Chapter 4

4: 4

My chest went cold. I stared at him and asked,

"You're sure it's a coworker asking you out?"

"Then how come the message I saw come in was from my brother?"

Ferdinand's face changed in an instant. He shot back, furious,

"So you'd really rather I went off to some other woman?"

"Is that it? In your eyes I'm just as filthy as your brother?"

I said nothing.

But he acted like I'd struck a nerve, his voice climbing higher.

"Your brother was right about you after all."

"Nobody wanted you as a kid, you had it rough, so now you dump all that bitterness on everyone else."

"You can't stand the sight of him, and now you've decided to suspect me too."

"I treat you this well, and you spend every day guarding against me like I'm some thief."

"No wonder your parents didn't want you. Anyone who ends up with a person like you is cursed!"

Every sentence landed exactly where it hurt most.

I looked at this man who had once held me and said he'd spend his whole life healing me.

And suddenly he was a stranger.

When I still didn't speak, Ferdinand only grew more righteous.

"Isn't it me you suspect?"

"Then call my coworker, right now!"

"If you're not too ashamed, go ahead and ask!"

I looked at his face, flushed red with guilt, and slowly pressed the screen dark.

Just moments ago, I'd already pulled up the information on the woman in that photo.

Not long ago, she'd registered as a patient in our infectious disease department.

Her test results had only just come back, with multiple high-risk markers off the charts.

Whether or not I still had feelings for Ferdinand, I'd meant to make one thing clear to him.

We could divorce.

The marriage could end here.

But that woman, he absolutely could not touch.

And now, for the sake of a little so-called thrill, he was willing to attack me with the most painful part of my childhood.

He'd even turned my old depression into a weapon to humiliate me.

Suddenly I didn't want to say anything at all.

I looked at him, calm.

"I trust you."

"Go."

Ferdinand froze for a second.

He probably hadn't expected me to give in so easily.

He stood where he was, a flicker of guilt crossing his face, like he couldn't quite save face either.

A few seconds passed before he said, forcing a casual tone,

"Don't worry."

"I'll send you my location when I get there, keep you posted the whole time."

I nodded.

"Fine."

Ferdinand visibly relaxed, grabbed his coat, and hurried out the door.

The moment it shut, I called a moving company.

In under half an hour, several workers showed up.

My clothes, my documents, my jewelry, my work files, all packed into boxes and carried out.

As for Ferdinand's things, I had them boxed up with the divorce papers and sent by same-day courier straight to his office.

I'd paid the down payment on this place. I'd been the one covering the mortgage all these years.

Only my name was on the deed.

I called a real estate agent and listed it below market price.

The agent was a little surprised.

"Ms. Gilbert, this place is in a great location."

"Priced this low, you'll lose a fair amount of money. Are you sure you don't want to think it over?"

I looked at the empty living room and said evenly,

"No."

"I just want it sold as fast as possible."

Once the agent confirmed the details, the listing went up quickly.

When it was all done, I put the signed marital property agreement into my bag.

Then I switched off the lights, dragged out the last suitcase, and walked out of this home.