Chapter 4

After that weekend, Benjamin seemed to realize I was being unusually cold.

For the next few days, he came home strictly on time for dinner and brought me expensive gifts.

On Wednesday night, as we lay in bed, Benjamin wrapped his arms around me from behind.

“Babe, I have a three-day business trip this weekend. It’s a major project, very important.”

I nodded slowly. “Okay.”

He leaned down to kiss the back of my neck. “Be good. I’ll bring you back something nice.”

The next morning, the moment I approached my office door, Nora’s mental voice drifted out—

【The chat says Benjamin is taking me to Santorini!】

【A luxury cliffside hotel! A sunset suite!】

【That’s the exact trip Atalanta has been begging him for five years!】

【The chat is right. I am his true love. Atalanta is just a stepping stone on her way to the asylum!】

The coffee cup in my hand almost slipped.

Santorini. That was the honeymoon trip Benjamin and I had promised each other when we got married.

I had brought it up for five years. And for five years, he had always said he was too busy, to wait, next time.

And now, he was taking someone else.

The moment I shut my office door, my hands began to tremble.

At noon, I went into Benjamin’s office.

He was reviewing some documents. When he saw me, he smiled.

“What’s up, babe? Miss me already?”

I sat down across from him, quietly observing the face I had loved for over a decade.

“Benjamin.”

My voice was barely a whisper. “Do you remember you still owe me a trip?”

Benjamin paused, then smiled. “Of course I do. Santorini, right?”

“When are we going?”

“Babe, I’m drowned in work right now.” He walked over, gently stroking my hair.

“Once things quiet down, I’ll take you. I promise, okay?”

Once things quiet down. Always the same excuse.

I forced a smile and said nothing. I was done waiting.

On Thursday, they departed.

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, I watched Benjamin’s car pull out of the parking garage.

Then, I unlocked my phone and texted my best friend, Audrey:

「Can you recommend a divorce lawyer? The absolute best in the city.」

She replied instantly: 「??? Are you insane?」

「I’ve never been more sane. Just send me the name.」

After a long silence, she sent over a contact card.

「Jonathan Vance. He’s a shark of a divorce attorney. And... he was our college classmate, remember?」

I stared at the name.

Jonathan. The tall, quiet guy from college who used to buy me yogurt every single day.

The next morning, I walked into his law firm.

He was dressed in a sharp, tailored charcoal suit. He looked much more mature and grounded than he had in college. He was handsome, but in a completely different way from Benjamin.

After listening to my story, Jonathan didn't ask unnecessary questions. He simply said:

“I’ll draft the paperwork. We will take him for everything he’s worth.”

He paused, then added, “It’s on the house.”

“Jonathan, I can pay—”

“Back in college, when those street thugs cornered me to steal my money, you swung your skateboard and chased them off. I’ve remembered that for ten years.”

He looked at me, tilting his head with a soft smile. “You also told me back then that if it weren’t for him, you would have chosen me.”

“Are you still making me wait?”

I couldn’t find the words to answer.

On the night the paperwork was finalized, I saw Nora’s Instagram update.

Pictures of the blue-domed churches of Santorini, the stunning Aegean sunset, and the infinity pool of a cliffside hotel.

And the last photo was a shot of Benjamin from behind.

He was standing on a white balcony, overlooking the deep blue sea.

Her caption read: 「Thank you for taking me to the most beautiful place in the world.」

I stared at the photo for a long time.

Then, I opened my chat with Benjamin, sent him a PDF of the divorce papers, and added two words:

「We’re divorcing.」

Then, I blocked his number.