Chapter 3

He slammed his hand down on the nightstand.

"That is enough, Chloe!"

I didn't flinch. I didn't even blink.

"Why are you yelling? You get to play loving husband to your coworker for three years, but I can't have one lunch with a colleague? Do you write the rules of this marriage? Are you always right while I'm always wrong?"

"That's because I never did anything to betray you!"

"And did I? Did you catch me in bed with him?"

He was completely speechless, his chest heaving.

I threw off the duvet, slid into my slippers, and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?"

"None of your business."

He followed me out, his footsteps heavy on the hardwood floor.

"Where are you going? It's freezing outside, don't leave!"

I walked to the entryway, slipped into my boots, and grabbed my car keys.

"What is leaving in the middle of the night going to solve? Calm down!"

"I am incredibly calm." I unlocked the front door. "Calmer than I've ever been."

I shut the door right in his face.

In the elevator, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were slightly red.

When I first found that text message last week, I sat on the couch for an entire afternoon, crying until my eyes were swollen and raw.

When he came home from work, I handed him the phone. The very first thing out of his mouth was, "Are you snooping through my phone?"

He didn't even try to explain the coworker.

All he cared about was that I had unlocked his phone.

At that exact moment, I knew this marriage was over.

I drove to a nearby boutique hotel and checked in.

The room wasn't huge, but it was clean and quiet.

I lay on the bed, staring at the warm yellow light on the ceiling.

My phone buzzed. It was a text from him.

"Where are you?"

I didn't reply.

It buzzed again.

"Come home. Let's talk this through."

Still, I didn't reply.

The third message came fifteen minutes later.

"Do you really have to be like this? Making a giant scene out of a minor issue."

I flipped my phone over, screen down, on the nightstand.

And I went to sleep.

The next morning, I got ready and drove straight to the office.

When I stepped out of the Uber, the morning sun was rising, casting a bright, clear light over the streets.

I squinted, realizing this was the most peaceful night of sleep I had enjoyed in years.

I was alone, but at least that heavy, suffocating knot in my chest was gone.

I walked toward the office building lobby.

But before I could reach the glass doors, I froze.

Ethan was standing near the entrance, holding an insulated lunch bag.

When he saw me, he quickly walked over.

He pushed the bag into my hands, his tone noticeably softer.

"I made this for you this morning. Sunny-side-up eggs, bacon, and that avocado sandwich you love. Consider it an apology, okay?"