Chapter 36 The Day They File the Paperwork
1567 Words
When Willow got home, she set down her bags upon bags of shopping. She spent a while organizing all the baby clothes, then tidied up the room, and by the time she could finally rest, she collapsed onto the bed.
The moment a person stops moving, the mind starts spinning.
The scene of running into Adrian and Olivia at the mall that afternoon replayed before her eyes. She couldn't shake it off no matter how hard she tried.
So... he was that eager, was he? Willow let out a laugh.
She reached under the bed, pulled out a small box, and took out a ring from inside.
It was their wedding ring.
Not some luxury brand, but a matching pair that Willow had designed and handcrafted herself. From the outside, it looked like a simple band, but inside the ring was a tiny heart-shaped diamond, along with the initials "A & W"—both engraved by Willow's own hand. The meaning was: *I treasure you, I hold you in the palm of my hand.*
Looking at this ring, Willow's eyes burned.
So... had he already replaced it with a new one? Willow lowered her head, thinking as she rubbed the ring on her finger...
-------- Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and the day they had agreed to file the paperwork arrived quickly.
The night before, Willow had considerately reminded Adrian of the documents he needed to bring the next day.
Early the next morning, the two of them met at the entrance of the civil affairs office.
Willow cast a casual glance at Adrian's hand. As expected, the wedding ring was gone.
A month apart, and Adrian looked somewhat haggard.
"You..."
"You..."
The two of them spoke at the same time, both startled.
Adrian gestured for Willow to speak first.
"Is the company very busy? You look exhausted," Willow said, looking at Adrian's bloodshot eyes.
Adrian nodded. He felt restless. He badly wanted a cigarette, but he held himself back.
"Let's go. Inside," Adrian said.
Looking at the familiar entrance, Willow sighed. Truly, things remained the same but people had changed.
Adrian remembered that day three years ago—the day they had gotten their marriage certificate. The weather had seemed even better than today, with bright sunshine and a gentle breeze.
Adrian and Willow hadn't chosen any auspicious day. They had simply finished handling Grandpa Arthur's affairs, and when they both had time, they went straight to get their certificates. They hadn't even taken wedding photos in advance—they were taken on the spot at the civil affairs office.
"A little closer, you two. Sit a little closer," the photographer uncle said, scratching his head. *These two are getting married and they're still acting so shy?*
And so the photo was frozen on Willow's slightly flushed face.
Adrian remembered that Willow had worn a white dress that day, while he had worn a white shirt. They looked like an ordinary couple.
"Are you two entering this marriage of your own free will?" the staff member asked with a smile from behind the oath podium.
"Yes."
"Yes."
The two answered in unison, then both felt a little embarrassed.
But Adrian took Willow's hand.
Before the oath podium, everything seemed solemn and passionate. Adrian's heart had been beating extraordinarily fast.
After reading the oath and holding up their marriage certificates for a photo, Adrian couldn't help himself. He lowered his head and gently kissed Willow's forehead.
That day, he had been so happy. He thought Willow must have been happy too.
--------
"Are you two divorcing of your own free will?" The staff member's voice pulled Adrian back to reality.
But today, three years later, they had come to get divorced.
The staff member glanced at Adrian, who was frowning deeply, his face darker than coal. The staff member scratched his head awkwardly.
"Yes," Willow nodded.
The staff member looked at Adrian again. Adrian nodded.
Getting a divorce certificate was quick. There was no oath like at the wedding. They filled out various documents and took photos. When the staff member stamped the official seal, the two marriage certificates were exchanged for two divorce certificates.
Aside from the difference in font color, there wasn't much difference otherwise. Everything was settled.
Walking out of the civil affairs office, Adrian's eyes were dazzled by the sunlight.
"Well then, I'll be off first," Willow said, shaking the divorce certificate with a deliberately carefree air.
"You..." Adrian spoke.
Willow turned back, waiting for what he would say next.
"Don't you want any of the things from home?" Adrian asked.
Willow shook her head.
"I don't want them. Help me get rid of them, please," Willow said, turning to leave without hesitation.
Willow didn't want to stay with Adrian for too long. He knew her too well. She was afraid he would notice her belly.
Although she was wearing a loose dress and it shouldn't be too obvious, Willow was still worried. It was like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment.
Willow walked away cleanly and neatly. Watching her figure grow more and more distant, Adrian lowered his head to look at the red divorce certificate in his hand, his eyes stinging.
When he got home, Adrian shut himself in his room.
He looked at all the things Willow had left behind. She had said she didn't want any of them...
Looking closely, many of them were gifts he had given her.
Birthday gifts. Valentine's Day gifts. New Year's gifts. Anniversary gifts...
Many familiar things. Willow had simply displayed them neatly. Looking at them, she hadn't used them much. Some of the bags were even duplicates.
So... did she actually not like them? Adrian fell into deep thought. He had never paid close attention before.
He had simply told Assistant Yan to remind him to buy gifts for his wife on holidays. He thought that was fulfilling his duty as a husband. But for Willow, what meaning did such gifts hold? They were merely expensive, with no thought behind them. She didn't like them.
But she had never told him so. She had simply smiled and told him, "Thank you for the gift. I really like it."
A wave of guilt and regret crashed over Adrian, surrounding him completely. For the first time, he felt at a complete loss.
So was that why she had said she didn't want any of it? Because what she needed had never been these things...
The gifts he had given her—she didn't want them. And along with them, she didn't want him either.
Because of his neglect, his self-righteousness, his assumption that Willow would always be waiting for him at home—he had made Willow sick. He had clearly known she was a sensitive, insecure little rabbit. He had promised to protect her, to take care of her. But in the end, the one who had hurt her the most was him.
Sitting on the balcony, he smoked one cigarette after another until Adrian started coughing from the smoke.
The coughing grew worse and worse, as if he were coughing up his lungs, until tears were coughed out of his eyes.
Adrian touched his neck. That was where their wedding ring was. He had no reason to wear it on his finger anymore, so he had found a necklace and threaded the ring onto it, wearing it around his neck where no one could see.
It was the ring Willow had made with her own hands. How could he bear to take it off?
People, only after losing something do they learn to cherish it. How pathetic.
Whether it was the smoke or Adrian's emotions, he couldn't breathe. He burst out the door.
He got in the car and sped off with no destination in mind, until he saw the gates of the cemetery. Adrian slammed on the brakes.
How had he ended up here?
With a sigh, Adrian walked to that familiar grave.
"Grandpa Arthur, I'm sorry." He stood for a long time before Adrian finally uttered those words.
The kind old man's smile on the tombstone pierced deeply into Adrian's heart. He even felt he had no face to come here.
He knelt on the ground, gently wiping away the dust with his sleeve.
He had come in such a rush that he hadn't even brought a bouquet of flowers. He truly was terrible.
He simply used his bare hands to help clear away the small weeds around Grandpa Arthur's grave.
"Grandpa Arthur, I was wrong. I didn't take good care of Willow," Adrian said, his head lowered as he cleaned, his voice faintly choked.
"I lost her. I don't have a chance anymore, do I?" Adrian looked up at Grandpa Arthur's photo.
"Please help Willow. Can you help her get better? If you can, please help me too. Let her come back to me. I was wrong. I'll change." Adrian cried like a child before Grandpa Arthur's grave.
A proud son of heaven like Adrian—for the first time in his life, he tasted the feeling of defeat. He was a failure. He couldn't even keep the one he loved. He was too pathetic. He only just realized it, but it was too late. His Willow...
didn't want him anymore...
His emotions erupted like a flood, completely beyond his control.
- Writer
