Chapter 2
On the way home, I thought about the old woman's words several times.
The driver must have noticed how pale I looked because he lowered the music without saying anything. I offered no explanation. I told myself the woman had simply made a lucky guess.
When we arrived, I dragged my suitcase through the front door.
Alexander's shoes sat in the entryway. His coffee mug from that morning was still in the sink. His usual shirts hung beside my dresses, and the jacket he had worn the night before was draped over a chair in the living room.
The house looked exactly as it had when I left for my trip.
Standing there, I finally felt foolish for allowing a stranger's words to unsettle me.
I took my passport and the insurance documents for the gemstones out of my suitcase and carried them into the study.
We kept important paperwork in a fireproof document box on the bottom shelf of the bookcase.
When I opened it to put my passport away, I found a dark blue folder that hadn't been there before.
A sheet of paper bearing an official seal protruded from one side.
Assuming it was a recent business document from Vale, I pulled it out. The bold heading at the top stopped me.
Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage.
Petitioner:
Alexander Vale.
Respondent:
Evelyn Vale.
Our address, dates of birth, and date of marriage were all correct. An official seal appeared at the bottom of the page, and the judgment had already taken effect.
I read the entire document twice.
It was dated seven days ago.
That night, I had still been away on business. Alexander had video-called me and told me to stop working and get some rest.
According to the document in my hands, I had no longer been his wife during that call.
I took out my phone and called him.
If Alexander could give me one reasonable explanation, I could believe this was some terrible mistake.
Maybe it was an April Fool's joke arriving several months late.
The phone rang until the call disconnected.
He didn't answer.
The study was so quiet that I could hear my breathing growing heavier. The document trembled slightly in my hand.
There was another sheet inside the blue folder.
The paper was new, its edges still perfectly smooth, as if someone had placed it there only recently.
I pulled it out and saw another official seal.
It was a marriage certificate.
Groom:
Alexander Vale.
Bride:
Camille Laurent.
Alexander's first love.