Chapter 3

She stared at the table full of dishes I had specially prepared last night, explaining, "Didn't I tell you Fintan just got back to the States? He broke up with his girlfriend from abroad and isn't feeling great. I went to console him and ended up having a few drinks with him."

Then she pointed at the dining table: "What was yesterday? Why did you make so many delicious dishes?"

"You're so kind-hearted? You went to comfort him and forgot our own wedding anniversary?"

She was stunned for a moment, then laughed:

"It's a good thing I forgot about it. If Fintan had known yesterday was our wedding anniversary, wouldn't that have made him even more upset?"

Hearing this, I became furious and was about to call Fintan right then and there.

But Melody stopped me: "Can't you be less petty? Why can't you be more generous and stop acting like those immature guys all the time?"

I couldn't help but retort: "Melody, you're becoming more and more like your ex-husband."

"Brent! What do you mean? You're always bringing up my ex-husband. Are you still hung up on the fact that I've been married before?"

She clutched her chest and said, "Fine, if you look down on me so much, let's get a divorce. But I've never done anything to betray you. This is all your problem!"Melody started her moral blackmail again, so I had to appease her, saying that wasn't my intention.

In the end, the issue concluded with me backing down.

I bottled up my frustration, never finding the chance to vent it.

Until now, when Melody went on a business trip with Fintan due to work.

The thought of spending the rest of my life watching her ambiguous relationships with others was unbearable.

I'm not even twenty-eight, and my hair is already turning gray from worry.

To hell with good friends or good colleagues, damn them all!

...

Early in the morning, Melody knocked on my bedroom door.

This usually assertive woman, surprisingly, humbled herself before me: "Honey, I was wrong yesterday."

After every argument, she's always the first to mention divorce, then I apologize repeatedly.

It's as if the moment she opens her mouth, I'm automatically the one at fault.

Last night, I lay awake, suddenly realizing what I truly wanted.

"No, President Gevano, I'm the one who's wrong. We shouldn't have been together from the start."

"While we're both still young, there's still time. Let's divorce early, go our separate ways, and not hold each other back."

Hearing this, Melody immediately became anxious.She grabbed me and demanded:

"Brent, I've already apologized to you. What more do you want?"

That's just how she is, even her apologies drip with arrogance.

She's never considered my feelings, always doing whatever she thinks is right.

"I've said it before, I want a divorce."

Melody's grip on my hand tightened: "Brent, you want to divorce me? What about our child?"

"Did you think about our child when Fintan was all over you?"

She froze, her facial muscles twitching, as if finally realizing why I wanted a divorce.

"Brent, you were at the airport yesterday?"

"Yeah, I was planning to surprise you with our son. Instead, I got quite the show. You two make a perfect pair. If I keep hanging on, I'd just be the third wheel, wouldn't I?"

The calmer I appeared, the more frantic Melody became.

Her voice trembled: "Brent, listen to me. Fintan's just been abroad too long. It's their culture's influence. Hugging doesn't mean anything to him. If he tries that again, I'll be the first to object!"

"Don't bother. Even if you slept together, it's none of my business anymore.""Why don't we go to the courthouse today to get in line for a marriage license?"

The man's suggestion came unexpectedly, his voice tinged with both excitement and nervousness.