A Lonely Boat Sinks Me Into Ashes Chapter 2

I used to be cheerful, optimistic, the life of the party for my family and friends. How had I become this person?

Honestly, the first time I caught her cheating, I thought about divorce. She was the one who, back then, had spent an entire month begging me, swearing countless times that she’d never make the same mistake again. Yet, later, she was also the one who would look at me with a cold face when I lost my temper, asking if I was done throwing a tantrum.

During one of my worst breakdowns, I smashed almost everything in the house. I pointed at her, my voice raw and hoarse, shouting:

“Do you think I only forgave you that one time?!”

“No, it’s every sleepless night, every time the memory resurfaces, I forgive you again.”

“Why is it that you’re the one who made the mistake, but I’m the one who suffers?!”

I hadn’t shattered the glass, but every day, I felt like I was walking over it.

Tonight was our eighth wedding anniversary. Everything had started so well. Evelyn, uncharacteristically, had drunk a lot. With every sip, she’d whisper “I love you.” After a hundred repetitions of these sweet words, both our faces were flushed, as if we were back in the throes of first love. I even silently thought, maybe, just maybe, I should truly forgive her. Pretend nothing ever happened.

But only moments ago, a stark realization hit me: how utterly foolish I had been. Her emotional display wasn't born of love for me. It was grief over another man’s departure.

And just like that, I felt no regrets. I pulled out the divorce papers, already prepared in my bedside table, and handed them to her.

“Evelyn Lee, I’m letting you go.”

But she sprang up from the bed, startled. “Ethan Pierson, are you trying to drive me to my death?!”

“Steve Pierson is leaving for Toronto soon. We’ll never have a chance to meet again after this.”

“I just want to see him off, as his professor. Is that really so wrong?!”

Her phone rang, a sudden, jarring sound. Her voice, as she answered, was incredibly gentle. “Yes, wait for me. I’ll be there in half an hour.”

Before she left, Evelyn threw the divorce papers into the trash.

“Everything can wait until I get back.”

“But divorce? Don’t even think about it.”

The door slammed shut with a bang.

In the room, only my quiet sobs remained.

I had checked. There were no flights to Toronto tonight.

Sure enough, a short while later, Steve sent me a picture. Evelyn, naked, was nestled securely in his arms, sleeping peacefully.

“Professor Lee says she can only sleep soundly when she’s with me now.”

“Do you really think she’s not divorcing you because she still loves you? She just doesn’t want to jeopardize her promotion to associate dean next week.”

I looked at the crumpled divorce papers in the trash, the ones that had proposed splitting our assets evenly.

I suddenly smiled.

She was the one who betrayed me. The one who should pay the price.