3: 3
3
That night, Clifford didn't come home.
I spent the whole night putting the house back together, piece by piece. When I got to the bathroom, I found more than Regina's tampons in the drawer. Clifford's razor was there too.
On the counter sat two toothbrush cups, the classic pink-and-blue his-and-hers set.
I stared at all of it, and a discomfort crept over me that I couldn't name.
In all the years we dated and were married, he had never once mixed his things in with mine, and he certainly never used matching couple's items with me.
I looked toward the living room. It was as though every corner held traces of a life the two of them had shared.
These past six months, had Regina really been living here alone, or had this been their home together?
The only answer was the rain hammering down outside the window.
I threw everything into a trash bag and put it out.
I disinfected the whole place top to bottom, changed the locks, and only lay down when the sky was starting to lighten.
Early the next morning, I was woken by knocking at the door.
I opened it. It was Clifford.
He was holding a bouquet of flowers and a small cake.
This exact scene had played out years ago.
It left me a little dazed.
Back then, he'd done it to cheer me up.
And now?
He set the flowers and the cake on the table.
"Your favorite bakery. Have a little before you sleep."
I sat down and opened the box.
When I saw the peach pieces on top, I sank back against the chair.
"Clifford, first a peach drink, now a peach cake. Do you not know I'm allergic?"
A flicker of embarrassment crossed his face.
"Sorry... it's been so long since I bought it, I forgot."
"Let me order you delivery."
"No need."
I picked up my laptop and, right in front of him, submitted my rejection of the position-change notice, then sent my resignation letter to his inbox.
"When you have a moment, I'd appreciate it if you'd approve it, Mr. Greer."
His expression darkened.
"Valerie, are you still throwing a fit?"
"If you feel your current position doesn't match your ability, then wait until the spot in Market Management opens up next year."
"But I don't want to wait anymore."
"You're twenty-nine now. In a couple of years we'll be trying for a baby. Do you really think that if you quit now, you'll find a good job out there?"
"Clifford!"
I raised my eyes to him, my voice tight.
"Whether there's a baby is my decision, when I want one. That's not yours to make!"
The year we made it big, I got pregnant by accident.
I waited until the three-month mark, when it was stable, planning to tell him as a surprise.
Instead he held me and told me to get rid of it.
I asked him why, and he said this age was the prime time to push our careers.
Now, after everything it took to get here, he wasn't just tearing down my career. He wanted to shut me up at home.
He froze for a second, his voice going flat.
"If you quit now, your bonus from last quarter at the branch is forfeited. Are you sure you want to resign?"
"I think I've already made myself perfectly clear."
He took out his phone, typed a few lines, and two minutes later the request was approved.
Then he headed for the door.
"Over the next three days, hand off all your project resources and work properly."
"I'd like to see just what you can do once you're out of this company!"
I gave a small hum and didn't look up.
An hour later, the company-wide group chat shared a link to the roadshow livestream.
The camera happened to pan across Clifford's seat. His eyes were on Regina as she spoke on stage, and they were full of softness.
My feed refreshed. Regina had posted. She stood beside the finance mogul, her smile sweet, every strand of her hair catching the light.
【Everything went perfectly! Who knew a workday could mean meeting your idol and getting great photos too! Thank you, Mr. Greer, for your incredible photography skills!】
My heart skipped a beat.
For eight years, one of the things Clifford hated most was taking pictures.
The first time we went out together, I wore a dress I'd saved up a long time to buy, and I coaxed and begged him forever before he agreed to take my photo.
Every single shot came out with me blending into the scenery. When I posted them, people thought it was one of those spot-the-difference games.
After that, I always believed he just couldn't take pictures.
I'd rather use a tripod for a selfie than ask him.
But now, he'd made someone else look so lively and charming.
A line suddenly came back to me.
A camera carries feeling. Someone who loves you will make you look beautiful.
I opened the legal services site and added the most reputable divorce lawyer I could find.
