Our Wedding: I Divorced Him for His Son

Chapter 2

The words drifting from behind me made my fingertips tremble uncontrollably. The tears I'd been holding back for so long finally spilled over.

Julian was right. Back then, whenever we'd fought for more than an hour, I was always the one who caved first and went back to make peace.

I'd thought that would make him realize how much I valued our relationship. But looking back now, I realized all that devotion had only looked like weakness to him. He'd taken advantage of me without the slightest remorse.

He'd been so sure I'd eventually give in and make the first move, just like I always had.

I spent the next three days in a hotel.

Julian never sent me a single text or made a single call.

I let out a bitter laugh. Of course he didn't. He was busy living his perfect little dream with his "family of three." Why would he waste his time on me?

Just then, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out and saw my best friend's name flashing across the screen.

The moment I answered, her bright, chattering voice filled my ear.

"Babe! I saw your husband's post! Happy honeymoon! Wait, though, who's that kid he's holding hands with?"

My heart lurched, and my stomach dropped.

I didn't have the energy to explain anything. I simply hung up.

I opened Julian's post.

There was only one photo, a picture of the three of them from behind.

Anyone who saw it would have thought they were a perfectly happy family.

Tears fell onto my phone screen.

I wiped my cheeks, took a long, steadying breath, and called the hotel front desk.

"Hi, I'd like to cancel my reservation. The last name is Ellison."

The hotel canceled it right away.

I went home, took a quick shower, then collapsed into bed and slept until noon the next day.

I only woke when my phone started ringing beside my head.

Still half-asleep, I reached for it and answered.

It was Julian.

"Nora, the hotel said the reservation was canceled. Did you do that?"

I slowly pushed myself upright. After lying down for so long, my vision went black for a moment when I sat up.

"Yeah. I paid for that hotel myself. I had every right to cancel it."

Julian let out a deep, frustrated sigh on the other end.

"Nora, I know you're still mad, but we're married now. You can't keep thinking only about yourself. You need to consider my side, too. If you cancel it now, where are we supposed to..."

I cut him off, my voice icy.

"Julian, what about you? When you were lying to me, did you ever stop to think about how I'd feel? Or did you ever feel even a shred of guilt for what you did to me?"

Julian's voice rose, sharp with unmistakable anger.

"When did I ever lie to you? I told you about Claire and the kid! I even promised they wouldn't get in the way of our relationship. Nora, I know you're upset, but there's a line, okay? You just canceled the hotel. Where are we supposed to stay?"

His words left me utterly drained. I gritted my teeth and forced out the words.

"Julian, I paid for that hotel room myself. If you need somewhere to stay, book it yourself."

With that, I ended the call.

I gripped my phone tightly and stared at the call log.

3 minutes. 3 pathetic minutes. That was all it took to put the final nail in the coffin of my 8-year relationship with Julian.

Those 8 years were no longer some precious memory.

They were nothing more than a small, distant fragment of my past.

I scrolled through my call history and dialed another number.

"Hey, Ryan. That offer you made last night to be my lover, does it still stand?"

"It does."

Something sharp pricked at my chest when I heard his answer, but the pain faded just as quickly, leaving behind nothing but a cold calm.

"Just kidding. But I need you to draw up a divorce agreement for me. The sooner, the better."