Even Sophia Merrick, my mother-in-law, called to check on me.
"Bella, that boy is blind. Don't be upset. Arthur doesn't deserve you."
"It’s because we weren’t right for each other," I replied, my voice flat, wanting nothing more than to end the conversation.
Sophia had always been kind to me, but that kindness was rooted in the fact that I was her son's wife. I knew my place, and I wouldn’t stoop to insulting Arthur just to please her.
"Then… will you still come by for your massages every month?" Sophia asked tentatively.
She suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, and during the rainy season, the pain could keep her awake all night.
I came from a family of doctors, and I had learned some massage techniques from my grandfather. I could help ease her pain. But maybe, feeling a bit guilty herself, Sophia quickly added, "I can pay you, even three times the normal price, if you want."
I sighed softly, my tone distant. "Aunt Sophia, I'm not a professional masseuse. With that money, you could hire someone far better."
"No, I can't bear to part with you," Sophia said, her voice trembling slightly.
"You've been more considerate than my own son. These years, it's been you taking care of me. You’re almost like a daughter to me…"
I felt my eyes well up.
I’d never known my mother. Here, with Sophia, I could feel what it might have been like. But it was time to let go. False affection was still false. Dreams, no matter how beautiful, eventually end. And now, my dream had ended.
I didn’t like lingering with my ex-husband’s family. If I was going to cut ties, I would do so completely.
A week later, Arthur showed up at the hospital.
He was fuming, his face red with anger.
"Aren’t you a doctor? Aren’t you supposed to save lives? Why are you refusing to treat my mother?"
The hospital was packed. Several patients had already started glancing our way. A nurse quietly asked if I wanted her to call security.
I smiled faintly and set my pen down.
"If Aunt Sophia came to the hospital for treatment, of course, I wouldn’t turn her away," I said calmly. "But if you're asking me to go back to how things were before, then I’m sorry, I can’t do that."
I met Arthur’s gaze directly. "I’m not obligated to provide home service."
Just then, Clara arrived, wearing that look—the one that told me she’d finally figured me out.
"But I heard that Sophia treated you so well. You can’t just take it out on her because of the divorce," Clara said, her tone accusing.
"And Arthur and I didn’t betray you. We got together after your divorce," she added, almost smugly.
Yes. After Arthur and I divorced, he and Clara seamlessly stepped into a relationship. On the day of the divorce, they made their romance public. It was as though they wanted to announce to the world that they were perfect for each other.
And I… I found myself crying one night, torn apart with emotions. I opened Instagram over and over, looking at their posts. They traveled together, attended national tours… doing all the romantic things I had once dreamed of doing with Arthur.
In their pictures, Arthur would make silly faces with Clara. But when it was me, he would call me childish.
Our mutual friends, who had initially criticized Arthur for being irresponsible in our marriage, gradually started urging me to let go. They said I should accept that Arthur was chasing his true love.
"Whether or not he wronged me isn't for you to decide," I said, my voice as cold as ice as I closed the medical file.
"And when you two started your relationship, does it even matter?" I added, locking eyes with Arthur.
"During our marriage, you two were already spending time together, seamlessly transitioning… and you still think you have a clear conscience?"
The room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop.
Arthur looked at me, stunned, clearly not expecting me to strike back with such sharp words.
