Chapter 4

When I opened my eyes, I was staring at the ceiling of a Harborview hospital room.

Thick gauze was wrapped around my neck, the wound throbbing with a dull, rhythmic ache.

A nurse walked in, letting out a breath of relief when she saw I was awake.

"Your wife just left," she said. "She came by twice while you were unconscious, but she couldn't stay long either time."

I didn't say anything.

The last image I saw before passing out kept replaying in my head.

As Claire was sprinting toward me, Daniel was holding a rescued, screaming Lily. Claire had paused for a split second, looking back at them.

Just one look.

But that one look was the story of our three-year marriage.

It wasn't that she didn't love me. It was just that there was always an emergency. Always someone who needed her more.

And I could always wait.

On my third day in the hospital, Claire finally came.

She walked in carrying a thermos, her hair a mess, her eyes bloodshot.

"My mom made you mushroom soup," she said softly. "Try to eat some while it's hot."

I didn't move.

She sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped tightly together.

"We caught the kidnappers. One of the suspects was involved in a case I worked a while back. The department thinks it might be retaliation, but they're still pulling all their comms and financials."

"Daniel and Lily were really shaken up. Lily keeps having nightmares and needs someone with her, so I..."

She trailed off.

I looked at her with total calm.

"That day, I had to choose Lily first," she choked out, her voice raw. "She's only six. If anything happened to her, I would never—"

"I know."

I cut her off.

"You made the right choice."

She stared at me, stunned.

"If it were me, I would have saved the kid first, too. So I don't blame you." I turned my head to look out the window. "Go be with Lily. You're not needed here."

She sat there for ten minutes in silence before finally whispering, "I'll come back later."

As soon as she left, I demanded to be discharged.

I took a cab back to the apartment we rented together and started packing.

On the nightstand sat a framed photo from our one-year anniversary. In the picture, my whole face was lit up with a smile. Claire was holding my arm, looking at me with so much warmth.

I shoved the frame deep into a drawer.

The matching toothbrushes, the mugs, the pajamas—everything went straight into the trash.

Finally, I placed my apartment key on the coffee table. Attached to the keyring was a little bear Claire had given me.

I took off my wedding ring and set it right next to the key.

Before walking out, I called a family lawyer. I told him to draft a Marital Settlement Agreement and a petition for uncontested dissolution of marriage.

When the door clicked shut behind me, I left three years of marriage, hope, and love locked inside.

Chapter 4

When I opened my eyes, I was staring at the ceiling of a Harborview hospital room.

Thick gauze was wrapped around my neck, the wound throbbing with a dull, rhythmic ache.

A nurse walked in, letting out a breath of relief when she saw I was awake.

"Your wife just left," she said. "She came by twice while you were unconscious, but she couldn't stay long either time."

I didn't say anything.

The last image I saw before passing out kept replaying in my head.

As Claire was sprinting toward me, Daniel was holding a rescued, screaming Lily. Claire had paused for a split second, looking back at them.

Just one look.

But that one look was the story of our three-year marriage.

It wasn't that she didn't love me. It was just that there was always an emergency. Always someone who needed her more.

And I could always wait.

On my third day in the hospital, Claire finally came.

She walked in carrying a thermos, her hair a mess, her eyes bloodshot.

"My mom made you mushroom soup," she said softly. "Try to eat some while it's hot."

I didn't move.

She sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped tightly together.

"We caught the kidnappers. One of the suspects was involved in a case I worked a while back. The department thinks it might be retaliation, but they're still pulling all their comms and financials."

"Daniel and Lily were really shaken up. Lily keeps having nightmares and needs someone with her, so I..."

She trailed off.

I looked at her with total calm.

"That day, I had to choose Lily first," she choked out, her voice raw. "She's only six. If anything happened to her, I would never—"

"I know."

I cut her off.

"You made the right choice."

She stared at me, stunned.

"If it were me, I would have saved the kid first, too. So I don't blame you." I turned my head to look out the window. "Go be with Lily. You're not needed here."

She sat there for ten minutes in silence before finally whispering, "I'll come back later."

As soon as she left, I demanded to be discharged.

I took a cab back to the apartment we rented together and started packing.

On the nightstand sat a framed photo from our one-year anniversary. In the picture, my whole face was lit up with a smile. Claire was holding my arm, looking at me with so much warmth.

I shoved the frame deep into a drawer.

The matching toothbrushes, the mugs, the pajamas—everything went straight into the trash.

Finally, I placed my apartment key on the coffee table. Attached to the keyring was a little bear Claire had given me.

I took off my wedding ring and set it right next to the key.

Before walking out, I called a family lawyer. I told him to draft a Marital Settlement Agreement and a petition for uncontested dissolution of marriage.

When the door clicked shut behind me, I left three years of marriage, hope, and love locked inside.