He Said I Was Clingy, So I Walked Away on the Day Our Contract Ended Chapter 02

He Said I Was Clingy, So I Walked Away on the Day Our Contract Ended Chapter 02

Sunlight seeped slowly through the curtains, and I had the odd sensation that someone was hovering right beside my bed.

I blinked awake groggily, nearly jumping out of my skin.

“What are you doing standing next to my bed?”

I was half-convinced Asher had lost his mind. He was fully dressed in a crisp tailored suit, standing there silently for who knew how long, watching me sleep without a single word.

When he saw my eyes open, a faint softness softened his features, lifting his mood visibly.

“I’m heading into work.” He pressed his lips together and spoke quietly, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on me, clearly waiting for my reaction.

I was too sleepy to care, rolling over to bury my face back in the pillow.

“Alright, drive safely.”

He didn’t leave. Half-asleep, I wondered if he was waiting for a good-morning kiss.

Up until that day, we’d woken up tangled together every morning, my performative side kicking into overdrive before he left.

I’d put on an elaborate show of being utterly miserable to see him go, refusing to let him walk out the door until he’d pressed ten separate kisses to me.

I’d completely shut down that clingy routine toward Asher now. If he’d been so insistent he was tired of me, why he’d just stood motionless by my bedside like some lifelike mannequin?

Too exhausted to puzzle it out, I drifted back to sleep.

Somewhere in my drowsiness, he leaned down and pressed a light kiss to the top of my head, then the room fell quiet once more as he left.

I slept straight through until midday before rousing. It was incredibly freeing not having to play the role of the lovesick wife every single day.

I hummed cheerfully while playing around with Buddy, my dog, until Ellen brought my phone over.

“Mrs. Carter, you haven’t filled Mr. Carter in on the new trick Buddy picked up today. You also never sent over your meal plan for the day like you usually do.”

I blinked in surprise, picking up my phone and realizing I hadn’t sent Asher a single text all morning.

Scrolling through our chat history, it was filled with trivial little daily updates I’d sent him nonstop. He replied sporadically at best, but I’d kept sending them anyway, dutifully playing the part of the devoted, overly attached spouse.

I tossed my phone aside and went back to playing with my dog.

“Buddy’s my dog at the end of the day. It’s not like Asher needs play-by-play every time he picks up a new trick.”

Ellen shot me a confused glance but chose not to press the matter, stepping away quietly.

I never expected that, having cut off all my initiative texting him, Asher would be the one reaching out first.

A text popped up on my screen: [You bringing my lunch by the office today?]