A Borrowed Sweater, A Broken Marriage

Jeremy didn't come home that night.

My pillow was soaked, and my eyes were dry and gritty. I sat up slowly, staring out at the gray sky. Everything felt colorless.

I sat on the bed for a long time, then walked to the closet and pulled open the bottom drawer. Inside were some of his old things.

There was a photo album, a few letters, and a house purchase contract.

I never used to go through these because I believed that a marriage should be built on trust and respect.

But now, I just wanted to find some answers for myself.

I opened the yellowed letters. They were love letters from Jeremy to Chloe, full of sincere words and deep affection.

I closed the letters, unable to describe the feeling inside me. There was no jealousy or anger, just a deep, overwhelming fatigue.

Suddenly, I remembered so many details I had ignored.

When Chloe first moved in next door, Jeremy had shown an unusual level of enthusiasm.

He volunteered to help her settle in and gave her a tour of the neighborhood. But he was never such a helpful person.

Lily had naturally called him "Jeremy", but it soon turned into "Daddy Jeremy".

Jeremy never corrected her. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it.

But when Eliza was alive, he rarely had the patience to play with her for more than half an hour.

He was capable of being kind and patient, just not with me or Eliza.

Jeremy and I had grown up together. He was the idol of every kid in the neighborhood, the kind of person who seemed to glow in a crowd.

Being able to marry him was something I never dared to dream of.

Jeremy sat across from me with a distant smile before saying, "My parents really like you, and I think you're nice too. Let's give it a try."

I thought my years of silent crush had finally reached a perfect ending.

Throughout our ten years of marriage, I'd been like a spinning top, tirelessly serving the family. No one appreciated the sacrifices I made. No one ever bothered to ask if I was tired.

All they said was, "Shirley, you're so capable."

Chloe had also said, "Shirley, you're amazing. You can do everything. Unlike me, I get flustered over the smallest thing."

I just smiled and stayed silent. All this "capability" came from a marriage that had left me feeling like a widow. No one was born knowing how to do everything.

Chloe didn't know because she was pampered. Even after her husband passed, she still had Jeremy.

At that moment, the door opened. Jeremy walked in, calling out, "Shirley, Lily had a high fever last night…"

When he didn't see me in the living room, his words trailed off, and he came into the bedroom.

Seeing my swollen eyes, he pulled me into a hug. "Are you feeling sick?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I said calmly, "Jeremy, I meant it when I said I want a divorce yesterday."

The concern in his eyes vanished instantly. He stared at me, his gaze hard. "Why?"

I looked at him. "Because of these ten years, Jeremy. Since the day I married you, I've never known romance. All I've gained is a pair of calloused hands."

I opened my palm, exposing the rough, thick calluses from years of labor under the light.

"In these ten years, I've been a silent servant to your entire family. I'm tired. I don't want to live like this anymore."

My words completely enraged Jeremy.

"Shirley, have I treated you badly? I gave you everything you have! I'm telling you, divorce is not an option!"

Pain shot through my wrist as he gripped it tightly. I wrenched myself free, but the force was so great that I staggered back a step.

"Jeremy, don't you dare touch me again." I said, glaring at him. "This marriage is over."

With that, I dragged out the dusty suitcase from the closet and started packing my things.

In less than ten minutes, I had packed everything.

The scene of a divorcee tearfully returning a box of sweet mementos wouldn't happen to me. Cold-hearted as he was, Jeremy never bought me a single gift.

I carried my suitcase to the door, but Jeremy chased after me. Frowning, he asked, "Shirley, do you even have money for a lawyer? How dare you ask for a divorce?"

I gave a bitter smile. What had this marriage really given me?

I met his gaze. "Jeremy, don't worry about me finding a lawyer. You'll know if I have money or not once the divorce is final."