Chapter 4
At the break of dawn, Jennifer got out of bed with swollen, red eyes.
Alexander’s outstretched arms embraced empty air. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Jennifer.
“Still mad about yesterday?”
He moved close to her, and a ray of sunlight from the window fell on Jennifer’s face.
“No.”
She got up from the bed and started folding the clothes left unfolded last night.
Seeing she didn’t even look up at him, Alexander got angry. He grabbed her wrist as she folded, “Jennifer.”
His voice turned cold. “I didn’t want to argue in front of the child yesterday. Don’t act like a three–year–old who won’t listen.”
She twitched her lips and kept busy with her work.
Just then, Alexander’s phone alarm went off.
“Daddy, please don’t forget to pick Mommy up today.”
Jennifer’s eyelashes fluttered as she held back her tears.
“Edward took my phone yesterday. I don’t know when he set it.
With that, Alexander got up to wash up.
Chapter 4
Η
Jennifer felt her hands go numb. She unfolded the clothes she had folded
and refolded them.
Soon, Alexander stood before her, dressed.
A white shirt, black leather jacket, and a pair of faded jeans from his usual business style.
He had never dressed like that around her before.
“Do I look good like this?”
He turned and asked her.
–
a departure
Seeing her still bent over folding clothes, Alexander angrily threw all the clothes from the wardrobe onto the bed.
“You’d better keep pretending like this forever. Never speak again.”
He slammed the door and left.
Only when the sound faded completely did Jennifer slowly raise her eyes.
Now, everything about Alexander had nothing to do with her, and she didn’t want to care.
Once the divorce cooling–off period ended, there would be no ties between them.
Nicole had just arrived home and started rearranging the living room furniture to her taste.
She had bought a pink–and–white coffee table and placed it in the center of the room.
Seeing Alexander approach, she took his arm and asked, “Alexander,
what do you think of this coffee table set?”
Without hesitation, Alexander gazed at her tenderly and chuckled, “Whatever you say.”
Edward came clattering down the stairs. Pointing at Jennifer, he said, “Mommy, change my throw pillow too. The one Auntie bought is so ugly.”
Nicole affectionately patted his head. “Mommy bought you new sheets and pillowcases too.”
Jennifer stood at the corner of the stairs, her fingers tightening slightly then relaxing.
Just as she snapped back to attention, Edward came down with the throw pillow Jennifer had bought, looked at it with disgust, and threw it in the trash.
Her expression froze, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.
Jennifer’s mother came from the kitchen, passed the dining room, and after respectfully greeting Nicole, she pulled Jennifer into a small room.
She locked the door behind them.
“Jennifer, what are you doing?
How can you not even keep a man?
Now you’ve let some other vixen get close to him and move in. Have you thought about how we’re going to live?”
Jennifer leaned against the door. Now she felt more like an outsider in this house.
!
Chapter
“Once the divorce cooling–off period is over, we’ll move out.”
Jennifer’s mother’s face fell instantly, slapping Jennifer across the cheek.
“You dare get divorced?
I’m not going anywhere else.”
She twisted the doorknob and stormed out. Jennifer stood rooted to the spot, letting the ache in her chest consume her.
In this house, there was nothing left worth clinging to.
