Chapter 2

2

Kendra ended up driving me to the hospital.

When we got downstairs, I opened the rear door and sat in the back.

I rolled the window all the way down to let the heavy scent of men's cologne air out.

"So dramatic. Is the passenger seat covered in spikes or something?"

I couldn't even summon the energy to argue.

"I only sit in seats that belong to me."

She muttered a curse under her breath and stepped on the gas without another word.

I was indeed a fool for ever falling in love with her in the first place.

Halfway through the drive, Kendra kept glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

After a long hesitation, she finally spoke up.

"My mom wants us to come over for dinner tonight. Are you…"

I knew what she was afraid of.

She was terrified I would tell her mother about Brody's return to the country.

Her mother despised Brody and would tear Kendra apart if she found out.

Since I had already decided on a divorce, I had no desire to play along with her family games.

I nodded absently and closed my eyes to rest.

A suffocating silence settled over the car, but for the first time in years, I found the quiet peaceful.

Once we pulled up to the emergency bay, she told me to wait outside while she rushed toward the burn unit.

She did not look back at me once.

I walked into the emergency room by myself, my shirt soaked in crimson.

The triage nurse gasped at my condition and asked if I had any family with me.

I shook my head without hesitation.

In my heart, Kendra had ceased to be my family.

After the doctor finished stitching up my wound, I waited in the hallway for two solid hours.

Kendra never showed up.

I let out a bitter chuckle and stood up to leave when my phone rang.

It was my mother-in-law, Evelyn, asking what time we would arrive since she had cooked a feast for us.

I made an excuse and hung up.

When I opened my social feed, Brody's latest post popped right to the top.

"I shouldn't have been so greedy. My stomach hurts so bad, but I'm so lucky to have someone taking care of me."

The location tag was the exact hospital I was standing in.

Attached was a photo of two hands tightly intertwined, with Kendra's wedding ring gleaming under the light.

It was obvious Kendra would not make it to her mother's dinner.

I did not want to face Evelyn's disappointed eyes alone, so I decided to call a cab home.

I dialed Evelyn back to explain, but the moment I ended the call, my vision turned pitch black.

My knees gave out, and I hit the cold floor.

The heavy blood loss combined with an empty stomach drained every ounce of strength from my body.

A passing doctor kindly helped me up.

"Sir, are you alright? You need to sit down."

I forced a weak smile and walked over to the water station to catch my breath.

Just as I stepped out of the break area, I saw Kendra gently supporting Brody as they walked down the hall.

They were so wrapped up in each other that neither of them noticed me.

"You are a grown man acting like a toddler," Kendra scolded gently. "I told you not to eat so fast, and now you have a stomachache. Let's see if you learn your lesson."

"Hey, I only drank so much because your hangover soup was amazing," Brody whined playfully. "It tasted just like you, so I couldn't stop."

Hearing those words made my stomach churn with disgust.

Kendra smiled fondly at him.

"Next time drink less. If you love my cooking that much, I will make you whatever you want."

Brody's eyes lit up.

"Promise? Pinky swear! Whoever breaks it is a puppy."

My wife giggled and hooked her pinky with his.

It was a soft, tender side of her that I had never once experienced in six years of marriage.

Whenever I asked her to watch a movie with me, she called me childish and boring.

At home, I protected her hands from every household chore, yet she gladly cooked meals for another man.

Watching them lean against each other and whisper sweet nothings made me sigh.

Her childhood sweetheart truly was something special.

I turned around, leaning against the wall as I tried to walk away, but Brody spotted me.

"Cole? What a coincidence! You're here too?"

Brody hurried toward me, while Kendra hovered beside him with clear concern in her eyes.

"Slow down, Brody, don't strain yourself!"

When they caught up, Kendra's tender look vanished, replaced by sheer annoyance.

"Cole, are you seriously stalking me? Is there zero trust left in our marriage? Are you even a man?"

"I told you to wait for me! Do you have to wander around and make a scene?"

She stood there looking completely righteous, as if waiting for me to bow my head and apologize.

Her gaze was full of arrogance, disgust, and coldness.

There was not a single shred of shame or guilt for being caught in a blatant lie.

She had mastered the art of lying, weaponizing her own wrongdoing to attack me instead.

I felt like an unwelcome ghost in her life.

My head spun violently, and all I wanted was to sit down, but Brody reached out to grab my arm.

"Here, Cole, let me help you."

Disgusted by his fake sympathy, I instinctively pulled my arm away.

I didn't even graze his sleeve, but Brody dramatically threw himself onto the floor with a loud thud.

Kendra reacted like a furious lioness, shoving me backward with all her might to shield Brody.

"Cole, what the hell is wrong with you?! Brody was just trying to help, and you assault him?!"