Chapter 3: The End of a Marriage

*So soon?* Alicia thought to herself. She had believed she could spend a little more time with Charles. Taking a deep breath, she forced down the wave of grief rising inside her, but when she spoke again, her voice still trembled slightly. “Do you really want to go through with the divorce?” “Yes,” Charles replied without hesitation. Alicia dug her nails into her thigh, trying to stay grounded, and finally blurted out what had been on her mind all day. “Is it because Linda’s back? Is that why you want to divorce me?” Charles’ handsome brow furrowed instantly, and with an irritated gesture, he loosened his tie. “I made everything clear five years ago,” he said coldly. Both of them had agreed to the terms back then—everyone knew the conditions. But still… Alicia pinched her thigh harder, trying to shake herself out of her thoughts. “What if… I mean, what if—” Alicia started, but Charles cut her off abruptly. “I’ve already offered you a generous divorce settlement. Don’t expect anything more.” Alicia looked at Charles in disbelief. She hadn’t imagined he would think so little of her. Charles’ cold, indifferent eyes stared back at her without a hint of emotion. “After the divorce, you’ll have a 200-square-meter house in the capital. That’s my compensation for the years we’ve been married. Don’t ask for more.” His words felt like a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe—disgusting and impossible to shake off. Alicia let out a bitter laugh. Five years of her youth, reduced to a single house in the capital, and from the way Charles spoke, it was as if he was doing her a favor. He was pulling out all the stops to pave the way for his “white moonlight” to take her place. So, there was no point in telling him about the child growing inside her. A wave of nausea suddenly surged through Alicia, and she rushed to the bathroom, retching over the sink. But all she could vomit up was bile. Charles, watching this scene, was momentarily shocked. Why did seeing Alicia vomit make him feel nauseous too? What was going on? Alicia lifted her face from the sink, pale and weak, with her lips as white as snow. She looked utterly drained. Charles narrowed his eyes, his gaze probing. “What’s wrong with you? Are you sick? How do you feel right now?” Alicia felt even worse as the urge to vomit continued, but nothing came out. She just wanted to expel whatever was in her stomach and feel some relief. Hearing the unexpected concern in Charles’ voice, her heart clenched. She forced herself to sound casual, suppressing her discomfort. “Maybe it’s just a cold. The season’s changing.” “Tell me the truth!” Charles’ voice rose sharply, echoing in the empty bathroom. Startled, Alicia blurted out words she hadn’t meant to say. “When you and—” Suddenly realizing what she was about to say, Alicia quickly closed her mouth and changed the subject. “This afternoon, I felt dizzy and lightheaded, and it was hard to breathe.” She didn’t mention her hospital visit. If she did, suspicious by nature, Charles would start overthinking things again. Wait! Both of them had felt unwell at the same time. Could it be that they were somehow sharing these symptoms? Had they transmitted something to each other? Alicia splashed some cold water on her face, trying to calm down. She left the bathroom and headed for the kitchen. She needed something acidic to ease the nausea that was gnawing at her stomach. As she passed the living room, she saw the divorce papers on the table but pretended not to notice. She went to the kitchen, grabbed an orange, and began peeling it. The citrus scent filled the room instantly. Without thinking, she offered half of the peeled orange to Charles. “Do you want some?” Charles looked at her in disbelief, sitting back down on the sofa. Alicia suddenly felt awkward, remembering that Charles didn’t like sour fruits. His fruits were always meticulously selected by the servants. “Sorry, I forgot you don’t like these kinds of things,” she said, embarrassed. She placed the orange slices in her mouth, savoring the juicy burst of flavor. The strong citrus aroma lingered in the air, and Charles found himself swallowing involuntarily. For some reason, he suddenly craved the very orange in Alicia’s hand. Just as she was about to eat another slice, Charles stood up and walked over to her. His tall frame loomed over her like a mountain, making Alicia instinctively shrink back. “I was just going to—” Before she could finish, Charles took the orange from her hand. He grabbed a bottle of water and thoroughly washed the remaining orange under the faucet for a full minute. Then, as if handling a precious gem, he inspected the orange before finally popping it into his mouth. Alicia was left speechless. Charles had always lived by the highest standards, and ordinarily, he wouldn’t even glance at an orange he had touched. Yet now, he was slowly chewing on the orange she had peeled. And then, in a serious tone, he added, “Next time, wash the orange more thoroughly before you peel it. Don’t use your dirty hands.” Charles didn’t know why, but after eating that orange slice, the nausea and dizziness he’d been feeling earlier seemed to subside. Something didn’t add up—this wasn’t just a cold like Alicia had said. It felt as if his body was somehow in sync with hers. Whenever Alicia experienced discomfort, he felt it too. Charles began to suspect that Alicia might have done something—perhaps some witchcraft that connected their bodies. He made a mental note to investigate. Meanwhile, Alicia sat there, stunned. “Huh? Oh, okay,” she mumbled. The two of them sat on the sofa, sharing the small orange—one slice for her, one slice for him—until it was gone. Alicia quietly imprinted this scene into her memory. In five years, they had never shared such a peaceful moment together, let alone something as simple as eating an orange. Yet now, as their marriage neared its end, this was the moment she would remember.