Hugo dismissed her words with a chuckle, his tone indulgent. “Don’t say such distant things. Jasper just learned how to make your favorite braised pork. Come try it.”
Father and son encircled Ava like devoted knights escorting their princess, leading her toward the dining room without so much as a glance in my direction.
I stood frozen, watching my husband and son shower another woman with the warmth I had long since been deprived of.
My heart, already numbed by their indifference, felt as if it had been sealed in ice for a thousand years. Any lingering attachment I had to this place shattered into dust.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. Four in the afternoon.
At this hour on any other day, I would have been out buying groceries.
Hugo loved beef, so every day, without fail, I bought a pound of beef shank, slow-cooked it until tender, sliced it with precision, and arranged it neatly on a delicate porcelain plate.
Jasper had a taste for sweet and sour dishes, sweet and sour fish, sweet and sour ribs, and squirrel fish; he loved them all.
He despised green onions, ginger, and garlic, so before serving his meals, I meticulously picked out every trace of them.
Father and son were both impossibly particular about their food. To prepare a single meal, I spent over two hours standing in the kitchen, ensuring everything was just right.
But now, I was leaving.
No longer would I exhaust myself catering to their every whim.
For the next two days, I had only one goal: learning how to please myself.
I pushed open the wardrobe door, greeted by a neat row of long, conservative dresses.
Shoving them aside, I reached for an unopened pink gift box hidden at the back, a birthday present I had bought for myself on my thirtieth birthday. Inside lay a strapless, blush-pink ball gown with a low waistline, untouched, waiting.
Hugo never liked me wearing revealing clothes. To please him, I had filled my closet with outfits that suffocated me, while the ones I truly loved remained buried at the bottom, forgotten.
The thought alone made my chest tighten.
Tonight, I wasn’t dressing for him.
I slipped into the gown and added a touch of light makeup. The elegant cut accentuated my slender waist, the soft fabric cascading down my frame. My long, fair legs stood out against the delicate hue of the dress.
As I descended the stairs, Hugo’s gaze froze.