My Husband’s Countdown Dropped When She Smiled At Him Chapter 01

My Husband’s Countdown Dropped When She Smiled At Him Chapter 01

I can see a countdown timer above someone’s head—the moment they decide to leave their partner.

The day my dad’s timer hit zero, he dropped divorce papers on the table and walked out on me and my mom.

The day my best friend’s timer hit zero, she finally dumped that cheating asshole.

I was terrified of seeing a timer above Owen Harper. But luckily, seven years into our marriage, his head was still clean.

I thanked my lucky stars every day for marrying a good man.

Until last month, when he came to pick me up from work.

I looked up. Bright red numbers stabbed into my eyes: [702 days 14 hours 22 minutes]

Less than two years.

My chest clenched. I started searching like crazy for answers. Did I do something wrong? Or did he… find someone else?

Then came that storm. We ran into his new intern Paige Dawson outside the office building.

The girl was soaked, but she was smiling like it was the best day of her life.

Owen handed her a tissue. His face didn’t move.

But right then—the timer jumped.

[327 days 4 hours 47 minutes]

It dropped by more than three hundred days in one second.

The rain was deafening.

I knew. I’d found the reason.

***

“Mr. Harper, Mrs. Harper, I’m so sorry. I really couldn’t get a cab in this rain.”

The car door opened.

Wind whipped rain into the car, splashing across the leather seats.

Paige closed her umbrella and slid into the backseat, all wet and shivering.

Her white blouse clung to her skin. Her hair dripped in strings.

She looked miserable. 　　But her smile was bright.

Owen’s hands rested on the steering wheel.

He didn’t look back.

He just pulled a few tissues from the glove compartment and reached them over my shoulder to the back.

“Dry off. Don’t catch a cold.”

His voice was soft, with that usual thoughtfulness of his.

Paige took the tissues. Her fingers brushed against Owen’s hand as she did.

She didn’t pull away.

“Thanks, Mr. Harper. I knew you were the nicest boss ever.”

She was grinning, completely at ease.

Owen pulled his hand back, his thumb rubbing lightly against the wheel.

“You’re out there doing this by yourself. That’s rough.”

I sat in the passenger seat, staring at the rain pounding the windshield.

The wipers swung like crazy, slapping water away again and again.

The second Owen said “rough,” I watched those red numbers above his head twist again.

[327 days 4 hours 47 minutes]

The red flickered.

Became [289 days 10 hours 12 minutes　　]

A single sentence of sympathy. 　　And the time he had left with me in his heart just shrunk by another month.

I closed my eyes. My stomach cramped.

“Is the AC too high?” Owen asked suddenly.

I thought he was talking to me.

I was about to say “no”—

Then I heard Paige sneeze from the back. “Yeah, a bit. I’m soaked. Every gust of wind, I’m freezing.”

Owen’s eyes swept across the dashboard.

He reached for the AC knob and turned it up three degrees.

Then his gaze landed on the cashmere throw on my lap.

I’d put it in the car a few days ago to cover my legs.

“Nora.”

He said my name.

“Give Paige the blanket. She’s freezing.”

I turned my head to look at him.

The car was dark inside. Streetlights slid fast across his handsome face.

His expression was totally natural, like he was asking for something completely normal.

No hidden agenda. Perfectly innocent.

That was Owen.

The perfect good man everyone praised. Warm, thoughtful, radiating his goddamn goodness all the time.

I didn’t say anything. I picked up the throw and handed it back.

“Thanks, Mrs. Harper!”

Paige took it and wrapped herself up without a second of hesitation.

“Aw, thanks. He’s lucky to have you.”

She sniffled and let out a satisfied little sigh.

I looked at the numbers above Owen’s head. [260 days 5 hours 08 minutes]

Twenty-nine more days gone.

The car went quiet except for the rain and the tires rolling through puddles.

Up ahead was a traffic light.

Left turn went to the French restaurant I’d booked two weeks in advance.

Straight went to the rundown part of town where Paige rented a room.

Owen hit the straight signal.

I watched the green arrow blink on the dashboard.

“We’re not going to the restaurant?”

My voice was soft, half buried by the rain.

Owen braked and turned to look at me.

A little guilt in his eyes.

“The rain’s really bad. The roads over there are rough. It’s not safe for her to get out by herself.”

He paused.

“Let’s drop her off first. We can go to the restaurant a little later.”

I looked at him. “They hold the table until eight. 　　It’s already seven-thirty.”

Owen frowned a little. 　　“Nora, she’s my employee. I can’t just leave her stranded.”

“It’s just dinner. If we miss it tonight, I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.”

He was always this confidently reasonable.

Because he thought his intentions were good. Selfless.

So anyone who tried to block his goodwill looked unreasonable.

Paige poked her head out from the back.

“Mr. Harper, I can just get off at the subway station. Don’t let me mess up your anniversary.”

She sounded really sincere.

But there wasn’t a subway station anywhere near here.

Sure enough, Owen’s frown got deeper. 　　“Don’t be ridiculous. Where are you taking the subway in this rain?”

The light turned green.

Owen let off the brake and hit the gas.

The car drove straight through the intersection.

Getting farther and farther from that restaurant.

The numbers changed to 201 days 2 hours 30 minutes.

“Thanks, Mr. Harper.”