Chapter 7

“Where would I go?” I asked calmly.

“The gas company came by for an inspection today,” Audrey said coldly. “No one answered the door, so they called me. Why weren’t you home?”

So, that was it.

I thought she had finally noticed something wrong with me.

I let out a quiet laugh and mocked myself for still having such unrealistic expectations.

“Why must I be home?” I asked. “Am I not allowed to go out? Am I not allowed to have a life of my own? Can’t I even take a trip?”

Audrey’s tone grew heavier.

“Luke, what’s gotten into you lately? You stopped cooking, you barely come home, and you keep giving me attitude. Now, you’ve even run off traveling alone. Have you lost your mind?”

I looked out at the evening sky, my voice barely a whisper.

“I haven’t. I just finally saw things clearly.”

The other end of the line went silent.

After a long pause, Audrey let out a cold laugh.

“Fine. Keep this up. Since you’re not coming home, I won’t either. Let’s see who can hold out longer.”

With that, the call ended.

Evan nearly flung his own phone.

“What’s wrong with her? She runs a whole department. All she had to do was ask around to find out you were admitted. She doesn’t care about you at all!”

His eyes grew misty as he spoke. He reached out and hugged me.

“Luke, if you need to cry, let it all out. Don’t keep it bottled up.”

I rested my head on his shoulder and stayed silent for a long time before slowly shaking my head.

“I can’t bring myself to cry anymore.”

A man’s tears were not shed lightly. To cry over someone undeserving would be beneath me.

Three days later, I had mostly recovered and was discharged. I went home to collect my things.

When I opened the door, I stopped short.

Audrey was home.

Our eyes met, and the air between us went still for a few seconds.

She broke the silence first.

“You’re back. Where have you been?”

I ignored the question and went straight to the bedroom, opening the cabinet to check for my documents.

Behind me, her voice sounded again.

“Haven’t you always wanted to drive the Silver Peak Highway? Now that the house is settled, we should probably get a new car too. Let’s go and look at cars tomorrow. When I’m off next time, I’ll go with you.”

I paused.

Once, hearing those words would have kept me awake all night with happiness.

But they had come too late.

“No need.”

Audrey frowned.

“Why?”

She had no idea that I had already bought the new car, and that the road ahead of me no longer reserved a place for her.

“No particular reason,” I replied.

When Audrey realized I would not budge, her patience finally wore thin.

“Ryan kept telling me to be nicer to you, and this is how you treat me?”

I let out a sarcastic chuckle.

“So, you do whatever he says? If he told you to jump off a cliff, would you do that too?”

Audrey’s face turned livid.

“Luke, why are you talking like this now?”

I kept my head down and continued organizing my documents, not sparing her a glance.

Audrey stood there, breathing heavily. After a long pause, she gave a cold scoff.

“Fine. Looks like we both need time to cool off. I’ll stay at the hospital for the next couple of days. Take some time to reflect on yourself.”

She grabbed her coat and left, slamming the door behind her.

I never once looked up.

It was not until the door closed again that I slowly walked over to the bedside.

I pulled three documents out of my bag.

The first was the signed divorce agreement, the second was my vasectomy consent form, and the third was the record of my reversal surgery from a few days ago.

I placed them neatly on the bedside table, then picked up my luggage and left.

Every corner of this house was filled with Audrey’s presence. I could not stay there for another moment.

I spent my last night in Avelhurst at a hotel.

Early the next morning, I went to the dealership.

The sales consultant greeted me with a warm smile.

“Mr. Gatlin, your car is ready.”

Just as I was about to sign the paperwork, I heard a familiar voice.

“What do you think of this one?”

I turned to see Audrey standing nearby, beside an SUV.

Ryan stood next to her, studying the features with his head lowered.

Whatever he said made them both burst out laughing.

They were perfectly in sync, like a couple who had been together for years.

The sales consultant beamed.

“You two have great taste. This model is perfect for couples who enjoy road trips. Many young married couples choose it. Why don’t you take it for a test drive?”

Audrey did not attempt to correct the misunderstanding. She simply got into the driver’s seat.

Ryan’s cheeks flushed, but he still silently slid into the passenger seat beside her.

Moments later, they drove off in the test-drive vehicle.

The salespeople started whispering among themselves.

“Those two really make a gorgeous couple.”

“I heard they graduated from the same school, and now they even work at the same hospital. It’s like their campus romance became a reality!”

“A strong, capable woman with a sweet, supportive guy. I’m obsessed with this pairing!”

I listened quietly, surprised by how little it bothered me.

“Mr. Gatlin?”

The sales manager’s gentle voice pulled me back from my thoughts.

Without hesitation, I signed the paperwork.

After swiping my card and taking the keys, I walked over to my new car.

I started the engine, shifted into gear, and drove away.

In the rearview mirror, Audrey’s SUV headed off in the opposite direction.

I did not look back.

Ahead of me lay a brand-new life.

After five years, I was finally myself again.