He Chased Her Abroad , I Chose My Country

One month before we were supposed to go home, my husband quietly changed our immigration paperwork.

His friend tried to talk him out of it.

"Just because Vivian Blake is in Valkenheim, you secretly switched the destination? Your wife has her heart set on going home. She already got her acceptance letter from the National Aerospace Institute. You think she'll agree to this?"

"The whole reason you two chose to study in America was so you could go back and contribute someday, wasn't it?"

My husband shook his head slowly.

"Virginia Lyons loves me. Once she finds out I changed the paperwork, she'll come with me to Valkenheim."

"Vivian's all alone out there. Our country has plenty of people, but Vivian only has me."

I stood there, heart heavy, and turned away without a word.

If he chose to chase love, then I would choose to chase my dream.

A month later, when the plane touched down, he called me in a rush.

"Virginia, are you overseas yet?"

I looked at the red banners fluttering before me, and my chest swelled with something fierce.

"I've been here for a while now."

……

I had stopped outside the lab door.

Derek Thornton's voice carried through again.

"Robert, if you've really gone through with the switch, then at least tell Virginia to her face. What if she genuinely doesn't know..."

Robert Weiss shook his head.

"She's been talking about going home for years. It's the thing she cares about most. There's no way she doesn't know I changed it."

"And if I told her in person, you know her. She'd make a scene. Why bother?"

Derek frowned.

"You know she'll be furious, and you still went behind her back?"

Robert let out a sigh.

"I didn't have a choice. Vivian's alone and she's sick. I can't just abandon her."

The corner of his mouth tugged into a smile, steady with certainty.

"Virginia gave up Cambridge for me once. Asking her to give up one more thing? She'll fall in line. She always does."

His words floated out so lightly.

As if everything I'd sacrificed was simply owed to him.

Derek's voice carried a note of suspicion.

"Don't tell me you're still hung up on Vivian Blake."

Robert paused. He didn't answer right away.

A long moment passed before he finally spoke.

"When it comes to her, I have no resistance."

"And Virginia? What is she to you?"

I wanted to ask that too.

Robert exhaled, long and slow.

"She's the most suitable wife."

Suitable.

Not the love of his life.

He didn't spell it out, but everyone listening understood.

Derek's brow furrowed deep.

"Robert, you can't have it both ways. Keep this up, and you'll end up with nothing."

Robert flashed a confident grin.

"Derek, you don't get it."

"A man's got to be a little greedy. Otherwise, what's the point?"

He lit a cigarette, entirely pleased with himself.

"Virginia's always been sensible. She only cares about her research. Jealousy, possessiveness, none of that's in her nature."

"Vivian's different. She's soft. She leans on me, needs me. With her, I finally understand what passion feels like."

A smug smile crept across his face.

"A man has different needs. That's just how it is."

"And your duty to your country? No regrets?"

Robert's expression tightened.

"If I can't even protect one woman, what business do I have protecting a country?"

"Everyone has regrets in life. But Vivian is the one regret I refuse to carry."

Derek shook his head and said nothing more.

I'd heard enough. I turned and walked home in silence.

I thought about the first time I met Robert Weiss, at an academic conference in Boston.

He was on stage giving a presentation. The last slide of his deck read:

"I hope that one day, I can bring my research back to America."

Back then, there was light in his eyes.