Chapter 3

3.

“Jocelyn, what I said earlier was the truth.”

Sean patiently tried to explain himself again.

I stared down at the digital draft of the divorce papers sent to my phone, nodding absentmindedly.

Without me noticing, Sean walked right up beside me and asked out of nowhere.

“What are you reading?”

I quickly locked my screen and answered casually.

“Nothing.”

Sean frowned with clear dissatisfaction.

“Did you hear a single word I just said?”

I set my phone aside and replied calmly.

“I heard you. I know you're busy, and finding time to nurse Sonja was already squeezing your packed schedule.”

Sean's face turned completely stormy.

He threw out his usual line before slamming the front door behind him.

“Think whatever the hell you want!”

Yes, think whatever I wanted.

Every time a disagreement arose, he tossed that exact line at me, blaming all the tension on my wild imagination.

He always expected me to swallow my pride in the end, lower my head, and apologize to him.

I used to do that, but not anymore.

I was done catering to his ego.

After all the emotional exhaustion, I fell into a deep sleep on the sofa.

When I woke up, the rich aroma of food was drifting through the apartment.

Supporting my sore lower back carefully, I walked toward the dining area.

There stood Sean, bustling around the kitchen.

Once upon a time, how desperately I had craved this exact sight.

Yet it belonged entirely to the past now.

Sean noticed me as he carried a bowl of hot fish soup to the table, speaking with awkward tenderness.

“Come eat. It's all your favorites.”

“I don't have the energy to fight with an injured patient right now.”

I didn't put on any fake reluctance because I was genuinely starving.

I sat down and started eating without holding back.

In the past, whenever something went wrong between Sean and me, I couldn't eat or sleep.

Ever since I made up my mind, nothing he did could shake my inner peace or ruin my appetite.

Halfway through the meal, Sean suddenly let out a soft laugh.

“Is it that delicious?”

“You got soup all over your chin.”

Just as he leaned in, intending to wipe my mouth, the doorbell rang.

Sean went to answer it.

It was Sonja.

She stood at the entrance looking bashful, pretending to greet me warmly, though her eyes were filled with smug provocation.

Sean led her into the dining room.

“Joss, Sonja burned her hand while cooking, so I invited her over for dinner. Her stomach is sensitive and she can't eat greasy takeout.”

I gave a curt nod, scooped another spoonful of soup, and said nothing.

Sonja, on the other hand, never stopped chattering.

Sean answered every single one of her remarks with immense patience.

I remembered when I used to ramble happily like that.

All I ever received in return was his harsh, icy criticism.

“No talking at the table!”

“Jocelyn, spend some time working on your manners!”

Now that it was his precious first love, all his strict rules magically vanished.

After finishing my soup, I stood up and headed back to my bedroom.

When I came out later to use the bathroom, the living room was empty.

I knew Sean had left to drive Sonja home.

It had become his standard routine.

Last summer, during a sudden torrential downpour, I was stranded outside with no umbrella.

Sean still told me to call a cab myself because he had to drive Sonja home first.

I should have realized back then that we were never meant to be and that he never loved me.

Fortunately, waking up now was still not too late.

As I was heading back to my room, the doorbell chimed once more.

It was Attorney Corbin Hayes, personally delivering the hard copies of our divorce agreement.

“Thank you so much for making the trip in person!”

Corbin offered a gentle smile.

“Don't mention it. I heard you hurt your back. Are you feeling any better?”

“Yes, much better. It should heal in a few days.”

While we were chatting pleasantly, Sean walked through the door.

He frowned, glaring at Corbin with obvious hostility.

“Who is this?”

“Nobody important.”

I dismissed his inquiry with a flat response, then politely said goodbye to Corbin.

Once the door clicked shut, Sean pulled two movie tickets from his coat pocket.

“Didn't you want to see a movie? I bought tickets again. Since you can't walk well, I can carry you inside...”

Without looking at the tickets, I pulled the divorce agreement out of the envelope and handed it to him.

“Sean, let's get a divorce.”

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