Chapter 2
I jumped out of bed and called my best friend, Meredith Snyder, asking her to hang out.
By seven that night, we were standing outside the biggest bar in the city.
Meredith looked at me with concern in her eyes. "Are you sure about this?" she asked.
I nodded.
The bar was packed and filled with energy.
I wasn't there to drink. I was there to find someone.
At ten o'clock, Meredith was determined to pull me out of the bar.
"Who are you looking for? Can't you do it until tomorrow?" she asked.
Meredith's mother-in-law had already called her five times, and I didn't want to make things harder for her. So, I walked out with her, planning to let her go home first while I stayed outside, hoping to catch the person I was looking for.
Just as we reached the entrance, a college guy stepped in front of me. "Well, I go to Arigon University next door. I noticed you inside. Do you mind if we talk?"
I froze for a moment.
Meredith walked over. "Don't bother, man. She's already married."
"Are you short on cash?" I asked him.
"I..." He looked completely thrown off.
I opened my WhatsApp. "Add me. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to message me. If you're ever short on cash, don't ask anyone else. Come to me. I've got more money than I know what to do with. I can help you out."
"Kate, are you out of your mind?" Meredith's eyes widened in shock.
The guy was awkwardly stammering, clearly flustered.
Before he could say no, I took his phone, added him, accepted the request, and handed it back. "Seriously, reach out whenever."
"Kate..." Meredith looked embarrassed as she pulled on my arm. "Have you had too much to drink? Do you even know what you're doing?"
"I know exactly what I'm doing. He's—" I replied.
"Kate!" Meredith interrupted me.
Suddenly, someone yanked my wrist.
I spun around, and to my shock, it was Shane.
What was he doing here?
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice filled with barely hidden anger.
Not far behind him stood Elaine.
*****
By the time we got home, it was already eleven.
Shane handed me some sobering pills.
I shook my head. "As I said, I barely drank anything."
He stared at me for a while in silence.
"Kate, do you really think this is funny?" he finally asked.
I looked up at him, confused.
"You had Meredith text me that you were at the bar, and then you put on that whole show with that guy right in front of me," he said, his voice icy. "Did you pay him, too? Was that all necessary?"
I just stared at him in silence.
Meredith probably noticed I was acting strange tonight and got worried, so she messaged Shane. Of course, he would never believe that story.
He lied to me tonight, but whether in my previous life or this one, he always found a way to blame me for everything.
He took advantage of the fact that I liked him, loved him, and was always the first to give in.
"Am I a bother to you?" I asked, looking up at him.
"What?" he asked.
"If I'm such a bother, then let's just get divorced," I said.
Shane was caught off guard. "Just because I didn't agree to stay home tonight, you're throwing a fit? Divorce, really? Fine, if you want out, let's end it." Then he turned and walked into the bathroom.
By the time he came out, I had already moved all his clothes, pillows, and blankets to the spare room.
"What are you doing?" he asked, frowning.
I dropped the last pile of clothes onto the bed and wiped the sweat from my forehead. "Since we're getting divorced, it doesn't make sense for us to keep sleeping together, so I moved your stuff out.
"It's just temporary, so deal with it. I'm not keeping the house anyway. Once I'm gone after the divorce, you can put your things back in the master bedroom."
He let out a mocking laugh. "Seriously, is this ever going to end?" He sat on the bed, looking up at me. "You know divorce is not something you can just throw around, right?"
"Yes." I nodded. "I mean it."
He scoffed. "Whatever. Do what you want, but don't come back crying. You always have to create drama. If you're not tired, I definitely am."
I knew exactly what he meant. It was always the same pattern when we fought. He would give me the silent treatment after we argued, and in the end, I was always the one to back down and apologize to make up.
The one who knew they were loved often thought they could get away with anything. But this time, it was different.
That night, I locked the door and had the best sleep I'd had in ages.
*****
The next morning, I woke up and made myself some breakfast. Shane walked out the door for work without even saying a word to me.
I didn't care because I didn't plan to make him breakfast or lunch, anyway.
After all, Elaine would soon start working at Guerrero Group and bring Shane all sorts of "surprise" lunches every day. Meanwhile, the healthy meals I used to prepare for him would be thrown away by him like they were trash.
As I sat at the table with my milk, my phone buzzed. It was that college guy from the night before.
He apologized to me. It read: [I'm really sorry for what I did recklessly yesterday. If I caused any issues between you and your husband, I could explain.] He included a few more heartfelt apologies as well.
I sighed and sent him my location: Linley Pharma.
Linley Group was involved in various industries, and my dad had given me the regular Linley Pharma business as part of my wedding gift.
In my previous life, I was completely focused on Shane. My only goal was to help him succeed at Guerrero Group, so I hardly thought about this company.
I went out of my way for the Guerrero Group, making connections and swallowing my pride to support him. But in the end, Shane claimed I was money-oriented.
*****
At Linley Pharma, I met up with the college guy, whose name was Alvaro Burke.
"H-How did you find out about me?" he asked.
I smiled. "I saw your picture on the freshman scholarship board when I was at Arigon University."
I wasn't telling the whole truth. I had seen him before, just not at Arigon University but in the final moments of my previous life.
That night, I went to the office to talk it over with Shane. But as I stood outside the door, I heard him and Elaine inside, laughing and joking.
He'd never been that happy with me.
My legs felt heavy as I left the office. I couldn't hold back my tears any longer, so I crouched down and cried.
I had no idea how long I stayed like that, but eventually, a homeless guy wandered over to me and handed me a tissue.
"You're crying your eyes out," he said, chewing on a half-smoked cigarette he'd found on the ground. "Think you've got it worse than me?"
He sat down beside me and started sharing his story.
He had been balancing school with caring for his disabled father since he was little. To pay for his dad's treatment, he had to make money from a wealthy woman. But later, someone reported him to the school, and they canceled all his honors and scholarships.
He refused to go back to that rich woman, so he ended up in deep debt. His father passed away after missing the best chance for treatment, and the company he interned at stole his medical patent and sued him for compensation.
"When I got into Arigon University, I thought I'd finally get a fresh start," he said with a bitter laugh.
"If you need any cash, let me know. I can help," I said.
"No, it's okay," he replied. "Honestly, living feels like too much."