No Going Back

The next day, when Sean’s assistant delivered the divorce papers, I didn’t hesitate for a second before signing.

Dan gathered up the documents, hesitating before speaking. “Mrs. Roth… are you really going through with this?

“Mr. Roth even added a special clause today. He’s giving you an extra five percent of the company’s shares, plus dozens of properties. He really does care about you!”

My hand, still holding the teacup, paused for a moment.

For Sean, offering up profit like this was probably his quiet way of hoping I’d have a change of heart.

But I knew better.

All these years, Sean’s love was never tied to where his money went.

He could hand me company shares, buy me couture jewelry, and then turn around and spend just as much on someone else.

In fact, our cold war started when I found out Sean had taken his company’s intern to the Aegean Sea, a place I had longed to go back to.

That was the place I’d told him I wanted to revisit for our third wedding anniversary.

On that day, I’d dressed up exactly how he liked, sat in the living room all morning, waiting with excitement.

Instead, I got a phone call just before his flight.

“Jane, work is crazy right now. I can’t get away. I’ll make it up to you when I’m back from this trip.”

Before the call even ended, I heard a sweet, bright, and energetic female voice right next to him.

Later, I saw her posts.

She was younger and livelier than I, all smiles in the nine-photo collage of the Aegean coastline.

[Thanks to the boss for this amazing employee perk! With a view this gorgeous, how could I not be completely loyal to Mr. Roth?!]

At first glance, the pictures seemed ordinary until I noticed a half-visible arm in the corner of one shot with a wedding band on the ring finger. It was the wedding band I had given him.

It was obvious who went to the Aegean with her.

In that moment, it felt like lightning had struck me. I stayed home, sobbing until my eyes burned.

I wanted so badly to call him and scream, “Sean, do you feel even a shred of guilt taking a young girl to the place where we honeymooned, where we made vows?!

“When you were laughing and playing with her, did you think about the newlyweds we once were? Did you think about me, still waiting for you at home?!”

I wanted to pour every ounce of my pain and anger into that call.

It was the first time I had ever broken through my calm façade and used my influence to have someone fired.

However, Sean was far too busy pampering his little sweetheart, picking gifts for her, and playing the perfect knight in shining armor that he didn’t even answer my calls.

I stared at the ninety-nine missed calls on my phone until my tears completely dried.

The man who once put me first and never ignored my calls and texts was gone, dead and buried in my memory.

Watching Dan walk away with the divorce papers, I quietly went to my room and started packing.

On the first day of the divorce cooling-off period, I booked a flight to Silverlake.

Sean didn’t come home the second day. Instead, he mailed me his wedding ring.

Day three, word spread in our social circle about Sean’s new bird and how he was now openly wooing a young girl.

As for me, I boarded a plane out of here, ready to start adjusting to my new life.