The Husband Who Wakes Up Loving Me

Sophia couldn't wait any longer.

For three days, she had carried the letter with her. For three days, she had stared at the divorce papers hidden inside her drawer. And with every day that passed, she became more certain of one thing.

There was nothing left to save. Nothing left to discuss and nothing left worth fighting for.

Adrian had given up on their marriage a long time ago and he had already walked away long before she found the courage to admit it.

For years, she had held on tightly, believing she could save what they once had. But now? Now it was her turn to let go.

She stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in their bedroom, her arms wrapped around herself as she stared at the glittering city lights below. The view used to comfort her but tonight, it felt empty.

It was already nine o'clock and as usual, Adrian still wasn't home.

A bitter smile tugged at her lips. There was a time when she would have been pacing the room by now. Checking the clock every few minutes, calling him and texting him. Worrying about whether he had eaten dinner or if he was driving safely. Back then, every minute he was late felt unbearable.

Now? Nothing. No anxiety, there’s no anger. No disappointment, just emptiness. It was as if a part of her heart had finally died.

Then she heard the sound of the front door opening downstairs. A few seconds later came the familiar footsteps. She would recognize those footsteps anywhere. Adrian was home.

Sophia closed her eyes and drew in a slow breath. This was it. There was no turning back now. No more delays, excuses, nor hoping.

A few minutes later, the bedroom door opened and Adrian stepped inside while adjusting his cufflinks. He looked exhausted. His tie was slightly loosened, and there were faint shadows beneath his eyes.

Once upon a time, seeing him like this would have filled her with concern. She would have rushed over and asked if he had eaten. If he was okay. If work had been difficult. Tonight, she felt nothing.

He glanced toward her and looked slightly surprised to see her awake.

"You're awake."

Sophia smiled but there was no warmth behind it. No affection and no love, just pure sadness.

"We need to talk."

Immediately, a frown appeared on Adrian's face. The reaction told her everything. He already knew. He knew exactly where this conversation was heading.

Instead of answering, he placed his phone on the bedside table and looked at her.

"About what?"

A soft laugh escaped her lips. The sound was bitter and almost broken.

"Seriously?"

Adrian sighed heavily. "Sophia."

"About us."

And silence hugged the entire room. The kind of silence that hurts more than words. And in that silence, Sophia knew she was right.

He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to face it. Avoiding things was easier and pretending nothing was wrong was easier. But not tonight.

Tonight, there would be no escape.

She walked toward the bed and carefully placed the envelope on top of it. Adrian's eyes immediately dropped to it and then back to her.

"What's that?"

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she simply looked at him. Maybe for the last time as his wife. She deserved at least that much.

She had loved this man for seven years. Seven years of memories, dreams, and believing they would grow old together. And now, standing in front of him, she felt like she was looking at a stranger.

A stranger wearing the face of the man she once loved.Sometimes she wondered if those years had been a mistake. If she had wasted them loving someone who was never meant to stay.

"Open it."

Slowly, Adrian picked up the envelope. The moment he saw the contents, his entire body went still. It was a letter, divorce paper to be exact. Shock flashed across his face before he quickly hid it.

For several long moments, he simply stared at the documents. Neither of them spoke.

Sophia wanted him to say something. She wanted a reaction. She wanted him to fight for her. Wanted him to tell her not to leave.

Wanted him to say—

No.

She immediately pushed the thought away. She couldn't do that to herself anymore.

Finally, Adrian spoke.

"You already made your decision."

It wasn't a question. It sounded more like a statement. And somehow, that hurt even more because it didn't sound like he intended to stop her.

Sophia nodded. "Yes."

Silence settled between them once again. And despite everything… A tiny part of her still hoped. A foolish little part of her heart. Maybe he would ask her to stay. Maybe he would tell her they could fix this. Maybe he would finally say he still loved her.

Maybe—

"Is there really no way to fix this?"

Sophia closed her eyes. For one brief second, hope flickered inside her chest. But when she opened her eyes again, reality crushed it immediately. That wasn't the question of a man in love. That wasn't the question of someone afraid to lose his wife. It was the question of a man who didn't want complications.

A man looking for the easiest way out. And just like that, the last piece of hope inside her disappeared.

"I'm the one who should be asking that."

Adrian rubbed his forehead and let out a tired sigh.

"What do you want me to say, Sophia?"

The pain in her chest deepened because sometimes, a person's tone said more than their words ever could. And he told her exactly how little she meant to him now.

"What happened to us?"

Her voice came out barely above a whisper. It was the question that had haunted her for months. The question that kept her awake at night. The question she had been too afraid to ask.

Adrian frowned and then slowly shook his head.

"I don't know."

A tear slipped down her cheek. She laughed bitterly.

"Really? Really, Adrian?"

Still nothing, no reaction and no answer.

Sophia stepped closer until only a small distance separated them.

"When you married me, you loved me." Her voice trembled. "When you promised forever, I believed you." Another tear fell. "When you said I was the only woman you would ever love..."

Her voice broke completely and the pain was unbearable but she forced herself to continue.

"When did that change?"

The silence felt suffocating and when Adrian finally answered, the last remaining pieces of her heart shattered.

"I don't know when it happened." His voice was cold. "But things changed." He paused and then looked away. "And I don't feel the same anymore."

The world stopped. Sophia couldn't hear anything after that. The room disappeared and the city lights vanished. Even the sound of her own breathing faded away because those words alone were enough to destroy everything.

I don't feel the same anymore.

The man she loved had finally said it out loud.

The tears came freely now and she didn't bother wiping them away. There was no point. Nothing left to hide.

For a long time, she simply stared at him. Then she slowly nodded. As if she were finally accepting a truth she had been running from for months.

"Okay."

Adrian frowned. "Okay?"

She nodded again.

"Okay."

And for the first time in months, she had no more questions. No more doubts and no more hope because she finally had her answer.

Adrian Gonzaga no longer loved her and nothing in the world could hurt more than that.

Quietly, she picked up the divorce papers and placed them back in front of him.

"You have everything you need." Her voice was soft. "Just read them."

Then she turned away slowly, as if every step hurt because it did. It felt like she was leaving a piece of herself behind.

Seven years of love. Seven years of dreams. Seven years of hope. All of it was ending tonight.

When she reached the bedroom door, she stopped. Her hand rested on the doorknob but she didn't turn around. She couldn't because if she looked back… She might break. She might stay. She might hope again and she was tired of hoping.

So instead, she took one final breath and spoke the words she had been carrying in her heart for far too long.

"Goodbye, Adrian."

This time, she didn't wait for an answer because some endings didn't need one.