Chapter 4

That afternoon, I wrapped up rehearsal early and went back to our home.

The master bedroom safe hadn't even been properly locked. Inside, besides a few documents, were the items the Foster family had entrusted to my care.

A bracelet left by James' grandmother. A pair of pearl earrings worn by James' mother on her wedding day. A seal given to me by Henry. And a few old Foster family photo albums.

After we got married, James told me I was the lady of the house. One by one, the Foster elders handed these family heirlooms over to me.

I kept a detailed record of every single item and took good care of them on a regular basis.

For holidays or special events, I would hand them out to the right person to wear depending on the occasion.

I used to think this meant the Foster family had finally accepted me.

Only now did I realize whatever they handed to me could be taken right back and given to someone else without even running it by me.

I pulled out a few dust-proof boxes and took out every piece that belonged to the Foster family from the safe.

At five in the afternoon, the Foster family butler came over. He froze when he saw the boxes on the table. "Mrs. Foster, what is..."

"I'm not Mrs. Foster anymore." I handed him the inventory list. "Please check through these and take everything back to the estate."

The butler didn't take the list. "You've always been the one to look after these."

"Not anymore."

"But what about Mr. Foster?"

"He already took the brooch." I let out a faint smile. "The rest of these don't need to pass through my hands either."

The butler fell silent for a long moment before finally taking the list.

Before heading out, he glanced at my wrist. "What about the watch Mr. Henry Foster gave you?"

I raised my arm. On my wrist was a very old lady's mechanical watch.

It wasn't expensive. Henry had given it to me when he found out I was starting out as a director. He told me timing on stage was the one thing you could never mess up.

"This isn't a Foster family heirloom," I said. "It was a gift from Henry to Anna."

The butler nodded. He didn't press any further.

Once the items were loaded up and gone, the master bedroom suddenly felt remarkably bare.

I stood in the walk-in closet and started packing up my belongings.

I didn't take everything. I only took clothes I needed for work, books, and old dance video tapes.

When James returned that evening, I had sealed the last cardboard box.

He caught sight of the boxes in the living room and froze in his tracks. "What are you doing?"

"Packing up," I replied.

"I can see that." He walked over and ripped open the tape on the top box. Inside were my books.

James' face darkened. "You're moving out?"

"I'm just taking my work files over to the theater."

"Is this really necessary?"

"Yes."

"Our place is only 20 minutes away from the theater."

I looked down and resealed the tape. "This is your place. Not our place."

James held the box firmly. "Anna, how long are you going to keep this up?"

I looked up at him. "It's day five of our divorce. You already have an official fiancée out in public. How is packing up my own things 'making a scene'?"

"Sophie isn't moving in."

"Whether she moves in or not has nothing to do with me."

James stared at me. A flash of unease finally crept into his eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said."

"I canceled dinner with the Lanes tonight to come home and keep you company."

"I never asked you to cancel."

My attitude seemed to strike a nerve.

"Didn't you use to hate it when I blew off our plans?"

"You were my husband back then."

"I still am."

The words slipped out of his mouth too fast.

Silence fell over the living room.

I looked at him.

James seemed to realize he had misspoken, too. He softened his tone. "At least in my heart, I am."

"Yet at the Foster estate, you told everyone I was an old friend."

"That was just for show."

"Telling Sophie I left on my own. Was that for show, too? Taking the brooch. Was that also for show?" I slowly pressed the tape flat on the box. "James, which version is actually real? Am I still your wife? Or is Sophie your fiancée?"

"It's all temporary," he answered. "Anna, don't back me into a corner like this."

I felt drained. I couldn't explain anymore.

So that was how he saw it. It wasn't that he forced me into a divorce. It wasn't that he forced me to watch another woman wear the Foster family brooch. In his eyes, I was the one forcing him to choose.

I picked up the box.

James reached out to take it.

"Don't bother."

"You shouldn't be carrying heavy things with your foot like that."

"My foot can't handle only high-intensity dancing." I side-stepped him. "I'm not an invalid."

His hands froze in mid-air.

I carried the box to the door. Then I came back for the second one.

James stood frozen the entire time. It wasn't until I was ready to walk out that he finally spoke up. "You're not staying home tonight?"

"I'm staying at a hotel near the theater."

"I don't give you permission to do that."

I stopped in my tracks. "In what capacity are you giving orders?"

James' face turned completely grim. "Anna, do you really have to talk to me like this?"

"How else am I supposed to talk? Like I used to?" I looked at him. "Should I lay out your clothes for tomorrow? Should I wait for you to come home after dinner with Sophie so we can share the same bed again?"

His expression froze. "I told you I wouldn't touch her."

"Except the thought of it makes my stomach turn."

The moment those words dropped, James fell completely silent.