Chapter 5

By the time Selena got home, it was already the wee hours. I sat on the couch, waiting for her, but she didn't notice me. Instead, she tip-toed her way in as if afraid to wake me up. When she turned around, we locked eyes. Initially stunned, she quickly resumed her normal walking posture and approached me coquettishly. "Why didn't you tell me you've been discharged, Hud? I went to the hospital for nothing." Hanging my head low, I pursed my somewhat chapped lips. "I forgot. Sorry." She seemed to have missed my strange emotions and continued tenderly, "Why aren't you asleep yet at this hour? Were you waiting for me? Gosh, Hudson, you should look after yourself sometimes." She grabbed my hand and realized it was cold. "Why are your hands so cold? You should've turned on the heater. What if you get sick again? Also, did you clean around the house? Why does it look so empty?" My mind was surprisingly calm at that moment. I had figured everything out. Indeed, Selena loved me, which was unquestionable. At the same time, she couldn't let go of Zion. Both statements were equally irrefutable. With that said, it was that exact reason that I couldn't take this. I couldn't accept someone who loved me while at the same time flirting with another man. I suppressed the bitterness I felt in my heart and looked up at her, interrupting, "I know, Selena. About you and Zion." The light was dim, yet it was enough for me to glimpse Selena's ashen face. She pretended to be clueless, but her trembling voice and pale complexion betrayed her. "What are you talking about, Hud?" My lips curled into a wry smile. "Are you still gonna keep pretending, Selena? What'd be the point?" She shrunk underneath my arms and spoke with a shaky voice. "Hear me out, Hud—" I didn't push her away and simply interrupted her coldly, "What can you even say? That you missed our anniversary because you were busy attending a concert with him? Or that you went on a movie date with him not long ago? Or was it about how you wore a wedding dress for him?" The more I spoke, the more pale she became. In the end, she pulled her head out of my arms, gripping my hand, her face pale as she shook her head at me. "Enough, Hud…" I disregarded her and continued, "I honestly wondered if you ever thought of me while you were with him. You could've just told me that you got sick of me, and we could end this amicably. After all the years we spent together, you chose to lie to me until the end. "I can't believe you actually had the heart to do that…" My interrogative words prompted her to weep endlessly. She struggled to find her words, with nothing coming out of her mouth. I gazed at her, calm yet resolute. "Selena, let's get a divorce." I finally said it, and it wasn't as difficult as I thought. She was frozen in place, muttering, "Divorce?" "No, I'm not getting a divorce with you!" She shot up, screaming with a rather hoarse voice and contorted expression. "I won't agree to the divorce, Hud. I was wrong; I'm sorry. I admit I had a thing with Zion, but it was never serious. "I swear I was never serious with him. You know I love you and only you." Selena would always look as pitiful as she did now whenever she made a mistake. Without a miss, I would always concede to her. But not this time. I stared resolutely at her. "We should just end it, Selena." While saying that, I stood up and took out the filled-in divorce agreement, wedding ring, and letter for her. "Remember to fill this up. I'll be back to collect it. Also, I'm returning these to their owner." I turned around, ready to leave, yet she charged over and hugged me from behind. "No, Hudson! You cannot leave! I won't agree to the divorce… Can't you just forgive me once? I'll delete all of Zion's contacts and never see him again, okay?" I pried away her hands and turned around to face her. "Sometimes, there's no going back once you take the wrong step. You know me; I never second-guess my decisions." If someone asked me, "Is this what you want?" I would've answered no. But that was life, wasn't it? No matter how reluctant I was, some things were meant to be given up. … I finally took a step out of the door. For some reason, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. I came to the cottage that Selena and I resided in before we got married. Although it wasn't as spacious as my old home, it had everything I needed. After resting for a day, I resumed work at the company. At the office, I was welcomed by a large bouquet of gardenias sitting on my desk, which took up half the space. Gardenias used to be my favorite flower. The bouquet also came with a card that read, "It's a new day. I hope it's a good one for you, Hud." Although there was no signature, I knew who had sent it. After all, my love for gardenias wasn't something that strangers would know. But Selena… She had never understood why I adored them. When I first met her a long time ago, she was holding a mini bouquet of gardenias. The way she smiled was complemented by the beauty of the flowers, and it became one of the fondest and most beautiful memories I have of her. Now, the sight of the gardenias felt like a slap in the face. The following days, I received the same bouquet of gardenias on my desk. I knew she wouldn't agree to the divorce so easily. One day, one of my employees couldn't resist his gossiping urge and came to me, asking, "Mr. Davenport, are these from Ms. Norman?" I left his question unanswered, which everyone else took as a tacit agreement. "Oh, Mr. Davenport, I envy you and Ms. Norman's love. When will I find someone as gentle and capable as her?" "I know, right? They've been married for many years, but their relationship is going strong." I used to be ecstatic when hearing compliments like this, but now… never mind. I grabbed the gardenias and tossed them into the trash can in front of my employees. Under their puzzled and astonished gazes, I announced, "Do not say things like that in the future. Selena and I are divorced." With that, the atmosphere plunged into silence… until a clattering sound pierced the tense air. When I turned around, I found myself facing Selena's gaze. She stood at the entrance with her eyes reddened, but she didn't say a word as if silently admitting it was the truth. In stark contrast to her low mood, Zion radiated quiet delight and smugness behind her. He probably thought he had a chance now that Selena and I were getting a divorce. But whatever the case, it had nothing to do with me.