Chapter four

Chapter Four

The rain began before noon, tapping against the windows of the gallery where I had gone to meet Benjamin.

He had asked me to look at a few paintings for the exhibition he was helping organise. I had not agreed to submit anything yet, but I wanted to see the work and remind myself what it felt like to be part of that world.

When the meeting ended, I checked my phone. Liam had sent a message earlier.

“I'll pick you up at four. Send me the address.“

I had stared at it for several seconds before replying with the gallery's location. It was not because I expected anything from him. I simply did not want another argument about transportation.

At four fifteen, he had not arrived.

At four thirty, I called. The phone rang until the call disconnected. I tried again five minutes later.

“I'm busy,” he answered.

“You said you would pick me up.”

“Something came up.”

“What happened?”

“Scarlett isn't feeling well. I'm taking her to get checked.”

I looked through the gallery window. Rain slid down the glass in thick lines.

“You could have told me.”

“I am telling you now.”

“After I waited.”

“Isabella, arrange a car. I can't leave her alone.”

I closed my eyes. “All right.”

“Don't make this difficult.”

The call ended.

Benjamin noticed my expression. “Is everything all right?”

“My ride has changed.”

“I can have someone take you.”

“Thank you, but I can manage.”

He looked unconvinced. “At least wait until the rain eases.”

I waited another twenty minutes, but the weather grew worse. The ride-hailing app showed long delays, and the nearest available car kept changing its arrival time. I finally accepted a taxi from the street.

By the time I reached the mansion, my coat was soaked. I had a headache and a chill running through my arms. The housekeeper offered to make tea, but I went upstairs instead.

I changed into dry clothes and lay down. My body felt heavy. I told myself I only needed an hour's rest.

When I woke, it was dark.

My temperature was high, and my throat hurt. I tried to call the housekeeper, but she was in the staff quarters. I found pain relief in the bathroom cabinet, then realised I needed to be examined.

I called Mia.

“I'm coming,” she said immediately.

At the hospital, the nurse checked my temperature and asked about my symptoms. Mia stayed beside me while I waited to see a doctor.

I was looking down at the admission form when I heard Liam's voice.

“Please, she has been feeling dizzy since this morning.”

I lifted my head.

He stood a short distance away, one hand supporting Scarlett's back. She wore a pale coat and looked tired. Liam's face was turned towards her with an expression of concern I knew too well.

He did not see me.

A nurse approached them. “We'll take her through for the examination. Is the father here?”

Liam answered before Scarlett could. “I'm here.”

The words struck harder than they should have. I lowered my eyes to the form.

Mia followed my gaze. “Is that him?”

I nodded.

“Do you want to leave?”

“I came here because I'm sick. I'm not going to run away.”

A nurse called my name. I stood carefully, but the movement made the room tilt. Mia caught my arm.

“Easy.”

The doctor examined me and said I had a fever and needed rest and fluids. He prescribed medication and warned me to return if my symptoms worsened.

As we left the consultation room, Liam finally noticed me.

“Isabella?”

I stopped. Mia's grip tightened around my arm.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I'm being treated.”

His eyes moved over my face. “You look terrible.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you ill?”

“I have a fever.”

He glanced towards Scarlett, who was sitting in a nearby chair. “Why didn't you tell me?”

I almost asked him whether he would have come. Instead, I said, “You were busy.”

“Don't be sarcastic. I would have arranged something.”

“You did arrange something. You arranged to be here with her.”

His expression hardened. “This isn't the place.”

“No. It isn't.”

Scarlett looked up. “Isabella, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were here.”

I gave her a tired look. “You don't have to apologise for my husband's choices.”

Liam stepped forward. “Enough.”

Mia moved between us. “She's sick. Let her go.”

I walked away with my friend. Behind us, Liam called my name once, but I did not turn.

In the car, Mia asked if I wanted to go to the mansion or her apartment.

“Yours,” I said.

She nodded and drove.

Later that night, while I rested on her sofa, I heard her moving around the kitchen. My phone lit up with a message from Liam.

“You should have told me you were at the hospital. We need to talk tomorrow.“

I looked at the message until the screen went dark.

Then I opened Ethan's contact.

“Please proceed with filing the divorce petition,“ I wrote.

His response came a few minutes later.

“I will prepare the next step. Rest tonight.“

I put the phone down. For the first time, I was no longer waiting for Liam to decide whether my pain deserved his attention.

At Mia's apartment, she found a clean blanket and made me drink water before I took the medicine. I apologised for disturbing her, but she shook her head. “You called because you needed help. That is what friends are for.” I stared at the ceiling while she sat in the armchair nearby. I had spent so long believing that asking for help made me a burden. Liam had never said those exact words, but his sighs and impatient looks had taught me to ask for less. Mia's simple kindness made that lesson feel suddenly cruel.

When the doctor returned with my discharge instructions, he advised me to rest for at least a day. Mia collected the prescription and made sure I understood the dosage. On the drive back, she asked whether I wanted to report Liam's behaviour to anyone. I told her there was nothing to report. He had broken a promise, not a law. Yet I knew that the small disappointments had accumulated into something much larger. I had been alone in my marriage long before I began sleeping in another room.