Chapter 3

"I can sign the agreement. The company is yours. I came with nothing, and I'll leave with nothing. Consider it the final punctuation mark for all these years of dedication."

I didn't want to argue with her anymore.

After we got married, to give Mia a better life, I chose to start a business and worked part-time at night.

Once the company stabilized, Mia said she wanted to help and asked me to arrange a vice president position for her. I gladly agreed.

But she only took a salary, going out shopping with friends every day.

It was me who went to entertain clients, drinking until I got a gastric perforation.

I personally negotiated all the important projects for the company.

Mia knew nothing about the company, no wonder she was worried.

If she wanted it, she could have it all.

Consider it my closure for these five years of marriage.

This way, at least there would be no financial disputes.

"Divorce is impossible. You said you'd love me for a lifetime. Are you going back on your word? Don't you have any feelings for me at all?"

Mia suddenly changed her attitude, stepping forward and tearing the divorce agreement to shreds.

"What about you? Can you put your hand on your heart and say you have feelings for me?" I asked sarcastically.

The room fell silent for a moment.

My words had stumped her.

Looking at Mia standing there dumbfounded, I felt no ripple in my heart.

Five years of marriage, no, nine years of love. How ridiculous.

"I'll print another copy of the divorce agreement. This marriage is over, as far as I'm concerned."

I looked at Mia, then stood up to leave.

Perhaps I got up too quickly. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen. I clutched my stomach, staggering and almost falling.

Mia frowned slightly and came forward to support me.

Seeing me clutching my stomach, pale-faced and sweating profusely, she lifted my shirt despite my protests.

The bandage on my abdomen was soaked with blood. I must have torn the wound open with my sudden movement.

"You had surgery? Why didn't you tell me?" Mia asked, shocked.

I laughed bitterly. "Didn't I tell you? Oh right, you were too busy rushing to the airport to pick up your true love to listen to me."

"I... I'll take you to the hospital," Mia said, her eyes dodging mine.

"No need to trouble you, Ms. Lee. I'll go myself."

She flinched at my formal address. I used to call her "honey". Addressing her by her title for the first time signified that she no longer held a place in my heart.

"You can't leave. I won't allow it," she said weakly.

Hearing her powerless words, I said flatly, "I'm tired. I can't love you anymore."

"You proposed marriage back then. Today, let me end it."

"Mia, if I could do it all over again, I wouldn't have attended that graduation party. I wish... I had never met you."

With that, I pushed her away, ignoring her attempt to grab me, and walked out the door.

I didn't have much in this house anyway. I was always an outsider here.

Mia would lock the door whether she was sleeping or showering. Who else was in the house besides me?

She guarded against me like I was a thief. Was there any point in continuing such a marriage?

Once outside, I took a taxi back to the hospital to have my wound restitched.

I felt utterly exhausted, so I stayed at the hospital for the night.

The doctor was worried about my wound reopening, so he quickly arranged a bed for me.

The next day, I went to a small shop outside the hospital to print another copy of the divorce agreement.

Just as I was about to go back and end this relationship that had exhausted me for years, I saw a man and a woman approaching, laughing and chatting. They were carrying gifts, as if visiting someone in the hospital.

The woman was my wife, Mia, and the man was her ideal lover, Chris.