Chapter 4

Julian never came back home.

He was probably holed up at Chloe's place, or spending the night in the bed of another one of his mistresses.

As I was packing the last of my things, Julian's mother—a woman who had treated me with nothing but contempt from day one—called out of the blue.

Her voice barked through the speaker before I could even say hello. "Nora! What kind of wife are you?"

"Julian is under a mountain of stress with the company right now. Instead of staying home to take care of him, you're picking fights?"

"I hear you're demanding a divorce? Who the hell do you think you are without my son?"

I listened quietly. Once she finally ran out of breath, I replied flatly.

"Evelyn." Saying her name felt strangely liberating.

"You're right. Without Julian, I'm nobody."

"So please, do me a favor and tell your son to sign the divorce papers immediately. Let this nobody walk away."

There was a stunned silence on the other end. She clearly hadn't expected me to agree so submissively. After sputtering for a few seconds, she spat out an insult about me being ungrateful and slammed the phone down.

I moved out of that cold, dead mansion and into a small rented apartment near the city hospital.

The oncologist strongly recommended starting chemotherapy immediately. I refused.

I knew exactly what chemo looked like. Hair loss, relentless vomiting, wasting away hooked up to IV drips, spending my final days stripped of all dignity.

I didn't want to go out like that.

In whatever time I had left, I wanted to live for myself. Just once, I wanted to experience genuine peace.

I booked a flight to Kauai, Hawaii.

For years, I had dreamed of standing on the edge of the Pacific, watching the endless blue water. I had always waited for Julian to have free time so we could go together. But I eventually learned that he would never have time for me.

Before leaving, I stopped by the clinic for one final checkup and prescription refill.

I never expected that while passing the obstetrics and gynecology wing, I would run right into Chloe.

When she spotted me, surprise crossed her features, quickly replaced by a smug, self-satisfied grin. She deliberately draped a hand over her flat stomach.

"Nora? What are you doing at the hospital? Are you sick?"

I ignored her completely and kept walking toward the elevators.

She hurried to keep up, her voice dripping with triumphant sweetness. "Julian drove me here for my ultrasound. He's just downstairs finding parking."

A sharp twinge hit my chest, but my face remained completely impassive.

Clearly dissatisfied that she couldn't get a rise out of me, Chloe pressed on:

"Julian actually worries about you a lot, you know. He told me last night that he really hopes you'll stop being childish and come back home."

Losing all patience, I stopped and looked at her coldly. "That's his problem. It has nothing to do with me."

I turned on my heel to walk away, only to slam directly into Julian as he stepped out of the elevator doors.

The medical folder slipped from my hands, sending my papers scattering across the linoleum floor. I bent down instinctively to grab them, but Julian was faster.

He snatched up my discharge summary, and his brow furrowed hard.

"Why does this medical report say you need chemotherapy?"