Chapter 66

I wish there were more to hold onto, something suggesting all this was wrong. But right now, all I have are Gabriel’s signed divorce papers and the fact that Lily answered his phone.

Ideally, I'd imagine the most optimistic scenario: he was kidnapped by her, an evil, scheming witch. But that's almost impossible. He lied to me, entirely of his own volition. No pressure, no influence. One call from her, and he ran home, leaving me alone in my hometown after days of insisting he wouldn't leave me.

He lied. Every day, he called, claiming he was at work, reviewing files or heading to a meeting. When I asked about this urgent work that forced him to leave, he said it was ongoing and he'd tell me later.

He left every morning and returned every night. Alone, I think. I hope. That doesn't sound like a man being kidnapped and forced to lie to me.

He even lied to Zach to avoid meeting him.

I kept telling myself to breathe and have faith, but things didn't look good.

Luna stayed by my side. I think she feared I'd jump out the window if she left the room, but instead, I climbed into bed, opened my laptop, and searched my husband's name on Google. Most recent articles discussed his upcoming UK expansion, except one.

One tiny article from an obscure news channel reported our marriage was in trouble. I clicked it. There were pictures of Gabriel and Lily at a café, dated yesterday.

I fought back the hollow feeling, the stabbing betrayal, the urge to curl up and cry. I wanted to be held and cry, but the person I wanted to be held by was the reason I needed comfort in the first place.

I hadn't eaten since morning, yet my stomach churned. The nausea was uncontrollable. I ran to the bathroom and threw up, though there wasn't much to vomit.

Luna followed, patting my back before getting me juice and fruit. But the thought of eating made me want to collapse on the bathroom floor and vomit forever.

The picture on my laptop swam in my mind—Gabriel's hand reaching for Lily's across the table, holding it.

There's nothing innocent about lying to your wife to meet your ex and hold her hand in a restaurant. No matter how I looked at it, this wasn't innocent.

Returning to the bed, I sat on the edge and dialed Gabriel. I wanted to bite my nails, but just as I convinced myself he wouldn't answer, he did.

"Hello?" I asked. The silence felt heavy on my chest.

"Hi." It was Gabriel's voice, but it sounded raspy and muffled. Maybe the phone was on speaker. Maybe he'd just woken up next to Lily.

"Gabriel," I gulped. "What's going on? What is all this? Where are you?"

He sighed. Tears filled my eyes. "Gabriel, where are you?"

"Lily."

"Lily, what?" Silence. Tears fell. "Oh." Realization hit. "You're at her house?"

Silence.

"Can you come here?" I pleaded. "Come and tell me it's over, and I'll go."

Silence.

"Gabriel?" My voice was a broken whisper. I sobbed.

No answer. I silently accepted. "Okay. Goodbye, Gabriel."

"Goodbye." His voice was toneless, cold, distant, raspy. I replayed those three words, over and over. Maybe I was overthinking, but he didn't sound like he loved me. He never loved me. He never cared. He sounded like he was going through a formality because he was in love with someone else.

"What what happened?" Luna gasped, entering with the fruit and juice, her hands trembling.

"He doesn't want me, Luna," I sobbed, showing her the disconnected call. "He told me himself."

"Oh no," she mumbled, setting down the food and hugging me. I sobbed quietly, desperate for my grandfather or Gabriel, neither of whom were possible.

It felt like the ground had vanished. I was falling into an abyss, and this time, I knew no one would catch me.

Luna held me, murmuring apologies and curses until one made me chuckle. My tears were finally spent. I vowed not to cry again for at least a year. I'd used up a lifetime's worth of tears in ten days, losing two men I loved and my entire family.

I stood, looking at the divorce papers. With shaking hands, I signed them, leaving them on the bed for him to find.

"I'll miss you, Luna," I said, hugging her.

"Miss me?"

"You don't think I'll stay here after the divorce, do you?"

"No," she said. "I meant, I'm coming with you. Wherever you go."

My jaw dropped. "W-what?"

"If this is true, I don't want to serve Lily. Gabriel can find another girl. You're my lady. I'm coming with you."

"I can't, Luna," I said, holding her hands. "I can't pay you. I don't know where I'm going, and I'll need a job."

"Did I ask for money?" she asked, her hands reassuring mine. "I'll get a job too. And I'll change my number and stop talking to Peter. My loyalty is with you, not my former employer, who was more inconvenient than I expected." Her inability to curse Gabriel made me giggle.

"Luna," my eyes softened. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said, grabbing my suitcase. "Where to?"

I offered a sad smile. "As far away from here as possible."