After I Let My Cheating Husband Go, He Regretted It

Marina's POV: The oven timer chimed. I slipped on my oven mitts and pulled out the roast chicken. I had been preparing dinner since 7:00 that morning. Along with the chicken, I had made mashed potatoes, cream of mushroom soup, and Raymond's favorite apple pie. Raymond was a university professor. He had spent the whole day in his study revising his lecture notes, coming out only now and then to water the orchids by the window. When he passed the kitchen, he just poked his head in. "You didn't put too much sugar in the apple pie, did you?" I glanced down at the angry red burn on the back of my hand and slid the final side dish into the oven. Right then, the doorbell rang. Our son, Justin, set two bottles of expensive whiskey and two boxes of cigars in front of his father, smiling eagerly. "Dad, I had a client bring these all the way from Alderwyn." For me, there was only a grocery bag with three pints of strawberries that had already gone soft and moldy. "Nicole bought too many. It'd be a shame to toss them. Mom, pick through them. You can still make jam with the good ones." I stared at the patches of mold on the strawberries. Before I could say anything, Justin was already opening a cigar box for his father. I set the bag beside the trash can and didn't call him back. Our daughter, Erica, arrived next. Without even taking off her coat, she rushed over and threw her arms around Raymond. "Dad, I missed you so much!" The three of them sat chatting in front of the fireplace, their laughter carrying through the kitchen door. I brought the chicken to the table, then went back for the silverware. Not once did anyone ask whether I was tired. No one even thought to pull out a chair for me. Justin was the first to raise his glass, his face glowing with pride. "To Dad. My company never would've made it this far without your advice." Erica stood up too. "And thank you for putting me through school in Valeria. You're the person I look up to most." Their glasses clinked softly. I sat beside them, but the glass in front of me was still empty. Erica took a bite of mashed potatoes and frowned. "Mom, this is way too salty. Why have you been so out of it in the kitchen lately?" Today was my 57th birthday. There was no cake on the table. No candles either. After finishing his second drink, Raymond set down his glass. "Marina, there's something I can't keep from you any longer." His voice was as calm as if he were lecturing a class. "I'm in love with Camille. You've met her. She's one of my PhD students." My fingers tightened around my fork. At the mention of Camille, his expression softened. "We've been together for a while. I don't want to make her keep hiding, and I can't expect her to wait forever. I want to divorce you and marry her." To my astonishment, Justin laughed. "Thank God, Dad. You finally said it. There's nothing wrong with falling in love. You don't have to be ashamed." Erica even applauded. "So what if there's an age gap? Dad, I support you. Here's to Dad finally finding true love!" Their glasses clinked again. I stared down at the chicken on my plate, my throat tightening. I had hardly eaten all day, yet now I couldn't swallow a single bite. A sharp rap on the table broke through my thoughts. "Mom, you're not going to cry again, are you?" Justin looked at me impatiently. "Dad has a right to be happy too." Erica frowned. "Can't you be happy for him for once? Do you have to ruin the mood?" All three of them waited for my answer. I could have demanded an explanation. But then I remembered how I had stayed by Raymond's side until his final breath in my previous life, only to be told that he regretted everything. Just like that, I didn't want to fight anymore. I put down my fork and fought to keep my voice steady. "Okay. I'll let him go." I walked to the entryway and opened the side pocket of Raymond's briefcase. Sure enough, the divorce papers were still there, exactly as they had been in my previous life. He had even stuck sign-here tabs where I was supposed to sign. I went back to the table, turned to the last page, and signed my full name—Marina Emerson. "I agree to the divorce." A log popped in the fireplace. All three of them fell silent. Erica's smile faded. Raymond looked at the papers, then at me. Surprise flickered across his face, then doubt.