The Lingering Feeling
857 Words
Knock! Knock! Knock!
“Dad, it’s me.”
Joseph, who had been sitting on the bed reading, paused and looked up.
“Come in, Ivana. The door’s not locked,” he said.
The door creaked open, and Joseph saw Ivana standing there. Even though it was already late, her unexpected visit piqued his curiosity. What was going on?
Ivana walked closer, her face serious. Intrigued, Joseph placed his book on the nightstand and calmly removed his reading glasses. Maybe she has something important to say, he thought.
“You’re still awake, Dad?” Ivana asked as she sat on the edge of the bed, facing him.
“I was just reading. What about you? Why aren’t you asleep yet?” Joseph replied, noticing the sorrow in her eyes and how pale her face looked.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Are you okay?” he asked.
Ivana stayed silent for a moment, taking a deep breath before finally speaking.
“Dad, I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to file for divorce from Arsen.”
Thump!
Joseph nearly choked on air at her confession. It felt like an electric jolt ran through him. Just yesterday, he had seen her and Arsen looking happy—holding hands, making plans for the future, even talking about having children.
Now, this—such a sudden and shocking decision. Joseph felt as if a window of happiness in his daughter’s life had just slammed shut without warning. He wanted to ask, to understand what had led to this, but the words stuck in his throat, frozen by the tension in the room.
“I know this must be shocking, Dad. But this… this is the best path for both of us,” Ivana said quietly.
“Wait, Ivana. I don’t understand. Why would you want to divorce Arsen? What happened?” Joseph asked, clearly distressed. “Did Arsen cheat on you?”
“No, Dad. He didn’t cheat,” Ivana replied softly.
“Then why? Why do you want to leave him? Don’t you love him, sweetheart? Why let him go?”
Ivana lowered her head, unable to answer. Inside, the pain was eating her alive.
Arsen had never loved her the way she had hoped. Instead, he had filled her life with lies and manipulation, making her feel like a mere pawn in his twisted game. Every memory they’d built now felt false, and each one tore at her already broken heart.
“Lately, I’ve noticed something,” Joseph said gently. “You’ve seemed distant, lost in thought, like something heavy is on your mind. What is it, sweetheart? Has Arsen hurt you? Did he ever lay a hand on you?”
Joseph’s heart pounded as he feared the worst. He had come to love Arsen like his own son, not just a son-in-law. He had believed in him and wished nothing but happiness for Ivana by his side.
But now, faced with this sudden decision, Joseph couldn’t help but wonder: What secrets don’t I know about their relationship? The uncertainty was overwhelming.
“I… I can’t tell you everything right now, Dad. But please… can you trust me? Can you support me?” Ivana’s voice trembled as she looked at him with tear-filled eyes.
Joseph reached out, gently brushing her hair.
“I do trust you, sweetheart. I just want you to really think this through. Don’t make a decision out of anger or pain.”
“I have thought about it. I’ve been holding it in for so long. This… is the choice I’ve finally made,” Ivana replied firmly.
“Alright,” Joseph sighed. “This time, I’ll leave it up to you. I’ll support you, even if I don’t fully understand it yet. If this is what will bring you peace… then go ahead, my dear.”
Ivana was overwhelmed with emotion by his words. His trust and support broke her heart in a different way—soft, but painful.
“I don’t know if I can hate you for this… But what I do know, even now, is that I still love you, Arsen. Stupidly… I still love you.”
Those words kept echoing in Arsen’s mind, throwing him off balance. He sat alone in a quiet corner, haunted by Ivana’s voice and the pain laced in her confession.
Her words gripped his heart, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake them off.
They had been stuck in his head since yesterday—like a thorn lodged deep, refusing to be ignored. Something about them disturbed the parts of him he had long buried.
Why? Why do I even care? he asked himself bitterly.
He tried to convince himself that it was just pity.
Pull yourself together, Arsen. Don’t get emotional. Don’t feel sorry for her, he scolded himself.
Then his phone rang. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled it out.
“The judge has decided to accept Ivana’s divorce petition. The evidence she provided is strong enough to move the case forward. There’s a high chance it will be approved… and the two of you will be officially divorced.”
***
- Writer
