Chapter 2

"Nathan takes such good care of me at work," Sierra chirped, falling into step beside him. "Since he was coming to see his mom today, I figured I’d drop by and pay my respects too."

"Right," I answered flatly, showing no emotion.

Sierra leaned in closer, offering an apologetic pout.

"Chloe, Nathan mentioned you two had a fight yesterday?"

"Because he missed your anniversary dinner? Honestly, it’s all my fault. Nathan wanted to rush straight home the moment the bomb threat was cleared. But I was so wound up, I dragged him shopping and made him watch the fireworks with me. That’s why he was late."

She blinked wide, innocent eyes at me. There was no real remorse there—only a bright, triumphant smirk.

"I’m so, so sorry, Chloe. Please don't be mad at him, okay?"

I turned my head, looking her dead in the eye.

"We didn't have a fight. We're getting a divorce."

Ding.

The elevator doors slid open at that exact moment.

I walked out without another glance and knocked on Evelyn’s door.

The door opened. Evelyn's face lit up when she saw me and Nathan, but the second her eyes shifted to Sierra standing right behind him, her smile vanished.

"Come on in," she said, her voice dropping.

The living room wasn't particularly large.

Sierra slipped in right after Nathan, sitting down so close to him on the main sofa that their shoulders touched.

There was no room left, so I quietly moved to the armchair across from them.

After a few polite pleasantries, I set down my cup and spoke up:

"Evelyn, there’s something I need to tell you. Nathan and I—"

"Chloe!"

Nathan cut me off with a sharp snap.

Before I could react, his fingers clamped around my wrist, hauling me out onto the balcony and sliding the glass door shut behind us.

"Do you seriously have to push this to a point of no return?" he hissed, his eyes blazing with irritation.

"I told you I’m trying to make it up to you!"

He paced like a caged animal.

"When our families set us up, I warned you my job was high-risk and demanding. I told you I wouldn't always be there to hold your hand. You handled it just fine for five years! I even agreed to reschedule our anniversary date. Why the hell are you insisting on a divorce now?"

I twisted my wrist free from his grip and looked at him calmly.

"Because I'm done enduring it."

"When you did that live interview yesterday, you thanked everyone. First Sierra, then your mother, then your mentors, your team... not a single word about me. You claim your work leaves you no free time, yet you have hours to shop and watch fireworks with Sierra. You just never have time to come home and eat a meal with your wife."

Nathan stared at me in complete disbelief. Without missing a beat, he asked:

"Isn't that just what being a stay-at-home wife is?"

I froze. A sudden, deep chill settled around my heart.

It hurt. It hurt so much I could barely breathe.

Tears welled up in my eyes, spilling over my lashes as I whispered:

"A stay-at-home wife, maybe. But that is not a partner."

Nathan didn't understand. He just looked at my tear-streaked face with profound annoyance, baffled as to why a simple logical conversation had made me cry.

Before he could speak, the glass door slid open, and Sierra burst onto the balcony.

Without a word of warning, she dropped straight to her knees in front of me, grabbing the hem of my pants in tears.

"I knew it... you still blame me, Chloe. You can't forgive me!"

"It's all my fault! I'll put in my two weeks' notice tomorrow. I’ll quit, I’ll transfer out of the department, I’ll stay far away from Nathan—"

In an instant, Nathan’s attention was completely stolen away.

He didn't see my tears anymore.

Panic washed over his face as he scrambled to pull Sierra up from the cold floor.

"Sierra, get up right now! This has nothing to do with you!"

"Quit? Are you out of your mind? If you leave, what am I supposed to do? The squad can't function without you!"

His words hung heavy in the air.

It didn't sound like the squad couldn't survive without Sierra. It sounded like Nathan couldn't.

Sierra looked up at him through teary lashes, wrapping her arms around his waist and collapsing softly against his chest.

Bold. Shameless. Victorious.

I couldn't stomach another second of it. I turned, gave a brief, quiet goodbye to Evelyn inside, and walked out the door.

Behind me, Nathan’s voice barked out:

"Chloe!"

But his voice quickly dropped, softening back into gentle murmurs as he consoled Sierra.

He didn't run after me.

He never did.

At seven that evening, my phone vibrated with a text from Nathan:

[I'm sorry.]

I let out a long, hollow breath and didn't reply.

Five years of quiet neglect and heartbreak couldn't be erased by three miserable letters on a screen.

I left my phone on the counter and stepped into the shower.

When I came out, wrapped in a towel, another notification lit up my screen:

[I agree to the divorce. Tomorrow morning at ten. Meet me outside City Hall.]