When Love Falls Silent

Synopsis

The day after I caught Julian Carter cheating, he didn't beg, cry, or ask me to stay. Instead, he calmly handed me a divorce agreement. He said, "You once said that if I ever fell for another woman, you'd let me go without a fight. Lily. I love her. I can't stand seeing her treated like the other woman." My husband was ruthless even in love. He was devoted when he loved me and decisive when he didn't. He held out a pen. "Why are you crying? You really don't want to lose me, do you? Don't worry, Lily. You won't lose a cent in the divorce. We'll still be family." He thought I'd cling to him. I looked at the man standing before me and remembered three years ago, when my ex left me for another woman. I had been utterly shattered. Julian was the one who held me and said, "Lily, forget him. What was so great about him anyway? I'll always be here for you." Three years. That was all it took for him to break his promise. I wanted to say, "Julian, I don't want your money. Can we not get divorced? At least not now." I was hurting so badly. But when I saw the impatience written across his face, the words begging him to stay caught in my throat. I swallowed them and signed. We had truly loved each other once. What was the point of dragging this out for another month or two? It would only make him pity me. The moment he saw my signature, Julian visibly relaxed, yet there was a strange hint of disappointment in his eyes. He said, "That's it? You're signing just like that? You never forgot him, did you? You've been dying to run back to him all these years." He had been the one rushing to end things, yet somehow, my willingness to let him go seemed to upset him. He continued, "I was actually worried that you might... Never mind." He swallowed whatever he had been about to say. Julian calmly slipped the divorce agreement into his bag, a faintly provocative look in his eyes. "She likes this house. Move out as soon as you can." So he even wanted me to give up our marital home. Fine. Whatever. I was dying anyway. He could do whatever he wanted. Julian got exactly what he wanted and swept out the door like the wind. What he didn't know was that for years to come, he would regret this day, trapped in a cycle of remorse he could never escape.