Love Disperses With the Wind

My husband, Ray Prunier, repeatedly had affairs, but I never cared about them. I pretended as though they weren't happening, and together, we continued to act like a loving couple in front of others.Back then, I had to beg my father to allow us to get married. Thus, I refused to allow my marriage to fail. No matter how heartbroken I was, I could only hide under the covers and cry by myself.Thankfully, Ray's affairs were all casual, so they never threatened our marriage. However, this girl was different. I knew this because I had glimpsed a part of a divorce agreement when I brought Ray some coffee.Ray was awakened by my movements, took the mug from my hand, and had a small sip. He complained, "It's too bitter. Please don't bring me coffee anymore."I didn't remember leaving the study, but I recalled how my trembling hands had betrayed my emotions. Afterward, I immediately called someone to look into Ray's most recent girl.I found out that he often visited one specific coffee s

The girl's name was Nadia Rivera. She was a student who lived in the college district.Nadia was still studying, but her family wasn't well-off. Because of this, she worked part-time at the coffee shop near her college every day.Three months ago, Ray started frequenting the coffee shop for his coffee. Sometimes, he would even sit there the whole day and not go to the office."Do you like her that much? So much so that you're willing to choke me to death over her?" I murmured to myself.I recalled how Ray had once done the same for me but to someone else. He had threatened, "She's my wife now, so stay away from her." Ray and I had met in college. At the time, he was still a broke college student who had to work three jobs a day just to get by. He used to be a campus errand boy and had spilled the coffee I ordered all over me.I didn't make a fuss back then. It was just a piece of clothing, after all. I could have someone buy a new one for me within 10 minutes.Ray had flushed r

"It seems you didn't take yesterday's warning seriously," Ray stated darkly. Now that Nadia had left, his expression had reverted to the cold and unapproachable one I was used to seeing.He turned, grabbed a document, and tossed it at me.As I skimmed through it, I realized it was a project my father's company was working on."I meant what I said, Claire. Your father could be left with nothing but the clothes on his back if I wanted it so. How long do you think you can continue living like a pampered princess when that happens?" Ray added threateningly.I licked my dry lips. It turned out he had always resented me all these years.Years ago, Ray and I confronted my father to tell him about our relationship. The old man was furious.Dad had refused to allow me to marry Ray because Ray had nothing back then. However, Ray had even gone on his knees at the time. He had also stubbornly refused to let go of my hand and endured it all as Dad humiliated him.But today, Ray threw a divor

Martha King, my family's caretaker, answered Dad's phone when I called."There, there, dearie. Your father's in the hospital, but he's fine. His blood sugar is just a bit high for his age," Martha explained.After rushing to the hospital, I spotted Ray first when I arrived. He was still dressed in his wedding tux as he sat by Nadia's bed. His eyes were unusually swollen and bloodshot.Seeing him like this reminded me of when he had first started his business. Ray had kept running into obstacles and hadn't been able to secure any investors. As a result, he would drink every day out of frustration.When he reached his lowest point, Ray sat by my bedside and cried."You must think I'm useless, hun. I can't even give you a good life… If you had married Edward Alder back then instead of running away with me, you'd probably be better off now," he had said.I couldn't bear seeing him in such a state, so I went home and begged my father to invest in Ray's business.It was winter then, a

Before I left, I had simultaneously posted an article across various social media platforms. Its general content was that I was Ray's ex-wife and that he and I had already separated emotionally. I also explained that he hadn't cheated on me with Nadia and that they had met under everyday circumstances.My article caused quite a stir, but it stopped the verbal attacks on Nadia.I stared at the clouds outside the plane window, feeling as though I could just reach out and touch them. With the article I had posted, Ray and I owed each other nothing more.Ray's heart rate unknowingly picked up when he saw my post, and he immediately texted me."Don't think I'll forgive you just because you've done this. You can't undo the harm you've caused Nadia, so you better apologize to her once she regains consciousness," it read.I had blocked him and deleted his contact information before I boarded the plane. Thus, the only response he received was a system-automated notice stating that his mess