Ex Husband Obsession

alas

John was already gone when Sophia woke up the next morning. She scratched her head in confusion, her memories coming back in jagged pieces. She could still clearly recall how she had ended up sleeping with her ex-husband the night before.

*Wow, am I really this perverted? We just got divorced, and then we… f*ck? I thought this only happened in novels.*

She remembered Googling ways for a divorcee to cope with the pain. She had scoffed at the suggestion of a one-night stand—yet here she was, having done exactly that.

Sophia flung the blanket aside and glanced down at herself. She could vaguely remember how intensely John had taken her last night. The s*x had felt thrilling in a forbidden, almost illicit way.

She dragged herself out of bed and took a long bath. When she finished, her phone rang. It was Zack.

“I’ve booked you a ticket to Tri Asel,” he said.

The destination didn’t really matter to her. “Sure. When’s the flight?”

“Tomorrow morning. You said the sooner the better. How’s that sound?”

Sophia nodded even though he couldn’t see her. “Perfect. Best time slot for me. Send me the exact details, and I’ll head to the airport tomorrow.”

Zack hung up without offering to see her off. A moment later, he texted her the flight information. Sophia sat on the edge of the bed, drying her hair while she read through the message.

After finishing, she set the towel down and sighed. This would be a long trip. By the time she returned, she would probably have moved on from John.

She dressed casually, had a simple meal, then bought a bouquet of flowers and went to visit Old Mr. Constance’s grave. The tomb was grand—his family had spared no expense.

She placed the flowers in front of the tombstone. “Hey, Grandpa. Hope everything’s well up there. There’s something I need to tell you.”

She paused, then continued softly.

“John and I… we got divorced.”

She added quickly, “I don’t blame him, though. He tried, but he just couldn’t fall for me. I know it’s torture to live with someone you don’t love, so this is for the best. He gave me plenty of money—enough to live comfortably for the rest of my life.”

In the photo on the stone, he looked fierce, but in life, Old Mr. Constance had been warm and approachable. He had treated her better than anyone else in the family. Her eyes stung with tears, but she refused to let them fall.

*He won’t rest in peace if he sees me crying.*

She told him she was going on a long trip but promised to come back someday—even if it took decades. She even joked that she would bring him souvenirs. After lingering a while longer, she left.

There wasn’t much to pack. She hadn’t lived in the house long, and she didn’t want to drag heavy luggage on a trip anyway. In the end, she didn’t even fill a small suitcase.

Sophia sat on the bed, debating whether to call John. Eventually, she gave in and dialed his number.

He should be resting at this hour.

The call connected quickly. “Yes? Do you need anything?” His tone was formal, distant.

Sophia had wanted to mention last night, but his cold professionalism killed the impulse. After a short pause, she said, “Nothing much. I just wanted to tell you I’m leaving tomorrow. I might be gone for a long time, so… this is goodbye.”

“I know,” John replied coolly.

Sophia pouted, feeling stung. She opened her mouth to retort when a woman’s voice came through the line—“John?”—soft and questioning.

Shocked, Sophia hung up immediately. A moment later, she stared at her phone, defeated.

*It’s just a woman. Why did I get so nervous? Why did I hang up?*

She thumped the bed in frustration.

The next morning at the airport, Sophia was seated in the departure lounge when a man approached her. It took her a moment to realize he was trying to hit on her. He asked for her number.

This was awkward. She didn’t know how to refuse politely.

Sure, she had wanted a fling—but not like this, and certainly not right now.

Zack had been texting her something, and as she started to reply, she glanced up—and saw John standing just a few meters away.

From the looks of it, he had been there for a while. Watching.

Still, there wasn’t the slightest hint of jealousy on his face.

*He doesn’t care even when someone’s hitting on me?*

A moment later, she turned back to the man with a bright smile and gave him her number. She wasn’t planning to keep using it anyway, so it didn’t matter.

The man quickly saved her contact and called her phone to register his own number. “This is me. Name’s Collum.”

Sophia nodded, smile still in place. “Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.”

Collum didn’t linger. He chatted a bit more before returning to his seat—just one row behind hers.

John eventually returned to his own seat. Sophia scrolled through her phone, pointedly ignoring him. He didn’t ask what had happened and simply went back to reading his documents.

Once settled, Collum began texting her. He told her why he was traveling, how long he would stay in Tri Asel, where he planned to go, and who he would meet. Sophia wasn’t interested, but she replied politely.

Then he asked about her itinerary.

She thought for a moment and told him she was traveling without a fixed plan. If she liked Tri Asel, she might stay longer. If not, she’d leave right away.

Collum tried to convince her to extend her stay, praising the place. She didn’t respond.

He texted again, asking which hotel she was staying at.

Sophia ignored the question and checked Zack’s earlier message instead. The hotel was seaside—ocean view from the window. Nice, but she had no intention of telling Collum.

She replied that a friend would be picking her up at the hotel. Then she set her phone down and glanced at John.

He showed no reaction at all—completely indifferent.

Sophia felt a pang of defeat. Even when they were married, he had never reacted when other men showed interest in her. Now that they were divorced, it was only natural he wouldn’t care. He had never loved her, so none of this affected him.

The realization unsettled her.

She had tried for a whole year to win him over, but John had been impossible to reach. There had never been an opening. If there had been, she might have fought to delay the divorce instead of agreeing so quickly.

Sophia turned to look out the window and sighed. Then she closed her eyes.

They didn’t speak a single word to each other for the rest of the flight.

When the plane landed, passengers began disembarking. Sophia stayed in her seat. She wasn’t in a hurry and didn’t want to join the scramble.

Collum approached again, laptop bag in hand. He ignored the people around her.

“I’ll call you when I have time,” he said loudly. “If we’re nearby, I can treat you to a meal.”

“Sure,” Sophia forced a smile.

John gave a quiet smile of his own and stood up. “Let’s go,” he said to Zack.

Zack shot Sophia a disappointed look before gathering their things and making way for John.

Sophia was the last to leave the plane.

Outside, she found the hotel staff already waiting for her. She got into the car, a splitting headache starting to form. Leaning back, she closed her eyes.

*We can’t even say goodbye properly, huh? Something always has to ruin it.*

They hadn’t started on the right foot. The marriage hadn’t gone well. And now the ending was just as messy.

She had hoped that, despite all the tragedy, they could at least part on somewhat decent terms. That when she remembered John in the future, there would be no lingering regrets.

But alas.