Chapter 2

2

That afternoon, Gavin returned to the office without another word, while I stayed home to finish packing my things.

By evening, he came home early to pick me up for the theater.

Just as we pulled up to the cinema, another phone call pulled him away.

Before leaving, he told me to wait for him inside the theater, exactly as he had done on the mountain.

In the past, waiting had become my second nature.

Whenever he had something to take care of, no matter how minor, I had always accommodated him without question.

This time, however, I did not sit in the theater like a fool.

I turned around, walked out, and headed straight to a nearby Italian bistro.

I ordered a plate of creamy lobster pasta, my absolute favorite dish.

Because Gavin had a severe seafood allergy, I had never dared to order seafood whenever we dined together.

Over the years, I had barely eaten it myself.

Naturally, Gavin stood me up for the rest of the night.

I did not care in the slightest.

I had not gone there for the movie anyway, and the meal had been absolutely delightful.

It was nearly three in the morning when Gavin finally returned home.

The usual pair of slippers and warm hangover soup were nowhere to be found.

Even the living room lights were turned off.

Throughout our five years of marriage, I had always waited up for him no matter how late it was.

I used to greet him at the entryway, hand him his slippers, and offer him a warm bowl of soup.

Gavin switched on the living room light and found me curled up on the sofa.

"It is so late. Why did you not sleep in the bedroom? I told you before, you do not need to wait up for me."

Seeing the familiar scene, Gavin seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, though his brow quickly furrowed again.

He had indeed said those words before, claiming he disliked my clinginess.

Tonight, I was certainly not doing it for him.

It was simply because my bedroom had been stripped bare, and the empty mattress was far less comfortable than the couch.

"It is late. Go wash up and get some sleep," I said quietly.

As he walked toward me, I frowned and shifted deeper into the corner of the sofa.

All those late nights waiting for him had made him forget how much I despised the smell of cigarettes and alcohol.

Surprised by my sudden avoidance, Gavin paused with his hand hanging awkwardly in midair.

"There was an urgent issue at work today, so I could not make it back to the theater."

"I will definitely take you to the movies tomorrow. Are you satisfied now?"

I looked at him and let out a faint smile, shaking my head.

"It does not matter. Focus on your work if you are busy."

"Alina, I do not have time to argue with you! Stop pushing your luck!"

Seeing my indifferent attitude, Gavin instantly snapped, his voice turning freezing cold.

I was long accustomed to his temper.

No matter how humbly I had pleaded with him in the past, all I ever received in return was his dismissive claim that he had no time for petty arguments.

Tonight, I could not even be bothered to raise my voice.

"You do not have time to argue with me, but you have plenty of time to drive other people home," I remarked casually, looking straight into his eyes.

A flicker of shock crossed his usually stoic face.

"The weather was terrible the other night, and traffic was shut down. That was the only reason I drove Roxanne home."

"Alina, do you ever think about anything other than petty jealousy?"

With that, Gavin turned around and stormed angrily into his bedroom.

I stared at his retreating back, somewhat amused.

I had not even mentioned Roxanne by name.

I had planned to bring up the divorce when he got home, but the timing seemed ruined.

Glancing at the divorce agreement resting on the side table, I decided it could wait until I found a new apartment.