Chapter 2

Once the door clicked shut, I pulled out my phone.

I scrolled through my contacts until I found Laura's name and hit the call button.

She picked up after just two rings.

"Emily? Are you okay? I saw on the news yesterday that the road collapsed. I was freaking out. I've been calling you nonstop, but you never picked up," Laura said.

"I'm in the hospital," I said.

"What? Is it serious? I'll be there in a minute," Laura said, her voice full of worry.

"No need," I replied, my voice flat. "I'm getting a divorce."

There was a brief silence on the other end.

"You finally came to your senses?" Laura asked.

I didn't answer her question.

"Get me a lawyer. Fast, and no drama. I want the agreement ready today," I said.

Laura didn't ask why. She'd known me for twelve years and knew once I made up my mind, there was no changing it.

"Got it. I'll send it to you in an hour," Laura said.

After hanging up, I opened my phone's photo gallery.

The last photo was from three days ago. It was a selfie I took in the mirror, showing a pregnancy test with two lines. I'd planned to tell David about it when I got back from the company retreat.

I held down the photo and deleted it.

Confirmed deletion.

Then I started looking for flights.

By the time David finished the discharge paperwork, it was already noon.

He helped me into the car. I noticed the passenger-side airbag had been replaced, but the back window was still wrapped in plastic.

The back seat.

The spot I'd been sitting in that day.

"Emily, sit up front," David said.

I stayed silent and got in the back seat myself.

David stood outside the car, his expression complicated.

"Why don't you sit up front? It's windy in the back, and you're still recovering," he said.

"Just drive," I said.

He let it go.

The car started up and pulled out of the hospital. On the way, David kept glancing at me in the rearview mirror.

"Emily, I'll make you something to eat when we get home. What do you want?" he asked.

"Whatever," I replied.

"How about lemon fish stew? Didn't you say you were craving that a while ago?" he asked.

I had said I wanted lemon fish stew two months ago. He promised he'd make it for me that weekend, but instead, he spent the whole day helping Sophie look at rentals and didn't come home until nine at night.

"I don't want it anymore," I said.

David was quiet for a moment.

"Then I'll make some chicken broth. Something light," he suggested.

As we turned into the neighborhood, I spotted a white car parked downstairs. I recognized the license plate. It was Sophie's.

David saw it too. His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"She's probably just here to grab something. I'll tell her to leave," he said.

I stayed silent.

When we walked in, Sophie was sitting on the couch in the living room. She was wearing a cream-colored cardigan, with a small bandage on her arm.

Just that little bandage.

When she saw me, she jumped up, her face showing just the right amount of guilt.

"Emily, are you okay? I've been so worried about you. That day was terrifying. I haven't been able to sleep these past few days. I keep thinking, what if it was all because of me?" Sophie said, her voice trembling with concern.

Her voice shook, and her eyes were red with tears.

I glanced at the tiny bandage on her arm, it wasn't even as long as my pinky.

"How's your arm?" I asked.

"Me? I'm totally fine." She quickly waved it off. "Just a little scrape, really nothing. What about you, Emily? What did the doctor say?"

David stood in the entryway, like he was nailed to the floor.

He didn't say a word.

I slipped on my slippers, walked around Sophie, and headed for the bedroom.

"I'm a bit tired. You two go ahead and talk," I said.

"Emily," Sophie called out, her voice soft and gentle, like she was soothing a child. "Are you blaming me? You should. It's all my fault. David only reacted that way because of me, "

She trailed off mid-sentence.

I turned around and met her gaze.

"I'm not blaming you," I said, my voice steady. "You were in the passenger seat, he was driving. His instinct was to protect you. That's just how it works."

The atmosphere in the living room instantly turned icy.

Sophie opened her mouth, but she was at a loss for words.

David walked over from the entryway.

"Sophie, you should go home. Emily just got out of the hospital and needs to rest," he said.

"Okay." Sophie nodded sweetly, grabbing her bag from the couch. "Take care, Emily. If you need anything, just call me."

As she walked past me, I caught a whiff of her perfume.

Freesia, that scent was unmistakable.

The bottle of freesia perfume on my dresser was still full three days ago.

I'd only used it once, the day before I left for the company retreat.

I walked into the bedroom and glanced at the dresser.

About a third of the perfume was gone.

I closed the bedroom door.