Shawn’s expression turned into one of heartache He looked at me apologetically and said, ‘ You should head home first, Jolene. I’ll be back tomorrow, and we can talk then. I won’t agree to a divorce–we don’t need to fake it anymore.”
11
With that, he took Neil from Jill’s arms and gently soothed him. As they left, Jill turned to look at me, and her gaze was challenging.
I headed home and looked around. It was a place that held many memories. The bitterness I’d been suppressing suddenly burst forth.
I’d bought this apartment in my second year after migrating and handpicked all the furnishings. At the time, I’d expected Shawn and to live here forever, so I’d wanted the place to be exactly as I liked.
When we first moved in, Shawn had been so excited that he’d held me tightly and peppered my face with kisses. He’d told me we finally had a home of our own and that we would be here forever. It had never occurred to me that we would one day be taking separate paths.
1/2
Chapter &
+28 BONUS
As I passed the study, I saw a dust–covered puzzl in a corner. It was of a photo Shawn and I had taken together. Our initial plan was to hang in the most obvious part of the living room after completing the puzzle. Yet we’d only pieced half of it before Shawn had stopped because Neil said he didn’t like it.
I took the puzzle to the garden downstairs and burned it to ashes. My love for Shawn disappeared along with it.
I spent the rest of the day packing my things into suitcases. I was about to start cleaning the next day when Shawn came home. When he entered and saw that the place was half empty, he asked, “Why have so many things gone missing?
I didn’t answer. Instead, I asked when he was going to pack his stuff.
His expression darkened at that. “You saw what Neil was like yesterday, Jolene. I don’t have a choice in this. Can’t you be more understanding? I can’t hurt a child.”
I nodded without hesitation. “Of course I can.
He smiled when he heard that.
