9
440words
After years of being her husband, I knew every nuance of Fiona’s facial expressions.One glance at those photos,and I saw her annoyance when Victor suggested them.
A mutual friend joined them and said Fiona boarded the plane with a face like thunder,ignoring Victor,obsessively checking every contact tied to me—all deleted or blocked.
Meanwhile,a viral video caught me and Jane building a snowman outside the hospital.
Fiona,unable to reach me,found everything dull.Lounging listlessly,she stumbled on the clip.
It was just a glimpse of my back,but she sat up,transfixed.
She watched the short video for half an hour,laughing suddenly.
Not with joy,but with jealous rage.
She ordered her assistant to book a return flight,leaving Victor stranded overseas.
Jane’s grandmother passed.I stayed with her through the worst.
She clung to my hand the whole way.
I looked down at her teary eyes.
“Will you leave me like Grandma,so I’ll never see you again?”
“No,”I said firmly.
She leaned against me.
“Evan!”
Fiona’s voice rang out behind us.
She slammed her car door shut, her chest heaving with anger.
I turned,expressionless,my grip on Jane’s soft hand unwavering.
Fiona’s gaze fell on our clasped hands,her face ashen,but she forced a smile.“Evan,time to come home!”
She reached out,standing there,waiting.
She expected me to rush to her, as I had countless times before, and take her hand.
Not this time.
I looked away,turning to leave.
“Evan!”she called again,desperate.
She stepped closer.“I’m done playing.I want to go home.Can we?”
Her voice carried a plea.
Rare for the headstrong Fiona to beg me to take her home.
“Home?We still have a home?”My icy tone shattered her hope.
Fiona froze,trembling like she’d been struck by lightning.As I moved to leave,she grabbed me from behind,then swung at Jane.
I caught her wrist fast.
“Had enough?”I flung her hand away.She clung to me tightly as if her life depended on it,pressing closer.
“Evan,we have a home!If you don’t like it,I’ll buy another—anywhere you want,just us.No more playing,no more late nights.I swear,it’s real!”
I laughed coldly.“But Fiona,I don’t love you anymore.”
“Impossible!You can’t not love me!”
“Not love me?Who do you love? Is it her?”She pointed a finger at Jane.
Jane didn’t cower behind me this time.
“Ms.Carter,love can’t be forced.You’ve hurt him so much under the guise of love,never considering his feelings!”
“Shut up!Who are you to lecture me?Don’t forget, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have even gotten close to my husband!”
I shielded Jane,glaring at Fiona with disgust.“You’re right,I should thank you.Without you,I wouldn’t have met Jane.”
“Fiona,we’re done.You signed the divorce papers.If you don’t believe me,ask your 44th lover.He’ll tell you.”
