Inside,Xavier had his sleeves rolled up,trimming the stems of a bouquet of white lilies.He was never a romantic.In fact,he used to mock other men for bringing flowers to their girlfriends.
“Pointless,”he’d said one Valentine’s Day.“They’re dead in a week.”
We’d been married three years and I hadn’t even received a single daisy.Besides,those lilies weren’t for me—they were Vanessa’s favorite.
A few clipped stems fell into the trash before Xavier finally glanced up.“You’re out of the hospital.How are you feeling?”he asked as he stood,arranging the bouquet in a crystal vase and fussing with the petals.Then he added,“About tonight…I didn’t mean it.”
“But I know you’ll be fine,”he laughed.“You’ve been through worse,right?Grew up with nothing.A little operation isn’t anything,is it?”
I almost laughed.
He had no idea—I was the sole heir to one of the state’s wealthiest families.The only time I’d ever suffered was the day I married him.
He crossed the room toward me with the lilies like a trophy.“Hey,don’t you think these are pretty?”
As the flowers came near,my throat tightened.I turned my head and coughed—once,twice—hard,involuntary coughs.My allergy flared,and the first thing he did was shove me aside.
My back hit the sharp corner of the desk.The stitches on my healing wound split open and blood began to soak my blouse.Pain blurred my vision,while Xavier’s worried gaze stayed fixed on the lilies.
“You nearly ruined them!”he snapped.“Do you know how rare these are?Air-freighted!Professionally grown!”
Realizing that even my health couldn’t compete with a bouquet,I forced a bitter smile and thought,Was I with him for three years for this?God,how blind I’d been to love this bastard.
I was allergic to flowers—something he never cared about.If he’d cared at all,he would have known my wound wasn’t fully healed.
I took a steadying breath,reached into my bag,and pulled out the papers.“Xavier,”I said,sliding the divorce agreement hidden inside a contract toward him,“I need your signature.”
He paused.For the first time his gaze rested on me.“You just got out of the hospital.You should rest,”he said quietly.
Still,he reached for the papers.His fingers had barely touched the page when his phone rang.The contact name flashed on the screen and I glanced:“Baby.”
He kept Vanessa’s name stored so sweetly;mine had always been formal,my full name.The contrast said everything.