Chapter 5

I pulled the door open.

His voice came from behind me. "Fine, stay at a hotel. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."

I didn't turn back. "Don't bother."

"Why not?"

"I'm going house hunting."

The door shut behind me.

As the elevator went down, my phone buzzed. It was a deduction notice from the bank.

The property management fees, housekeeping costs, and maintenance for James' private wine cellar had always been auto-debited from our joint account.

I opened the banking app. I canceled all auto-pay subscriptions. Then I transferred my portion of the money out.

Only after doing all that did I notice the joint account was still labeled "Our Home."

I renamed it "Pending Settlement."

*****

The next day, Charles took me to look at an apartment ten minutes away from the theater.

It wasn't big. It was a two-bedroom place. The living room had a floor-to-ceiling window. It was perfect for putting down exercise mats to do basic physical therapy.

The landlord asked me, "Will your husband be moving in too?"

"I'll be living alone," I said. I didn't even pause.

Charles glanced at me, staying silent.

After checking out the apartment, Charles handed me the rehearsal schedule for Homeward Wings. "We have an industry preview in a month. If you're taking the lead director role, you'll need to be on set full-time starting today."

"I can do that."

"What about the Fosters?"

It was the first time he had brought up the Foster family.

I flipped through the schedule. "They have nothing to do with my work."

Charles nodded. "Then we won't bring them up."

I signed the contract for Homeward Wings.

Day 15 of the divorce, I moved all my work files into the theater.

Day 21 of the divorce, the joint account was officially settled.

Day 27 of the divorce, I signed the lease for the apartment and paid a full year's rent up front.

James went back to our old house every single day. Sometimes he got back in the middle of the night. Sometimes he came home reeking of alcohol from parties.

He still stayed in the master bedroom. And he still kept texting me. [Coming home tonight?]

[Your books are pretty much all packed up.]

[Sophie is visiting the Foster estate tomorrow. If you have time, walk her through Grandpa's medication routine.]

I didn't reply to that last one.

*****

The next day, Sophie came straight to the theater. She stood right outside the rehearsal hall door. The sapphire brooch was still pinned to her chest.

"Anna." She handed me a handwritten list. "James said you know Grandpa's diet and lifestyle habits better than anyone. He told me to come ask you."

I didn't take it. "Didn't James tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"I've already returned everything that belongs to the Foster family."

Sophie was taken aback. "But James said you only moved out temporarily to blow off some steam."

I looked at her. "What else did he say?"

She hesitated for a second. "He said you knew about our public engagement all along. And that you agreed to remarry after the hundred days. He said in the meantime, you'd keep helping out with the Foster family."

I let out a faint laugh.

So in James' narrative, I hadn't just left of my own accord. I was also supposed to willingly stick around and groom another woman to take my place as his wife.

Taking in my expression, Sophie finally realized something was off. "You didn't agree to that?"

I didn't answer.

Just then, my phone rang. It was James.

I picked up.

He sounded totally casual. "Did Sophie make it to the theater?"

"She's here."

"Walk her through Grandpa's medication schedule."

"Don't come to me about these things anymore."

James paused for a second. "Anna, she's just helping take care of Grandpa."

"That's her job as your fiancée."

"You know Grandpa best."

"So what? You expect me to train her on how to replace me?"

The line went dead silent.

Sophie froze on the spot, too.

I kept going, "James, starting today, the lives of anyone in the Foster family are not my business. Including yours."

I hung up the phone.