Cold Terms of Love

Synopsis

When the divorce papers were slammed onto the table, the first snowfall of winter was already drifting outside the window. Emilia Baxter stood by the entryway, still holding a bag of groceries—ribs, corn, radish, all of Kasen Bennett's favorites. Her gaze lingered on the neatly signed document, so long that the draft slipping through the door sent her scarf drifting to the floor. "Sign it." Kasen's voice came from the living room, cool and distant, as if this were nothing at all. He added, "I've made the terms clear. You keep the house, we split the savings, and I'll pay an additional thirty thousand a month in alimony." Emilia crouched to pick up her scarf, her movements unhurried. She wanted to ask why, but the question felt redundant the moment it reached her lips. She already knew. Sasha Thomas, his college sweetheart, was back in town. Over the past month, the faint scent of gardenia on him, the late-night calls on the balcony, the increasingly delayed returns home—every detail pointed to the same truth. "Alright." Emilia heard herself say.