He Watched the Stars With Her, So I Signed the Divorce Chapter 08

He Watched the Stars With Her, So I Signed the Divorce Chapter 08

At the final hearing, Ryan no longer tried to argue that our marriage could still be saved.

He sat at the respondent’s table in a plain white shirt instead of his uniform. He had lost a great deal of weight.

The judge asked him to state his position.

“I agree to the requested financial award and the proposed division of our marital assets, but I’m asking the court not to dissolve the marriage. I want a chance to make things right with her.”

I maintained my request for a divorce and an equitable division of our marital property.

Ryan listened, then nodded with weary resignation.

“I won’t contest any of it.”

His composure only faltered when I said I did not want the marital home.

“Emma, that was our home.”

“I can move out. You can stay there.”

“No. I don’t want it. Nothing good ever came from living there.”

The judge entered the final divorce decree.

Our marital property was divided according to the evidence, and an additional financial award was entered in my favor.

When the finalized decree was handed to me, I let out a long breath of relief.

Ryan stared at those few pages as though they were a set of sailing orders that could never be

rescinded.

The institute issued the results of its disciplinary review that same day.

Ryan had misused shipboard communications resources and granted internal system access to someone outside the research project, creating a serious risk of restricted data exposure.

The institute revoked his eligibility for ocean-going research assignments, demoted and reassigned him, and barred him for three years from any voyage involving restricted research data.

The professional identity he had always taken the greatest pride in was gone.

Claire’s documentary was also taken down over unauthorized footage and questions surrounding the source of the material. Every production partner working with her suspended its projects.

Outside the courthouse, I heard Claire’s voice.

She blocked Ryan’s path.

“My documentary is gone, and my account has been restricted. Ryan, you have to help me.”

“If you hadn’t given me the material, how would any of this have happened?”

Ryan stared at her.

“I lost my marriage and my future, and all you care about is your documentary?”

Claire froze for a moment, then laughed.

“Ryan, don’t pretend this was some grand love story. You were married and still gave me special treatment. Why wouldn’t I take it?”

“You enjoyed having me depend on you too, didn’t you?”

The last trace of color disappeared from Ryan’s face.

With nothing left to lose, Claire went on, “Whenever your wife tried to reach you, you ignored her

and came running to me instead.”

“You told yourself I was an old flame you could never forget, but the truth is that you needed someone who never made you face your responsibilities at home.””

Ryan did not argue.

I walked past them without stopping.

He hurried after me.

“Emma.”

I stopped.

“I got exactly what I deserved.”

His voice was barely above a whisper.

“I lost my place on the ocean-going missions, and I lost you. Could you talk to me for a few

minutes, just for old times’ sake?”

My fingers tightened around the divorce decree.

“That is your problem to live with. It is not a reason for me to come back.”

Daniel stood beside the car and opened the door for me.

Ryan did not come after me again.

As the car pulled away from the courthouse, I saw him standing at the bottom of the steps in the

rearview mirror.

Claire was still saying something to him, but he was no longer looking at her.

When I got home, I placed the final divorce decree in a file folder.

That evening, Ryan sent me an email.

[I finally understand. None of the messages you sent were interruptions. Each one was another

chance for me to come home.]

I did not respond.

Two weeks later, I boarded my flight overseas.

Just before I turned off my phone, his final text appeared.

Ryan: [Stay safe.]

Those were the words I had once sent him more often than anything else.