Chapter 2

That night, I went back to our bedroom. Andrew didn't come home.

I sat alone on the edge of the bed for what felt like forever. Outside, the wind kept making the curtains swell and sink, again and again.

I pulled out my phone and started typing: [How to get a divorce if your spouse won't agree.]

But I deleted it.

I tried again:[How fast can you get an uncontested divorce?]

Three months. Alright.

That's enough.

Looking back, those three years with Andrew didn't leave me with much to remember. Our marriage was just something our families arranged.

The Sinclair family ran a building materials business in Riverton. It wasn't huge, but we had done a few deals with the Palmers. Back when William was still around, the two families got along pretty well.

The Palmer family wanted a daughter-in-law who wouldn't embarrass them or stir up any drama.

My mom said, "Charlotte, Andrew has everything going for him. Marrying into the Palmer family is a smart move. You won't lose out."

I was twenty-four, fresh back from grad school overseas, never dated anyone, and honestly, I had no clue what marriage was really about.

We met once. Andrew was in a dark gray suit, sitting across from me, polite and distant, never cracking a smile the whole time.

He said, "If you're willing, I'll do right by you as your husband."

I said yes.

*****

Life after marriage was so dull I could hardly breathe.

Andrew was always busy, out early and back late. Sometimes he'd come home for dinner. I'd prepare a proper dinner spread, but he'd barely touch his food before disappearing into his study.

Our conversations were always the same.

He'd say, "I have a work dinner tonight. I won't be home."

I'd reply, "Okay."

Or, "The Palmer family is having dinner on Saturday."

I'd say, "Okay, I'll get ready."

He'd say, "Mm."

In three years, he never once raised his voice at me, but he never showed me a smile, either.

He never asked what I did all day, never cared how far I'd gotten in my book, and never wondered why the mint I planted on the balcony suddenly died.

I tried to get close to him.

One rainy day, I brought him an umbrella. He took it, said "Thanks", and got in his car without looking back.

I made all his favorite dishes. He took a couple of bites and said, "There's no need to go to so much trouble."

One night, when he was working late in his study, I brought him a cup of warm milk.

He didn't even look up. "Leave it there."

The next morning, the milk was still sitting on the table, untouched. It was cold, with a skin on top.

As I poured it down the drain, I suddenly felt ridiculous.

After that, I stopped doing anything extra. If he needed a considerate wife, then that's what I'd be.

I did the laundry, cooked the meals, kept the house in order, prepared gifts for every holiday, and kept up the appearances expected of Mrs. Andrew Palmer.

Time flew by so fast that I almost forgot I had a life of my own.

Until three months ago, when Julia came back. That's when Andrew began to change.

His phone started ringing all the time, and sometimes, when he texted back, he'd smile a little.

He was traveling for work more often. One day, I found a pale pink lipstick stain on his shirt collar. He tossed it in the laundry basket when he got home, and didn't bother to cover it up.

He knew I'd wash it. He knew I'd see it and not say a word, because I was always so understanding.

What happened at the funeral home that day tore away the last pretense between us.

Honestly, I was almost relieved he finally did it. At least I didn't have to be the one to end it.

The next morning, I got up early and made a breakfast of cereal, toast, and fried eggs.

Andrew came home at seven, his clothes still carrying the chill of the night.

I had no idea where he'd been, and to be honest, I didn't care.

He sat down and ate a few spoonfuls of cereal without looking up. "There are still some things to handle for William's funeral today," Andrew said.