I Spent Six Christmas Eves Waiting For Nothing Chapter 05

I Spent Six Christmas Eves Waiting For Nothing Chapter 05

When Garrett backed the car out of the driveway, Chloe immediately reached for the front passenger door.

“Get in the back,” he said flatly.

Chloe pouted instantly, her voice turning into a whine. “No fair! I get carsick if I sit in the back. You always used to let me ride shotgun—”

“We’re heading back to the family estate today, it’s different. Get in the back.”

Only then did Chloe unenthusiastically slide into the backseat. Seeing me still standing outside, she smirked slightly, her lips curling. “Well, get in. Go enjoy your precious passenger seat.”

Honestly, I couldn’t care less where I sat.

The cozy blanket I used to keep in the passenger seat had already been packed away by Garrett weeks ago. The glove compartment had been completely cleared out—my lip balms, sunglasses, and hand creams were all gone. Even the comfortable driving flats I kept on the floor mat had been tossed out under his excuse that they were getting in the way of his feet.

Having shared a bed with him for six years, I understood his subtle calculations perfectly.

It all started two years ago when Chloe casually mentioned in a text that she missed the city and wanted to visit. Garrett had immediately scrubbed the front passenger seat clean, ensuring it was no longer uniquely mine, making it perfectly sterile so Chloe could comfortably slide right in whenever she pleased.

I no longer cared about these petty details. Pulling open the door, I sat inside, leaned my head against the headrest, and closed my eyes to take a nap.

The car glided down the highway toward Oakridge.

A few years back, Garrett had taken the land passed down through his family and built a massive, modern country estate. It was enclosed by a classic wooden fence, featuring a sprawling, open front yard where the family usually held outdoor dinners.

By the time we pulled up, the relatives had already gathered, milling about the lawn.

“Garrett! Over here, we’ve got snacks and drinks!”

“Look at you, making a fortune out there. Driving a Mercedes G-Wagon now! When are you gonna let your Uncle take it for a spin?”

“Oh, look at Chloe! It’s been so many years, you’ve grown even more beautiful!”

“Living in Europe must have been a huge adjustment, make sure you stay a few extra days this time!”

The crowd swarmed Garrett and Chloe, surrounding them so completely that they looked exactly like the married couple. I stood on the periphery, looking like a total stranger.

I quietly slipped into the house, located the room that used to be mine, and packed all my personal IDs, certificates, and legal documents into my bag.

By the time I walked back outside, everyone had already taken their seats at the long tables. Coincidentally, they were exactly one chair short.

Mrs. Henderson thrust a set of silverware into my hands, offering a tight, plastic smile. “Well, as the hostess, you should let the guest have the seat, right? You don’t mind missing out on the table, do you?”

“Why don’t you head into the kitchen to eat, or I can fix you a small plate so you can eat over by the coffee table inside?”

Garrett stood up abruptly, stepping directly between his mother and me.

“That’s enough, Mom. Go back to your dinner.”

Then he turned to me. “Take my seat.”

“It’s fine,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m not hungry anyway. I’ll wait for you guys inside.”

After all, I hadn’t made the drive out here for the food. Garrett opened his mouth to argue, but seeing that I was already turning back toward the house, he snapped his jaw shut.

I sat on the living room sofa, pulling out my phone to select my flight for tomorrow morning. After completing the check-in and messaging the relocation coordinator in London, I glanced at the time.

It was 8:00 PM.

I tracked down Garrett outside and asked him, “When are we leaving?”

Before he could answer, a visibly tipsy Chloe suddenly shoved her way between us, slurring her words. “Why do you have to be such a buzzkill? No wonder nobody in this family likes you.

“Garrett, just ignore her. Come on, keep drinking with us!”

Behind her, the rest of the relatives began calling out, pressuring Garrett to stay.

“Let’s stay a bit longer,” Garrett said, looking down at me. “It’s still early…”

“Then I’m heading back first,” I said evenly.

Turning on my heel, I walked out to the main road, called an Uber, and rode back to the city alone.

Once home, I packed the remainder of my luggage. Then, I pulled out the divorce papers I had drawn up days ago, signed my name clearly at the bottom, and pinned the document to the coffee table beneath a heavy glass mug.

By the time I finished, it was nearly midnight.

I sat quietly, eating a simple bowl of cereal while scrolling through my phone, casually leaving a ‘like’ on Garrett’s latest Instagram post.

It was a giant family photo.

Chloe was beaming, one arm looped through Garrett’s and the other through Mrs. Henderson’s, everyone flashing brilliant smiles at the camera. Every single person looked blissfully happy.

I pulled up my chat with Garrett and typed out a final text:

[I’m leaving first thing in the morning. Don’t bother looking for me. The divorce papers are on the coffee table under the glass mug.]

Remember to sign them.]

He was likely completely wasted and wouldn’t see his phone anyway. That was fine by me—it guaranteed a peaceful night.

Neither Garrett nor Chloe came home that night.

It wasn’t until early the next morning, when I casually refreshed my Instagram feed, that I saw Mrs. Henderson had posted a photo of the breakfast pancakes she had whipped up for them. That was how I found out the two of them had simply crashed at the estate.

I powered down my phone, took out my house keys, and left them neatly on the entryway console table. Garrett would see them the moment he walked through the door.

I pulled the door shut behind me.

I headed straight to the airport, checked my bags, passed through security, and boarded the flight for the long transatlantic journey.

By the time the wheels touched down, it was already the dead of night back home.

The moment my phone reconnected to the network, a massive, overwhelming deluge of notifications—sent continuously from morning until midnight—poured into my screen all at once.