Divorce After 999 Days

Synopsis

I checked my watch for the twentieth time in two hours. 7:45 PM. The candle at my table had burned down halfway, the flame flickering like my dwindling hope. Around me, couples leaned toward each other across white tablecloths, sharing whispered conversations and laughter that felt like a mockery of my solitude. "Would you like me to refill your water, Mrs. Sterling?" The waiter approached with practiced sympathy, his eyes betraying pity I couldn't bear. "Yes, please." I forced a smile. "And my husband will be here any minute." The same lie I'd been telling for the past hour and a half. As he walked away, I reached for my phone again, scrolling through our text messages. *On my way. Traffic. Sorry.* That was forty minutes ago. I closed my eyes, letting myself drift back to our first anniversary dinner. William had rented out the entire rooftop of the Fairmont Hotel. We'd danced under string lights with the San Francisco skyline glittering around us. He'd held me close, his lips brushing my ear as he whispered promises of forever. Back when his touch still made my skin tingle and his absence left me counting minutes. A commotion at the entrance pulled me from the memory. William strode through the restaurant with the confidence of a man who had never worried about being left waiting. His tailored suit hugged his broad shoulders, his dark hair perfectly styled despite the "traffic" he'd claimed delayed him. "Isabella." He leaned down to kiss my