[Come pick me up. Let's get divorced.]
Hayden's reply came instantly.
[You're such a hassle. Can't you just take a taxi? Or have the driver take you?]
His words were colder than the winter outside. Normally, when Hayden called me troublesome, I would bite my tongue, suppress my emotions and do as he pleased.
This time, I refused to hold back. Every ounce of resentment bottled up inside me burst forth, unfiltered.
[Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a ride from this godforsaken villa? The driver took Grandpa and Grandma to the cemetery. And as for me–surprise, surprise–I haven't slept all night and I'm not about to drive like this. I wouldn't be groveling if I had a choice. But you're in such a damn hurry for this divorce, aren't you? So, it's your call. Come or don't. I don't care anymore.]
For a long while, there was no response. I stared at the screen, my grip tightening around the phone. Just as I was about to give up, his reply finally came.
[Wait there.]
It was the first time I had ever won an argument against him. And I had to admit—it felt pretty damn good.
Hayden arrived not long after, expression unreadable as he unlocked the car doors. Neither of us spoke as we pulled onto the road, the silence stretching thick between us. Outside, the world was blanketed in white, the falling snow blurring the view of the city.
Then, his phone rang.
The bright screen lit up with an incoming call and my gaze instinctively flickered to the caller ID.
[Little Darling.]
The affectionate nickname was almost nauseating. Probably one of his lovers, not that it mattered anymore. Whoever it was, they had nothing to do with me.
But Hayden reacted instantly—panicked, even. His hands tightened on the wheel before he abruptly slammed the brakes. The sudden stop jolted my body forward, a sharp pain tightening in my stomach.
Then, he picked up the call.
"Hello! Audrey?" His voice wavered with uncertainty.
The moment I heard that name, my breath caught in my throat. My chest tightened, as if an invisible hand had wrapped around my lungs, choking the air from me.
On the other end, a soft, familiar voice came through, distant yet painfully clear.
"Yes, Hayden. I'm back in Havenford today. It's snowing and I can't get a cab from the airport. Can you come pick me up? It's really cold here."