Chapter 5

Emily finally looked up and locked eyes with Michael. She stared at him for so long that he began to squirm, eventually breaking eye contact.

Then she spoke. Her voice was faint, like a snowflake hitting the ground. "Michael, Sophie's fever hit 103.6°F last night."

His entire body went rigid.

Emily added, "I carried her out of the house and walked for ten minutes before I could even find a ride.

"She was shaking in my arms, telling me over and over, 'Mom, I'm cold. Mom, I'm scared.' Where were you then?"

Michael's lips parted, but he couldn't find the words.

"You were at home with her," Emily said. "Eating dinner, watching TV, letting her sit in the spot that belonged to me."

"Emily..." Michael called her name.

Emily interrupted, "Do you remember when Sophie turned one? You swore if anyone ever bullied her, they'd have to answer to you.

"When she was three and went to the hospital with pneumonia, you stayed by her side for three days straight. The nurses couldn't stop talking about what a great father you were."

Emily looked at him, her eyes finally welling up, but she held her ground and refused to let her tear fall. "When Sophie hit 103.6°F last night, where were you?"

Michael kept his head down, his clenched fists trembling.

Emily continued, "You told me she was my daughter. You said if I couldn't take care of her, that was on me, that it had nothing to do with you."

Michael began, "I didn't mean it like—"

"It doesn't matter what you meant," Emily cut him off. She glanced down at her daughter, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Michael, I want a divorce."

He snapped his head up, staring at her in total disbelief. "What did you just say?"

"I said," Emily replied, enunciating every word, "I want a divorce."

"Have you lost your mind?" He stood up, keeping his voice low to avoid waking Sophie. "Just because of last night? I told you I was wrong. I came looking for you. What more do you want from me?"

Emily didn't answer. She just looked at him.

Her gaze was so calm it was like she wasn't looking at her husband but at a complete stranger, like he was something that had absolutely nothing to do with her.

That look sent a shiver down Michael's spine. "Emily, let's just go home and talk this through—"

"There's nothing left to talk about," Emily said. "I've made myself clear."

"Emily!" His voice finally rose, causing Sophie to flinch in her sleep. "Have you had your fill yet? There is nothing going on between Olivia and me. You're just making a mountain out of a molehill.

"And now look. You run off with the kid, stay out all night, and ignore my calls. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

"Worried about what?" Emily shot back. "Worried that if I died, there'd be no one left to play nanny? Or that you wouldn't know how to explain it to Sophie?"

Michael choked, "You—"

A nurse walked over, frowning. "Sir, this is an observation room. Patients need their rest. You need to keep it down."

Michael took a deep breath, trying to keep a lid on his temper. He lowered his voice. "Emily, let's just go home and talk, okay? Sophie is still sick. Don't put her through any more of this."

"I'm not going back," Emily said. "I'm never setting foot in that place again."

Michael's expression shifted.

He went quiet for a moment, then suddenly said, "Fine, if you don't want to go back, you don't have to. I'll find you a hotel for a few days until Sophie is better—"

"Michael," Emily interrupted again. "Did you hear a word I said?"

He looked at her.

"I said I want a divorce," Emily said deliberately. "This isn't a spat. I'm not just throwing a fit. I mean it. From today on, we go our separate ways. I'm taking Sophie."

Michael stood there, stunned, as if he'd been hit over the head with a lead pipe. It took him a long time to find his voice. "You're serious?"

"I've never been more serious in my life," Emily replied.

He locked eyes with her for a long moment. Then, he let out a sharp, cold laugh. "Fine, Emily. Have it your way."

He stood up and took a step back, then another. "If you want a divorce, you've got it. See if I care."

With that, he turned and walked away, his steps long and deliberate, like he was trying to prove a point. At the doorway, he stopped for a moment.

Then, he pushed the door open and walked out without looking back.

As Emily watched him disappear, she felt something inside her chest vanish along with him. It wasn't pain. It was emptiness. She felt so hollow she couldn't even speak or think.

She glanced down at Sophie in her arms. The little girl had woken up at some point and was watching her with wide eyes. "Mom," she asked in her tiny, sweet voice, "where did Dad go?"

Emily froze for a heartbeat before forcing a small smile. "Dad... Your dad had to go to work, sweetie."

"Oh." Sophie nodded, snuggling back into her mother's arms. "Mom, I'm hungry."

"Let's go get you something to eat," Emily said. She picked Sophie up and slowly walked out of the observation room.

The snow had stopped at some point. The sun was peeking through the clouds, reflecting off the white ground with a blinding shimmer.

Emily stood by the hallway window, looking out at the world blanketed in white. Suddenly, she realized it didn't feel quite so cold anymore.