My Doctor Husband Made Me Book Appointments, So I Booked Our Divorce Chapter 09

Max’s soft snores were almost the only sound in the cramped car.

Evan and I stared at each other. Neither of us spoke.

Only then did I understand how a husband and wife could be closer than anyone and still

become strangers.

Evan and I used to spend nights talking about everything. Whenever we saw each other, neither of us wanted to say goodbye.

Now all we seemed to have left was blame.

Evan gave in first. He looked at me, defeated.

“Claire, I’ll swallow my pride. I’ll admit I was wrong. All right?”

“What will it take for you to forgive me?”

That was an interesting question.

As though refusing to forgive him made me the one at fault.

I said nothing. I opened the door and got out.

“Just make sure Max is taken care of.”

“Evan, there’s no going back for us.

I wasn’t a heartless person.

This time, one disappointment after another had hardened me.

Love didn’t die overnight. Even if Evan crawled toward me on his hands and knees, I wouldn’t

go back.

When I turned and walked away, the car stayed right where it was.

I’d booked the movers well in advance. Everything was already packed.

I followed the moving truck to my rented place.

That night, Max called in tears, begging me to come home. I spent a long time soothing him over the phone before he finally fell asleep.

“Claire.”

My mother-in-law took over the call.

She looked uncomfortable and embarrassed.

“When will you come over for dinner? I’ll make those oven-roasted ribs you love.”

I could tell right away that Evan was beside her. He’d asked her to plead his case.

“Mom, I’m not coming back.”

“Evan and I are getting divorced. We’ve started the process.”

Her face on the screen registered shock. She clearly hadn’t expected me to be so direct.

“Claire, it’s perfectly normal for married couples to argue.”

“But divorce isn’t something you can take lightly.”

She began to advise me earnestly. Before she finished, I cut in.

“Mom, I’ve been thinking about getting divorced for more than a year.”

“There’s no love left between Evan and me…”

Before I could finish, Evan snatched the phone from her and ended the call.

I shook my head with a bitter smile and ignored the stunt.

A few days later, Evan and I filed for divorce.

While the divorce was pending, Evan enlisted practically everyone he knew to talk me out of it.

I never wavered.

Not long before the divorce was finalized, Evan came to see me.

He took me back to our college, to the athletic field where we’d first met.

“Claire, I still remember you standing right here, telling me how you felt. You were blushing

allover.”

“You said you’d liked me the first time you saw me. That you’d been watching me quietly, wanting to get closer.”

“You said you wanted us to grow old together.”

“Claire, I’ve spent all this time regretting what I did. I know I was wrong. I really do.”

“Will you give me one more chance?”

His words brought back our sweet, innocent college romance.

Those memories only made me more determined to leave.

“Evan, do you know why I’m so determined this time?”

“I know what it looks like when you love me. That’s how I know right away when you don’t.”

“You say there’s nothing going on with Brooke. I believe you.”

“But only you know whether your heart has wandered.”

Before Evan could offer me the flowers in his hands, I turned and walked away.

He called after me. I didn’t look back.

Even the sun’s last light faded eventually.

Our love had ended long before either of us realized it.

This time, I refused to let myself turn back.

My life would start over on the first day after my divorce.

From then on, I would live for myself.