Chapter 2

2

The next day, Xavier came home and handed me three copies of the divorce settlement.

He had already signed them.

I stared at them for a long time. When he started to look impatient, I took the pen and signed my name.

After a long silence, Xavier sighed. For once, he tried to explain himself.

"This is just a temporary legal move. I'm not abandoning you," he said.

"I was going to visit your mother last night, but Nina had another depressive episode."

"I'm doing this to keep her stable. Once she's better, we'll get remarried."

"Cora, I hope you won't go and harass her. She only got sick because she felt guilty about us getting married. I can't leave her like this."

I looked at Xavier's handsome face.

He had dark circles under his eyes. He must have stayed up all night with Nina.

My gaze fell on the papers. Our names were right next to each other, the fresh ink still smelling sharp.

When I didn't respond, Xavier snapped, "Cora. Did you hear me?"

"I heard you," I whispered.

Xavier seemed surprised by how easily I agreed. He stood up and adjusted his jacket.

"Pack your things. Nina has a shoot nearby, and this house is convenient for her. She'll stay here for a while, so you need to move out."

I nodded slowly.

My compliance seemed to irritate him. "You better keep your word."

"Don't try to play games behind my back, or I'll cut off the funding for your mother's treatment."

My heart skipped a beat.

I remembered the first time I learned about Nina. It was a normal evening, but Xavier hadn't come home.

I searched for him all night and finally found him in a small apartment near his office.

He and Nina were sleeping in each other's arms. She was holding his waist tightly, her head on his chest.

The sight broke something inside me.

I had dragged Nina out of bed and slapped her in a fit of rage.

Xavier didn't apologize. He didn't even look guilty. Instead, he slapped me back.

Then, he forced me to give my landscape sketches to Nina so she could use them for a competition.

I refused.

To punish me for upsetting Nina, he broke my hand. I could never hold a paintbrush the same way again.

When he saw me crying over my ruined career, he just frowned. "Cora, what's more important? Your hands or a life?"

"Don't you know Nina is suffering from depression?"

So, the depressed Nina West became a permanent fixture in our lives.

Every holiday, birthday, and anniversary, she found a reason to call him away.

Even on the anniversary of my father's death, one call from her was enough to make him walk out on me.

I had spent years acting like a bitter, nagging wife, fighting for his attention.

But now, I was just tired.

I finally realized that our years together couldn't compete with his childhood obsession.

Xavier looked at my calm face with a flicker of unease.

But that unease vanished the second his phone rang. It was Nina.

As he walked toward the door, he paused. "Where do you plan on going?"

I looked down at my lap. "I'm thinking of moving to Europe."

"To get away from both of you."

Xavier gave a mocking laugh. "So you're being this obedient because you realized crying didn't work? Is this a new strategy to get me back?"

"Fine. Go abroad. It'll be better if you aren't here to trigger Nina. I'll come get you when she's recovered."

Then, he rushed out to meet her.