But anger wasn’t among them. Anger would imply that a bit of coaxing from him could make everything right again, that there was still hope for their marriage. But she had no such hope left. Five years had been more than enough. ” I swear, nothing is going on between Catherine and me. We’re just classmates and friends. She came back from abroad, and the group got together to welcome her and catch up, ” he said, reverting to his customary patience and gentleness. ” The misunderstanding at the mall today was purely accidental. Please, believe me.” Met with her silence, he continued, ” We were supposed to have dinner with your parents, but we couldn’t make it. Shall we reschedule for another day? ” She shook her head, not interested in visiting her family at all. Her parents and her brother would only keep telling her how incredibly fortunate she was, as a cripple, to have married someone like Vance. ” You don’t want to go? It’s been over a month since we visited your parents. Don’t you miss them? ” he said, his voice even more coaxing. She looked into his eyes, seeing no genuine passion behind the tenderness.
That gentleness was like a pre – programmed routine embedded in him, activating automatically whenever the situation called for it. ” Vance, ” she sighed, ” aren’t you tired? ” He was taken aback, seemingly not understanding what she meant. She smiled bitterly. ” You have someone else in your heart, yet you still force yourself to show concern for me every day, asking after my well – being. Aren’t you exhausted from it all? “
Vance’s pupils shook. ” I don’t…”
“Stop deceiving yourself, ” Rebecca interrupted. ” Some things, once brought into the open, don’t look so pretty, and it won’t do either of us any favors in terms of face. Divorce really would be better for both of us. Catherine fits your ideal image of Mrs. Bradford far more than I do.”
“Rebecca! ” Vance cut her off. ” Are you still fixated on her? I’ve explained this countless times already.”
“The one who can’t move past Catherine isn’t me, ” she said, holding his gaze steadily. ” It’s you. ” He was stunned once more.” Rebecca…”
“We both know the truth, don’t we? ” She tried to keep her tone calm and measured, making it clear she was approaching this as a serious discussion rather than an emotional outburst. ” It’s time to put a period at the end of our five years. Let’s part ways with dignity and let the grievances of the past fade away. ” Vance stared at her for a long moment before finally standing up. ” You’re overthinking things. In time, you’ll see that Catherine’s return won’t change anything. It’s late now. Get some rest.”
“I know you feel guilty toward me, but you don’t have to anymore, ” she said. ” I truly don’t need a marriage built on guilt. Let me go, and free yourself too. Wouldn’t that be… ” Before she could finish, he shrugged off his jacket and headed straight to the bathroom. She looked at the jacket he had tossed onto the small sofa. In the past, she would have picked it up, hung it neatly, fetched his pajamas, and placed them just outside the bathroom door. Not this time.
For the past five years, she had always thought that since her legs weren’t fully functional and she didn’t work outside the home, she couldn’t contribute meaningfully to the household in terms of income or growth. Vance had arranged everything at home so perfectly that she felt like a mere ornament, placed there for display but serving no real purpose. Unable to help in other ways, she had at least tried to care for him to the best of her ability. What she might have overlooked was that perhaps he didn’t need her small, insignificant acts of care.
Maybe what he really wanted was a wife who could present well in public – someone who could stand by his side at events or accompany him when dealing with clients. She just couldn’t understand why he was still clinging to this loveless marriage. When Vance emerged from the bathroom, he went straight to bed without a word, clearly signaling his refusal to continue the conversation.
Rebecca didn’t bring it up again. Every attempt at communication drained her mentally and emotionally anyway.
She had better use that time to think about her own future, working hard toward the direction she truly desired. Once she could leave, whether they were divorced or not wouldn’t matter much. Lying in bed, she nurtured all kinds of thoughts, not about Vance or Catherine, but about her upcoming schedule. In a month, she would join Lauren’s troupe for the European tour, and by the time that wrapped up, it would be nearly time for school to start. She glanced at the man beside her. Vance was already sound asleep.
In the dim, gray light, she could only make out a vague outline of his profile. The distance between them on the bed, wide enough for three people, felt impossibly vast. She no longer blamed him, even wishing him a happy life without her. The one thing she felt truly grateful for now was that they had never consummated their marriage, and they had no children. If they had, navigating this separation would have been exponentially more difficult.
She never could have imagined that the very thing which had once obsessed her thoughts and broken her heart would turn out to be a fortunate circumstance. She slept well that night, better than she had in ages. She didn’t even wake up naturally the next morning. It was the sensation of someone moving nearby that roused her. Opening her eyes, she saw Vance somehow sitting on her side of the bed.
“Did I wake you? ” Vance muttered, sitting on the bed’s edge, looking at her against the backlight. For a moment, Rebecca was disoriented. He stood up, adding, ” Not getting up to prepare my clothes? ” She rolled over. ” Find them yourself. I’m still sleepy.”
“It’s been two days now – two days without you picking out my outfit. Mrs. Bradford, you’re neglecting your duties,” he whined. She sat up and saw that he was already fully dressed, standing neatly by the bed. ” You… ” She suddenly lost her tongue. Vance adjusted his tie. ” Alright, no more sulking.
I’ll come home early tonight, so you won’t have to wait. ” He might not realize it, but she no longer waited for him like she used to. ” Say something, ” he pressed when she didn’t respond. ” Okay, ” she replied indifferently. ” That’s better. ” Satisfied at last, he added, ” We’ll have guests over for dinner tonight. Cheer up, and don’t ruin the mood, okay? ” So, that was what this was about. The reason he was so insistent on coaxing her back to a good mood was to avoid losing face in front of guests. ” Who is coming for dinner? ” she asked, puzzled.
In their five years of marriage, they had never hosted anyone at home. ” You’ll find out this evening, ” he said mysteriously. ” It’s a surprise for you.” She couldn’t imagine what kind of surprise he could have in store. Remembering his mention the night before about not making it to dinner with her parents, she wondered if he had invited them over instead. She didn’t press further, hoping only that Vance would leave soon, followed by Nancy. The luxury dealer was due to arrive shortly. At ten o’clock sharp, Nancy headed out as usual.
Ten minutes later, the dealer called, and Rebecca invited her upstairs. The dealer was a stylish young woman named Vivian Wright. Professional and efficient, she quickly inspected the items and transferred the payment. ” If it weren’t for the purchase receipts and records you have for all these, I really wouldn’t dare take them, she muttered. Rebecca understood what she meant. It wasn’t about doubting authenticity, but who in their right mind would buy ten identical watches? Anyone dealing in second – hand goods would suspect they were stolen. ” All set.
If you have anything else to sell next time – bags, jewelry, whatever – just contact me, ” Vivian said, packing the watches into a large bag. ” Sure, thank you,” Rebecca replied, watching the transfer notification pop up on her phone. No matter the circumstances, having money in hand always brought a sense of security. Vance had given her so many things over the years, and turning them into cash at least realized their value. After seeing Vivian out, she switched on her phone and deleted the bank notification. Her account now held a substantial balance.
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