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"You used me.”
She says it quietly. The hurt shows only in the slight tremor of her breath.
Six feet behind her, Hal’s tie hangs loose, the top button undone, shirt sleeves pushed halfway up. He looks like he hasn’t slept in days. He perches lightly on the back of the couch, studying her reflection in the window. Frowning slightly, carefully, he assesses the woman in front of him. He’s uncertain where they stand after months of chaos, separation, and broken trust.
He nods once, slowly.
“Yeah, Katherine. I did.”
Her shoulders tense, but she doesn’t turn.
“Why?" Her voice shakes slightly.
“You made it clear you weren’t my wife anymore. You said what we had was professional, transactional. We were already separated when the plan went into motion. So yes, I used you like I would any other capable asset.”
“Asset” lands like a gut punch. Kate finally faces him, eyes red-rimmed and furious.
“Is that all I’ve become to you? I can’t believe I walked straight back into this.”
Hal rolls his eyes as he replies tightly, his voice strained.
“Then leave again. I’m not stopping you. The door’s still swinging on its hinges from the last time you stormed out of this marriage.”
Kate’s temper flares.
“Stormed out? Seriously? I told you I wanted a divorce for YEARS. You used the VP position as a way to make me stay, and then stabbed me in the back the second you had the opportunity for the role instead of me.”
Hal raises his eyebrows at her in disbelief.
“Does reality hold any relevance for you at all? I offered to turn the job down. I asked you if you wanted me to say no.”
“Oh come on, don’t pretend that was a real option.”
“You told me to take the job, and then you left me for doing what you told me to do. You left me.” His voice breaks slightly, the only sign of how much he still cares for her.
Kate’s defenses begin to crumble beneath the hurt she hears in his voice, but her rage is still controlling her every word.
“No, you don’t get to play the abandoned victim. Your actions justify everything I’ve ever done to get away from you. I was still your Second Lady, even if we were privately separated. I was supposed to be the person you plan with. Not her. You betrayed me.”
Hal’s jaw tightens, no longer able to contain his hurt and anger.
“You want to talk betrayal? You had an affair with an MI6 spy. You put both of our security clearances and our careers on the line.”
Kate shakes her head.
“No. We were separated.”
“But we weren’t divorced. Legally, your actions still could have destroyed my career and you knew it. You didn’t care.”
Kate closes her eyes for a moment, finally truly recognizing the damage she has done to the man she loves. She feels tears welling up in her eyes as she finally allows her gaze to meet his and comes face to face with the pain she has caused him.
“Hal... I—”
He shrugs helplessly.
“You what, Kate? You’re sorry? Yeah, I know. It doesn’t fix the damage though.”
She looks up at him and speaks matter-of-factly.
“I hurt you and I broke us.”
Hal softens at her acknowledgement, smiling wryly.
“In your defense, we were already pretty broken.”
Kate fights back a smile of relief before meeting his gaze seriously.
“I am REALLY sorry for how I treated you.”
Hal tilts his head as he gauges how vulnerable it’s safe to be in this moment.
“It felt like you weren’t on my team anymore. I’d always thought that even if we got divorced you would still be on my team. I never could have imagined a situation where you would try to humiliate me professionally.”
Kate bites her lip and winces.
“I was so angry. I know I screwed up.”
Hal nods.
“I’m sorry too, Kate. I’d like to loop you in on the rest of the plan. I never intended for you to be on the outside of it.”
He tilts his head at the couch and she follows him, sitting down to plot together. It’s a tentative truce but at least they’re back on familiar ground. Maybe healing is still an option for them.