Chapter 2

2.

Linnea was stunned for a moment, then stood up with a mocking smirk.

"Travis Cole, you think holding a wedding suddenly gave you a spine?"

"I just walked out halfway through sex. Is your fragile ego that hurt?"

"Where was this attitude before?"

I grabbed my jacket, stood by the doorway, and kept my face blank.

"Let us go to the courthouse. I only took today off from work."

Linnea sneered, thoroughly irritated. "Fine! The one who backs out is a coward."

In the end, we did not manage to file the paperwork.

Right outside City Hall, a single phone call from Calvin pulled her away.

I did not even care what his excuse was this time.

After all, it was not the first time he had done this.

Whenever Calvin timed his calls to ruin our moments in the past, I had wondered if he would do it on our wedding night too.

Who knew my darkest hunch would come true.

Back when I imagined this scenario, I thought I would explode with rage, lose my mind, or even swing a punch.

Yet when it actually happened, my mind was calm as still water. It felt like an inevitable conclusion.

Since the divorce was delayed, I decided not to waste my day off.

I headed straight to a law firm and hired an attorney to draft a separation agreement.

We had no shared marital assets yet, so dividing property was remarkably simple.

With the drafted papers in my briefcase, I called my best friend, Lucas, for drinks.

The moment we met at the bar, Lucas teased me. "Did you really leave your precious Linnea alone on day two of marriage?"

I ran a hand through my hair and gave a bitter chuckle. "I am getting a divorce."

Lucas froze for a few seconds before blurting out, "Congratulations."

He threw an arm around my shoulder. "Trav, you finally drained the water out of your brain."

"Linnea was never going to settle down."

"I saw her cuddling and grinding on other guys at clubs multiple times, but you were so deep in love that I did not know how to tell you."

I remembered how Lucas had brought up Linnea before, only to swallow his words with a pained expression.

The outsider truly sees everything clearly.

"Say no more. Drink with me!"

I raised my glass and poured the burning whiskey straight down my throat.

It was already nine in the evening when I returned home with a buzz.

When I pushed the front door open, Linnea was lounging on the living room sofa in a sheer black slip, on a video call.

Seeing me enter, she casually ended the call without any rush.

From where I stood, her outfit barely covered anything.

I did not care in the slightest and walked right past her to the shower.

Just as I was finishing up, a warm, soft body pressed against my back.

Linnea blew warm air into my ear, her voice dripping with seduction.

"Babe, let me make up for our wedding night."

In the past, her making the first move would have kept me thrilled all night.

Now, my heart was as tranquil as an empty church.

I pulled away from her grasp, swiftly put on my clothes, and turned around to look at her coldly.

"Linnea, stay away from me."

She paused in shock, then pointed an accusatory finger at me in fury.

"Stay away from you? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I lowered my pride to make peace with you. What more do you want?"

"You think I actually want to touch you? If Calvin had not begged me to make amends, I would not have come home at all tonight!"

A sarcastic smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth.

"Then you can leave right now. Pack your crap and move into your ex's place. Stop disgusting me."

Linnea's eyes narrowed with sudden contempt.

"All you know how to do is act jealous over Calvin!"

"You actually dragged me to City Hall. I should have signed the papers this morning and watched you crawl back on your knees."

"Since you want to act like an ungrateful brat, go sleep in the guest room!"

She wrapped her silk robe around herself and stared down at me arrogantly.

I knew what she was waiting for. She expected me to beg for forgiveness.

In every fight before, I was always the one desperately trying to smooth things over, even dropping to my knees a few times.

Over time, it became her routine; every silent treatment ended with my total surrender.

This time, I simply picked up my pillow and blanket and shut the guest room door behind me.

I did not care to look at the dumbfounded shock on Linnea's face.