Chapter 1

I had a husband who never seemed to understand a word I said.

Asked him to hang up the laundry, and he would hang them up in the weirdest ways imaginable.

Told him to wash the dishes, and he would just do the dishes, leaving the pots and pans sitting there.

It was pouring rain today, and I was waiting for a cab outside my office building.

The new intern suddenly pointed at my back. "Rachel, there's a hole in your shirt. Looks like a hanger did it!"

I sighed, "What can I do? My husband never gets it, no matter how many times I tell him. He just never learns."

She sighed, "Ugh, my boyfriend's the same way."

I thought I finally met someone who got me.

But then she said, "I asked him to go out and buy me a few apples, and he came back with the whole Apple lineup.

"Laptop, phone, tablet, headphones, all of it. The total was like 20 grand!

"I just got my license and was too nervous to drive on my own.

"So he went out and bought a brand-new car, and every day he drives it to work, then teaches me how to drive it back home.

"I told him, 'We really don't need such an expensive car just for practice.

"But he said, 'The pricier the car, the faster you'll learn.'"

The intern suddenly pointed ahead.

She said, "That's the Porsche! Rachel, if you don't mind my slow driving, I can give you a lift since we're headed the same way."

The window rolled down, and to my surprise, the person in the driver's seat was my husband, Charles Preston, who I've been married to for five years.

*****

I needed a moment to wrap my head around it.

Once I got in, I didn't say a word.

I just stared out the window in silence.

I used to think that even if he stopped loving me, I'd never let him go. I'd hold on to him for the rest of my life.

But now, maybe it was time to move on.

Charles, I was setting you free.

Our eyes met in the rearview mirror.

I couldn't read the emotion in his eyes.

I didn't care to, either.

I turned my head away, avoiding his gaze.

Violet Goodwin opened the driver's side door and found Charles absent-mindedly staring into the rearview mirror.

She asked, surprised, "What's wrong? Weren't you going to let me practice driving back?"

They switched seats.

Charles slid into the passenger seat, his voice heavy. "You brought someone else. Why didn't you give me a heads-up?"

Violet stepped on the gas and started the engine.

She said, "She's my favorite lunch partner at work. It's pouring outside and she couldn't get a cab, so I'm giving her a lift since we're headed the same way."

She even spoke up for me, all indignant.

She said, "Seriously, Rachel, can you believe your husband?

"It's pouring out, and he actually lets you, a girl, take a cab home alone?

"That's just not right!"

I just nodded, staying calm. "Yeah, you're right."

That was not even the worst of it.

Charles, sitting up front, his expression turned even colder after hearing that.

I forced myself to keep my emotions in check.

I glanced around at the car's interior.

Then, in my usual gossipy tone, I said, "Wow, your car is so fancy. It must've cost a fortune."

Violet waved her hand, giving a casual smile. "It's no big deal.

"Just a little over 300 grand."

I closed my eyes.

For some reason, I suddenly felt a chill.

Just about ten times more than what Charles bought for me.

My car just so happened to be in the shop for maintenance these past few days.

When we first got that car, Charles insisted women didn't need anything that fancy. He said it was better to keep things low-key, or people would definitely notice.

Back then, I really thought I'd married the right guy.

He was so considerate, always thinking ahead for me, even about stuff like that.

But now, looking back, it turned out all I ever got was the budget version of love.

As we pulled up to a red light, Violet smiled and hooked her arm through Charles's.

She said, "Honestly, it's the thought that matters most.

"This color isn't even available here. Charles had the paint custom-made in purple just for me.

"Since my name's Violet, ever since we started dating, he's been dying to make everything around me purple.

"He says whenever work gets stressful, just seeing purple reminds him of me, and it just brightens his day."

Hearing that, I suddenly realized those little details from my memories all started to make sense.

All those purple ties, mugs, and even toothbrushes kept popping up at home.

When I asked Charles about it, he just grinned and said, "Purple's super popular this year and it's my lucky color."

Loving someone truly seeped into every corner of life.

Violet noticed Charles had been quiet for a while.

She puffed her cheeks in a cute little pout, clearly not happy.

She whined, "Charles, you always love resting your hand on my leg when you drive.

"Why aren't you doing it today?"

Charles just reached over and tapped her nose playfully.

He said, "Hey, don't say that. There's company."

Violet grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers, and said sweetly, "Come on, it's fine.

"Rachel and I are really close. We're basically family."

Then she suddenly remembered our earlier conversation.

She said, "Oh, right, Rachel, you just said your husband doesn't do housework.

"Men really need a little guidance when it comes to chores."

I pressed my lips together. "Got any tips?"

Violet thought about it for a few seconds.

She let out an awkward giggle.

She said, "Honestly, I didn't teach him anything.

"Maybe some guys are just natural husband material. He just gets it and does everything right without me even having to say a word."

Hearing Violet describe things, I realized I was seeing a side of Charles I'd never known before.

Violet couldn't stand hanging up the laundry.

Since they started dating, she hasn't touched the washing machine once.

Whenever she washed her hair, it always ended up clogging the drain.

Charles always cleared the drain for her.

It turned out, one didn't even have to cut one's own fruit; someone just brought it, all sliced and ready to eat.

The floors were always so clean that one could walk around barefoot without worrying.

So that was what it felt like to be loved.

When Violet finished talking, my head just dropped, all the energy drained out of me.

Violet kissed Charles lightly on the cheek. "Thank you for always being so good to me."

Then she turned to me, trying to cheer me up.

She said, "Rachel, just be patient and keep teaching him, alright?

"If men really start doing housework, there'd be nothing left for us women to do!"

I pressed my lips together and said, "Never mind. If someone's not really in it, they'll mess it up every single time."

*****

Violet dropped me off downstairs at my place.

She was practically bouncing with excitement, like she'd just found a hidden treasure.

She said, "Whoa, we live so close! I live in that new villa complex just behind your building.

"You should come over and hang out sometime!

"My boyfriend's always tied up with work projects, so he pretty much lives at the office."

"The house is so huge, and when he's not around, I always feel a little scared."

That was exactly the excuse Charles used to stay away, so he could keep drifting between me and her.

Back then, I actually worried he was just overworked.

I put a lot of effort into making him nourishing soups, hoping they'd help him recharge.

But now, I realize all the care and energy I poured into him; he probably spent it all on someone else.

Just as I was about to get out of the car, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

It was a text from Charles: [Wait for me at home. I'll explain everything.]

I turned off the screen.

I couldn't stop shaking.

I didn't even have the strength to open my umbrella.

So I just let myself walk right into the downpour, not even caring anymore.