chapter 4

After I sent Juliet back to her room, I came out and saw Andrew bending down to pick up the slice of watermelon that had fallen on the carpet.

He brushed off the dust casually and popped it into his mouth without a second thought.

Not long after we married, he was diagnosed with diabetes.

For 10 years, I had meticulously planned his meals to manage his blood sugar, cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner myself, making sure he took his medicine, and strictly controlling his diet.

Now, for the sake of this woman's watermelon, he disregarded everything.

All my effort, all my care, had become a shackle in his eyes.

"Stop eating that!" I shouted sharply.

He froze for a moment, then finished the last bite and turned to me with a reassuring smile, trying to soothe the tension. "Alright, alright. She's gone now. Don't be mad. Elise is just naive, she didn't mean anything…"

"Naive?" I cut him off. "Andrew, you'd risk your life just for a bite of her watermelon?

"Have you forgotten? I quit my job to take care of you every day for 10 years!

"Ask yourself honestly. Without me, without my dad giving you that chance, would you even have what you have today?

"Would you even have the right to yell at me? Do you even have the ability to help your naive first love?"

My words hit Andrew's most vulnerable nerve. He tore off the mask he'd worn all day and exploded, pointing at me with pure fury.

"Yes! I'm only successful because of your family! I owe everything to you!

"I'm a damn freeloader! Happy now? I've had enough! Enough of your high-and-mighty attitude! Enough of your control! I can't live like this anymore!

"Divorce!"

A sharp ringtone cut through his shouting.

I grabbed my phone, and the caller ID read "Mom."

"Monica, are you home yet?" Mom's voice was full of concern for Andrew. "He's been busy entertaining people all day and hasn't eaten properly. Make him a few good dishes and apologize…"

I didn't hear another word.

How ridiculous.

My own parents would always put their golden son-in-law first.

My existence as a daughter seemed to be only to care for him.

Ten years of devotion felt like a cruel joke.

My heart felt like a stone, sinking under the weight of it all.

I looked at the man in front of me, his face twisted in rage, yelling for a divorce.

"Fine." My voice was unnervingly calm. "Divorce."