Chapter 9
Asher stood there, staring blankly at the carved letters, seemingly lost in the memories of our past. At that moment, when we etched those words, we had loved each other wholeheartedly, never imagining we would find ourselves in such an awkward predicament one
day.
“I was wrong, I truly realize that now,” Asher suddenly wrapped his arms around me from behind, his voice trembling with emotion. “Please come back with me. I didn’t expect to be such a jerk.”
Dizziness washed over me, but a surge of strength came from somewhere within. I pushed him away with all my might, grabbing a
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small stone nearby and throwing it at him.
I could barely hold myself up, leaning against the wall to steady myself.
“Ellie!”
“Asher, you’re such a jerk. When I helped you with your social events, didn’t you notice I wasn’t as innocent and cute as before?”
“When I fought tooth and nail at the negotiation table for a meager profit, didn’t you see I wasn’t as naive as I once was?”
Asher reached out to support me, but I pushed him away again, disappointment flooding my gaze. After so many years of marriage, I understood Asher better than I understood
myself.
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The scent of perfume he brought home from his social events, the lipstick stains on his shirt collar, the increasingly busy schedule, and the vague phone calls–none of these had escaped my notice. I hadn’t doubted him outright; I only
felt shame.
Asher had once loved me so deeply; how could I ever question him? We had shared such a profound love; how could it have ended like
this?
Reflecting on it all, I realized there had been signs. Within a month of Julia joining the company, Asher’s smiles had noticeably increased. I had gently asked if there were any good news at work.
He clumsily told me that a new secretary had
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joined the company, someone who was all thumbs and amusingly resembled a penguin at the zoo. Instinctively, my woman’s intuition sensed something was off, but seeing Asher’s casual demeanor, I brushed aside my suspicions
as mere paranoia.
As our conversations continued, this secretary’s
presence grew more prominent.
“Julia ordered afternoon tea today and even got
bubble tea for the office! It left our collaborators
stunned, unsure of what to say–just saying young people are so creative…”
I could barely make out Asher’s face, feeling the world spinning around me. Tears slipped silently down my cheeks.
“Asher, I’ve never blamed you for our divorce,
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but you absolutely should not have brought that woman here!”
Asher froze, his face draining of color as his voice trembled. He knew exactly what mattered
most to me.
I had no strength left and collapsed into his
arms.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a hospital room, surrounded by tubes and monitors. The doctor entered, a look of pity on his face,
“You’re still so young… Your husband nearly lost it when he found out about your illness. He sat in the hallway, restless, until he was certain you were out of danger before finally passing out.”
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I managed a weak nod at the doctor, feeling utterly drained.
I had expected to wake up and see Asher by my side, but to my surprise, it was an uninvited guest: Julia, holding a basket of fresh fruit, her expression timid as if it hadn’t been her who demanded I keep my distance last time.
“Elena, I honestly didn’t think you would fall ill like this. I was wrong about my attitude before.”
I forced a bitter smile, knowing I probably didn’t have many days left. It seemed her true nature had been exposed too quickly, leaving her to regret it.
