Chapter 1
Gail Riddle's first love had returned to the country.
He took off his wedding ring and tossed it carelessly onto the coffee table. "Just sign it. Let's take a break for a while. There's something I need to deal with."
I stared down at the separation agreement, my fingers trembling.
Finally, I wrote my name, letter by letter.
From outside the door, I could faintly hear their laughter.
"Anabella didn't even cry this time? Does she actually believe Gail's bullshit?"
"I bet three months' worth of living expenses. She won't last a week before she comes crawling back!"
Gail scoffed, lighting a cigarette. "I bet five days."
I gripped my phone tightly, the message from ten minutes ago still on the screen. [Come with me. Do you dare?]
I said: [I dare!]
Gail's old flame had come back.
He took off his wedding ring and just tossed it onto the coffee table without a second thought. "Sign it. Let's take a break for now. I need to sort some things out."
I stared down at the separation agreement, my fingertips trembling.
In the end, I signed my name, stroke by stroke.
From outside the door, I could hear their teasing voices.
A man said, "Anabella didn't even cry this time? Does she actually believe Gail's bullshit?"
Another man said, "Three months' living expenses says she won't even last a week before she's begging to come back!"
Gail scoffed, lighting a cigarette. "I bet five days."
Clutching my phone, I stared at the message that had popped up ten minutes ago. [Come with me. Do you dare?]
I said: [I dare!]
After I texted back, I made my way quickly down the hallway.
The sunlight was so harsh it made my eyes sting, and it wasn't until I slid into the back of the taxi that my tears finally fell, silent and hot, onto the back of my hand.
Gail's old flame was Emma Johnston.
She studied art overseas, her galleries dotted across Washanalang, but she'd still text him late at night.
Emma said: [Gail, no one understands my art.]
So he booked out an entire art museum and covered every wall with her paintings.
Emma said: [Gail, I can't stand the rain here.]
So he ditched me at the airport on a stormy night and jetted off to Ethax City just to be with her at a fashion show.
He said, "Sorry, Emma's afraid of thunderstorms."
This time, Emma was back in the country for an art exhibition tour, and he asked for a separation.
The vibration of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I opened the new message.
The person said: [See you at the airport in a week. Don't bring anything that has to do with him.]
I wiped away my tears and replied: [Okay.]
Sure enough, Gail showed up that evening.
He lounged against the doorframe, a strange perfume clinging to his collar.
He asked, "Come with me to the party tonight? Emma wants to see that sapphire necklace."
That necklace was a gift from Gail on our fifth wedding anniversary.
I shrank back into the corner of the sofa and shook my head.
He frowned, loosening his tie. "Why the attitude? I told you, it's just a temporary thing."
As he spoke, an earring slipped out of his suit pocket.
It was rose gold, with the initials "E.J." etched into it.
He didn't bother explaining. He just picked it up, dropped it on the table, and turned away to make a call. "Clear out the third-floor gallery. Yeah, swap it all out for abstract pieces."
I didn't say a word. I just slid the divorce papers I'd already prepared across the table to him.
"Let's get divorced," I said.
Gail stopped mid-call, giving me a confused look like he had no idea what was going on.
He said, "Didn't I tell you? I just need to deal with some things. It's all just for show, nothing real.
"Anabella, can't you just get it for once?"
Just to be difficult, I took off my hearing aid, plunging the world into silence. All I could see was Gail's lips moving, but I couldn't hear a word.
Gail snapped at my action, leaning down and forcefully pressing the hearing aid back onto my ear.
His grip was too strong, and my ear throbbed with pain.
Gail said, "Anabella! How many times do I have to say this? Stop taking off your hearing aid whenever you feel like it!
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you're making for everyone?"
Seeing me sitting there, completely numb, Gail's anger boiled over. He signed the divorce papers and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
The slam of the door made me flinch, and I just couldn't hold it in anymore. My face was a mess of tears.
Since when did Gail stop caring?
Gail and I had grown up together. Six years ago, I lost my hearing after a car accident.
He'd sneak over the wall of the nursing home in the middle of the night, holding a lopsided cake he'd made himself, with "Happy Birthday" written in messy letters.
Gail said, "Anabella, happy birthday!"
After my parents passed away and I lost my hearing, I felt like my whole world had fallen apart. There was nothing left for me to hold onto.
But Gail was the only one who went out of his way to learn sign language, signing to me every day about all the little things happening outside my window.
He said, "Guess what? The sycamore tree dropped twenty-eight leaves today.
"Hey, that old man in the next room stole your pudding, so I taught him a lesson for you!"
Back then, Gail was incredibly patient. He never left my side, sticking with me day in and day out.
With more than a year of his care, the trauma from the accident slowly faded away.