“Apollo just needs time to think it through. You all go ahead. I’ll talk to him properly, don’t worry about me.”
My father-in-law’s face showed a mix of frustration and pain for his daughter.
He looked like he wanted to say more, but when his eyes met Kaia’s tear-streaked face, he couldn’t bring himself to speak another word of blame.
He turned his head to me. “Apollo, I’m telling you, think this over carefully!”
“You’re an orphan with no parents. If you divorce my daughter, I’d like to see how you plan to live after that!”
With that, my father-in-law and mother-in-law left along with the rest of the relatives, not bothering to look back at me once.
Silence settled over the living room again.
I glanced at Kaia one last time, then turned and walked upstairs into the master bedroom.
The moment I entered, I locked the door and called my cousin, who was a lawyer.
“Cousin, how’s the matter I asked you to investigate coming along?”
After listening to her update, I finally felt a weight lift from my chest.
“Good. There might be a court hearing in a few days. I’ll need your help.”
When I returned home late from work the next evening, the sight that met my eyes left me frozen in place.
The dining table was set with neatly arranged dishes, and candles flickered softly on either side.
Kaia was seated at the table, wearing a revealing nightgown.
As soon as she saw me walk in, her face lit up.
“Honey, come sit down. Look what I made for you.”
When I didn’t move, Kaia stood, took my hand, and guided me toward the table.
“I couldn’t sleep at all last night. I’ve been thinking. These past two months, I’m not the only one who’s been in pain; you have too.”
“I’ve been trapped in my own sadness and never considered how you felt. I won’t do that anymore. Let’s start a new life together.”
“Honey, let’s stop fighting, alright?”
While she spoke, she leaned forward slightly.
After two years of marriage, I knew exactly what that gesture meant.
Ever since what happened two months ago, Kaia had refused my touch.
Forget physical closeness; even when I merely approached her, she would scream in fear.
It seemed she thought I wanted a divorce because she wouldn’t let me touch her, so she had staged this entire performance tonight.
Damn, she really underestimated me.
Pulling my hand free, I switched on the living room lights.
“Kaia, stop wasting your effort.”
“I already told you, no matter what happens, this marriage is finished.”
Kaia froze, looking as though she couldn’t believe that after everything, I still refused.
Before she could respond, two figures suddenly stepped out from the guest bedroom.
My father-in-law and mother-in-law stood before me, their faces twisted in fury.
My father-in-law jabbed a finger toward my face, but his words were directed at Kaia instead.
“How did I raise such a useless daughter?”
“How could you fall for a man like this? Look at yourself, you’ve gone through all this, and he still insists on divorcing you. He’s disgracing you!”
My mother-in-law’s expression was a mix of anger and pity as she pulled Kaia behind her protectively.
“I’ve lived long enough to see through this kind of thing. He must be cheating!”
“Who divorces over something like that these days? And if he really wanted a divorce, why didn’t he do it two months ago? Why now?”
“Apollo, I’m asking you, are you seeing another woman?”
Kaia’s face froze in disbelief; her tears stopped.
