Jade stopped counting after 998.
All thornless roses.
She stared at the roses that filled the living room, drowning in the scent of the prized white roses from the Lamont family floral garden— one of her husband's many businesses. They had mastered the art of the thornless rose but it would all go to waste.
She stared at the crumpled doctor’s report on the floor and felt the tears start to rise again. She had promised herself that she wouldn’t cry but the fact that her husband wasn’t here with her on their fifth anniversary made the tears flow.
Jade stared at the large double oak door, hoping it would open so Adam would walk in with that rare smile that she loved. But no such luck. He had promised.
The large grandfather clock at the end of the entrance hallway chimed 12 times to indicate midnight. Their anniversary was over and Adam was a no-show. She’d waited for a whole day.
Her heart twisted as the thought that she had spent yet another anniversary alone. She thought that with a kid, things would be different but it seemed like she was destined to be alone.
She picked the papers, staring at the report of her third miscarriage. The doctor still couldn’t tell what was wrong. But she had tried everything to make sure the pregnancy would come to term. It just wasn’t meant to be— Like her marriage to Adam.
There was a knock on the door. Jade cleaned the tears off her face. At least, they could still save the day. She hurried to the door with the doctor’s report. Only to see one of the many staff that worked at the Lamont Garden.
He stood on the porch, smiling at her as he handed a red rose that was nestled inside a black card with gold glittering text. “A gift from Mr. Lamont.”
Jade stared at the man like he had grown a second head. It was impossible for Adam to send her a red rose.
He pushed the card towards her. “Congratulations on your anniversary, Madam.”
“Where's my husband?”
She looked down the driveway that stretched to half the length of a football field, hoping to see his classy mini limo. But the only thing on the driveway beside the fountain was the delivery man’s bike.
“Miss Frances asked me to—”
“Take it back. Tell her to shove it.” Jade screamed, then slammed the door in the man's face.
She ignored his frantic knock as she walked to the centerpiece table where she had dropped her phone as soon as she arrived from the hospital.
One of the rules that she and Adam had was that they would never discuss important details over the phone. Always face-to-face. That was why she waited till their anniversary to tell him about the pregnancy-now-turned miscarriage.
He picked on the first ring. “Hello?”
“Adam—”
He cut her short. “Did you get my gift?”
“I got more than your gift.”
“Mrs Lamont. Happy Anniversary.” She heard Frances’ voice from the other end of the line.
Her anger doubled. So, he was with Frances on the night of their anniversary. And he had her private call on loudspeaker. Now she was sure where his loyalty lay.
It made her next words so much easier. “Adam, I want a divorce.”
There was a gasp from the other end of the phone as Frances, her husband's secretary spoke. “Oh no. It's my fault the last flower and the card got delayed. Don't take it out on Mr. Lamont.”
Jade held the phone tight. As tight as she had held her stomach when she started bleeding that morning.
She waited for Adam to give her some hope even if he wouldn’t apologize. To say that he loved her and he wanted her back. To say that he was coming home so they could discuss what had happened.
“Adam, did you hear me. I want to—”
He spoke with a cold controlled voice, “As you wish.”
The phone slipped out of her hand and crashed to the floor.
Chapter 2Jade opened the door and placed the umbrella at the side. She stepped into the living room shivering as she shook off the droplets of water on her skin. The rain had been unexpected but she'd been prepared for her trip to the doctor. Mostly.
What she was not prepared for, was to see Adam seated in the living room, staring at the blank television. She decided to ignore him and walk straight to the kitchen to prepare herself a cup of tea.
As she walked past him, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him.
“Where were you?” He asked, without any indication of an emotion.
That was one thing that scared her about Adam. He never showed any emotion regardless of the situation. His dark green eyes remained the same, only darkening slightly when he was angry. His short wavy hair framed his strong unmoving jaw. Jade tried not to get sucked in by his handsome face.
She focused on the kitchen in front of her. “I thought you didn't care.”
“Where were you, Jade?” Adam never repeated a question. This was a first.
“With Frances.” She gave him the reply he often gave her.
He narrowed his eyes, then took his hand off her wrist. “Where's your jacket?”
“Stop acting like you care.”
He seemed to get the message and his features. “I don't.”
“Good.” She started to walk over the hand woven Persian rug.
“What's for dinner?”
“Dinner?” She turned to him with wide eyes. “Why don't you ask Frances to get you some? I'm not obligated to perform wifely duties for you anymore.”
“I'm serious, Jade.”
“So am I. Our divorce contract states that we must be separated for six months. This is week two, in case you didn't get the mail.”
She had sent over the divorce document by mail and when he didn't respond, she sent an email.
“If this is about the anniversary, I was held back by work.”
“It's not about the anniversary.”
“Look,” Adam ran his finger through his hair and it settled back, almost like nothing about him could be out of place. “I'm starving. I just got off a 16 hour flight. So, why don't you make some dinner and we can talk about this.”
“Sure.” Jade smiled.
She walked to the kitchen, grabbed a plate and opened a cupboard where she had stuffed the roses from a few weeks ago. She placed the plate down, then put the card on top as well as some of the white roses. She placed the single red rose on top. Then she made herself a cup of tea.
She dropped the plate of roses in front of him. “Bon appetit.”
“What's this?” He picked the red rose, staring at it with disgust.
“La Rose De la Heartbreak by chef Frances.” She pointed it out, then pretended to be shocked. “You don't remember your anniversary gift?”
“This is what Frances sent?”
She thought she heard anger in his voice. But Adam never showed emotions. Besides, this wasn't the first time he was acting like he hadn't signed off on what Frances did. He and Frances were always together, like two nostrils, so it was impossible for him to be unaware.
Adam had told her not to worry. But it was hard not to worry when Frances spent many overnight business trips with him in the same suite. Frances was his childhood friend and secretary, and he spent much more time with her than his wife— it was sad.
Jade only got to see him not more than twenty times in a year. And nights like this, when he came back from a long trip after spending time with Frances in the private jet, were counted as part of the days she spent with him.
“Name the designer and the number of bags. I’ll have them delivered first thing tomorrow morning.” Adam said.
She took a sip of her rich green tea and walked to the staircase. “All I need you to do is sign the divorce contract.”
“What of our child?” His words struck something deep and feral in her.
“What child?” She tried to keep the same controlled tone that he did.
“You’ve forgotten about Jason so soon. Some mother you are.”
Jade hurried up the staircase to avoid the tears from spilling out of her eyes as she remembered her living child that was now a property of the Lamont family.
Chapter 3With Adam in the house, it was impossible for her to have a peaceful night. Especially as he slammed the door open and came into her room, seconds after she had just come out of the bathroom.
She reached for a robe and quickly put it on, turning her back to him as she applied her night face cream.
“You moved out of our room?” He asked.
“I moved back to my room.”
After the accident, he had moved her to this house and this had been her room until they got married. His mother had fought against her moving to his room but Adam had insisted but he shouldn’t have bothered because she spent most nights by herself.
“The rule was—”
Here he was lecturing her about the rules when he had broken several.
“The rules no longer apply. I’m done with this sham of a marriage.”
“You understand what that means for Jason?”
At that time she birthed Jason, she had accepted that Frances was a permanent thing in Adam’s life, while she was a mere playtoy. But the Lamont family insisted that Jason be brought up in their mansion and she had expected Adam to fight it.
Nothing hurt her more than that fact. If not for Jason, she would’ve divorced him after their second anniversary but she kept holding on and hoping that things would be better. Hoping that one day, her son would return to her.
She turned to face him. “If you really cared for Jason, you would not have taken him away from me.”
“You can visit him anytime you like. If we divorce, you’ll lose that privilege.”
But that was something Adam didn’t understand. She had already lost the privilege. He thought she could visit anytime but the Lamont family staff had been instructed to keep her son away from her if Adam wasn’t there with her. She could only see him if Adam was there. And due to his busy schedule, he was never really present; always on the phone, chatting and laughing at Frances’ texts.
Jason was growing up without his father and mother. He was growing up with the mindset of the Lamont family towards her. The first time she was at the house, he had not recognized her. He had called her a maid and Sylvia, Adam’s sister, just laughed about it. When she had tried to correct her son, Sylvia told her not to interfere with the boy’s education as she was already blessed enough to be married into the Lamont family.
“Scheduling visits to see my son does not count as a privilege. What good is it if I can’t guarantee that I’d even see him?”
That thought brought a painful memory to her heart. A few days before the anniversary, she was supposed to pick Jason from school and spend some time with him in the park close by.
She arrived to find that Frances had already taken her son to her husband’s office. When she went to Adam’s office, she saw him, laughing and chatting on the phone with Frances. It was a decoy. Frances had taken her son back to the Lamont family mansion and she wasn’t allowed to visit because her time was up and he’d been scheduled for other lessons.
“You left him waiting at the park.”
“No. I got there on time. I even got a stupid speeding ticket.”
“Frances said—”
“That’s the problem.Why do her words count more than mine?” Tears started to stream down her eyes.
The corner of his lips twitched but that was it. At least, Frances’ name got a reaction from him but her pain about the missed anniversary was nothing more than a comment on dinner and a bribe with designer bags.
“You’ve changed, Jade.”
“Took you long enough to see it.”
“You’re not even attempting to apologize.”
She sat in her bed and took her cup of tea. She set it aside. It was cold now. She should’ve taken it before she had her bath but she needs to wash away Adam’s touch.
“If you’re that pissed that I didn’t apologize, maybe you should just sign the divorce papers.” She was tired of being the only one to say sorry. She was tired of always building the bridge.
“You’ll leave Jason?”
How could she leave someone she barely saw. Jason was the reason she had wanted another kid. She was tired of being lonely and missing all of her child’s milestones. She tried to have another kid as soon as Jason was taken from her but that ended in a miscarriage. Then another. Then this. It had to be a sign. A pointer from God that she and Adam were through.
“Who is Jason?” She pretended to be dumb.
That got to him. “Maybe Frances was right. You’re not fit to be a mother.”