Unlocked His Phone, Divorced Him Chapter 02

Unlocked His Phone, Divorced Him Chapter 02

The sky hung low and gray, thick with the promise of rain. The air was damp and still—then the first drops began to fall.

Natalie’s husband showed up to pick her up.

“Didn’t I tell you not to come?”

“Like I’d let you get caught in the rain, babe. Hey, Claire—get in, I’ll drop you off first.”

I shook my head with a small smile. “You two go ahead. I’ll stay a little longer.”

I used to envy them—the way they actually showed each other love. Why couldn’t Ethan and I have that? We were married, but there was always this invisible wall between us.

Why?

The answer was simple. He just didn’t love me enough.

And I’d been lying to myself for so long, telling myself he just didn’t know how to love.

When the rain let up, I got up to leave.

That’s when I saw it—a familiar Audi pulling up slowly by the curb.

The woman in the passenger seat wore a cream-colored dress, her hair softly curled, elegant and refined.

Ethan got out from the driver’s side and walked toward the café. Probably just stopping by for coffee.

When he saw me, his face didn’t change. Just a slight raise of his eyebrow.

He probably expected me to say something first. Instead, I just looked down at my phone, waiting for the ride I’d called.

Maybe I was distracted. My foot slipped off the curb and I twisted my ankle.

Ethan glanced over. Frowned. Said nothing.

He walked into the café and left me there.

I bit down on the pain and kept waiting by the curb.

A few minutes later, Ethan came back out with two cups of coffee to go.

“Get in.”

“You pulled this whole thing just so I’d drive you, didn’t you?”

His voice was flat, impatient.

“I… didn’t.”

He didn’t bother arguing. Just pulled me into the car.

Then he handed me one of the cups.

I didn’t take it, so he set it aside.

We drove in silence.

The air inside was thick, heavy.

Then Ethan pressed a hand to her forehead.

“Ethan, I think my blood sugar is dropping. Do you have any candy?”

He reached into the glove compartment without a second thought and handed her a chocolate bar.

“I’ve told you how many times,” he said. “You never listen.”

She laughed lightly. “I just forget when I’m busy. Good thing I have you.”

And just like that, they fell into old conversations. Mutual friends. Shared memories. The kind of easy, unspoken understanding that only came from years of knowing each other.

I sat in the backseat like an outsider.

The scenery blurred past the window.

Central Park came into view—the giant Ferris wheel turning slowly in the gray sky.

That’s where Ethan and I had our first date.

They say if you kiss at the very top, you’ll be together forever.

I kissed him first that day.

He just stared at me for a long moment.

I thought that was one of the few sweet memories we shared.

Later I found out—Ethan’s biggest regret was never taking Evelyn on that Ferris wheel.

My mind felt heavy. Fragments of the past drifted through. Mostly my hopes, and his half-hearted responses.

I closed my eyes and let myself drift off.

When I opened them again, we were parked outside my building.

Ethan was already gone.

Ethan unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to look at me. His eyes landed on my swollen ankle. His jaw tightened.

“Claire.” His voice dropped. “Do we really have to do like this?”

I looked up, confused.

“If you wanted me to pick you up, you could’ve just said so. Why do you always have to pull some stupid stunt to get my attention?”

His tone was even, but I caught the irritation beneath it—barely.

I didn’t know what he was so annoyed about.

Maybe I’d interrupted his time with his first love.

“Ethan, you’re overthinking this.”

“I didn’t ask you to drive me.”

He probably thought I was just being stubborn. He let out a dry laugh.

“Oh? Then what—you were planning to crawl home in that state?”

“I can take a cab.” I held his gaze. “Ethan, I’m not helpless without you.”

“I clung to you because I loved you. Just because I’m leaving you doesn’t mean I’m useless without you.”

“Leave?” His eyes darkened. “Claire, go ahead—try leaving me. See if I come crawling back to you.”

I didn’t have the energy to argue anymore.

He’d find out soon enough.

When the divorce papers land on his desk, he’ll know—this time, I wasn’t acting out. I’m completely serious.