

"Can you not make a scene?" He shot me a look, like I was throwing a tantrum. "My brother and sister are both coming home this year. It's rare for the whole family to be together."

"What about my parents?" My voice was shaking with anger. "Didn't your family have a reunion last year? Andrew, we've fought about this so many times. Didn't we finally agree on it?"

He let out a mocking laugh. "Once you married me, you became one of us. Spending Christmas with my family is the way it should be."

I completely lost it. "You planned this all along, didn't you?"

Andrew went silent, and then jerked the car onto the shoulder. "Get out."

I stared at the man I'd gone against my parents' wishes for, the one I was so determined to marry. "Andrew, is this how you treat me?"

He snapped, "Damn it, you just can't let things go. I try to be nice, and you blow up over nothing. Why do you always have to turn everything into a fight?"

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and got out of the car with Buddy in my arms.

Andrew hit the gas and sped off, leaving me in the dust.

I stood there on the shoulder, watching that familiar white SUV disappear into the traffic, the roar of passing cars ringing in my ears.

My hair was a mess from the wind, and tears streamed down my face.

He knew perfectly well I hadn't seen my parents for so long.

Last Christmas, he said his grandma was sick and wanted to see me, so I went along with it.

This year, I started talking about it six months ahead, and he promised we'd go to my family's place. But as soon as we got on the highway, he flipped on me.

He knew exactly how dangerous it was to kick me out on the highway, but he didn't care. He didn't care about my safety, my feelings, or how desperately my parents were waiting for me.

I sank to the ground and sobbed uncontrollably.

I knew I deserved it.