Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Blake came home and spotted me standing on the balcony at once.

He padded over in his slippers, saw the cigarette in my hand, and froze for a second.

But he didn't say a word about it.

I'd heard him come in. I just didn't care anymore.

I hadn't touched a cigarette since Blake and I got together.

He hated the smell of smoke. It made him frown and his throat ache.

So I'd forced myself to quit for him, even going through withdrawal once.

Not this time.

This time, I wasn't shrinking myself for anybody.

Blake tossed a gift box at me, distracted. “Seven-year anniversary gift.”

“Sorry. I had to work late tonight. Forgot to tell you.”

“Mm. It's fine.”

I finished my last drag, took the box, and opened it.

A star necklace.

I curled my lips and snapped the box shut without a second glance. “I love it. Thank you.”

Blake froze.

He'd been bracing for me to demand answers. For a fight.

The words died in his throat as he stared at me, this eerily calm version of his wife.

And me?

I'd expected to lose it too. To scream at him, to tear into him, to storm off in a mess.

But when I reached for a second cigarette, Blake snatched the lighter out of my hand.

“Didn't I tell you to quit?” he snapped, brows pinched.

The truth is, he wasn't that angry about the smoking.

He just couldn't stand how calm I was.

It was driving him crazy.

“The craving hit out of nowhere.”

I shrugged and put the cigarette back in the pack, heading off to bed.

Blake grabbed my wrist, his eyes complicated.

“Today is our anniversary.”

“And?” I asked, genuinely lost.

His brow furrowed deeper. His grip tightened without him noticing.

“You didn't even get me a gift, and you're really going to sleep this early?”

He pulled me into his arms, one hand digging into my waist, his lips trailing from my nose down toward my mouth.

Right before his lips met mine, I turned my head away.

The kiss landed on my cold cheek.

“Iris...”

His palm was hot against my skin, tracing little circles on my hip.

His voice had gone low and rough, his eyes heavy.

He thought I was just sulking over today.

He figured if he pushed a little, I'd soften and melt into him like always.

His hand slid under my shirt. His mouth came back to mine.

A slow, patient seduction.

I shoved him off me, hard.

He staggered backward and slammed into the railing, pain flashing across his face, disbelief in his eyes.

“Iris... why?”

Don't get me wrong. Blake was good at this.

Every single time before tonight, I'd fallen straight into the sweet trap he spun.

But right now, all I could focus on was the perfume clinging to him.

Jasmine.

The perfume Bella always wore.

I took a step back and said flatly, “You worked late. Get some rest.”

I left him standing there with that stunned look on his face and went to wash up.

Later, when I was lying in bed trying to sleep, Blake walked in carrying my phone.

I frowned.

I'd figured that after I turned him down, he'd sulk off to the guest room.

I hugged the blanket and edged away from him.

That small movement cut him deep.

“Iris, why are you hiding from me? And since when is your lock screen a countdown instead of our photo?”

He shoved my lit phone in my face.

I barely glanced at it. “No reason. Just messing around.”

He stood by the bed and watched me for a long, long time.

I grabbed the phone, shoved it under my pillow, and closed my eyes.

Finally, he scooped up his pillow and slammed out of the master bedroom.

I opened my eyes and lit up the screen, reading the small words next to the countdown.

Seven days until I leave.

If he'd really cared, he would have noticed I was about to walk out of his life.

Too bad Blake's mind was never on me.

I put the phone down and stared at the ceiling until morning.