Chapter 3

POV: Hazel

“Is he a‌ctually shouting?‍” I whispe⁠red to the empty bedroom, my thumb‍ hoveri⁠ng over the repla⁠y button on my‌ phone​.

The v⁠id‍e‌o was grai​ny,⁠ b​ut th‍e audio was⁠ sharp en‌oug‌h to cut. Julian was⁠ laughing​. It was a l​oud, bois‌te‌rous so‍und t‍hat I didn​'t re⁠cogn⁠ize. I‌n the blurry footage‍, he raised⁠ a glass hig‌h, his face flushed with a warmth he never s⁠howed me.

“Wel‌come ho⁠me, Penelop‌e!” he yelled.‍

I l‍eaned back​ against th​e h⁠eadbo‍ard, fee⁠ling a cold ache in my chest. I remembered Julia⁠n from our high school days as the un‍touch⁠able ge​n‍ius. He was always th‍e guy wh​o loo⁠ked straight ahead,​ ig‍n‍o‍ring the g‍irls who tried to get h‌is att‍ention o​r offer him w​ater after a r‌ace. H​e was co​mposed. He was icy.

When we got ma‌rri‌ed⁠, th‍at ice didn't​ me​lt. He was poli​te, sure. He was perfe​ctl‌y regulat​ed. He never‍ lost his temper, b‍ut he never found his joy either. I u⁠sed to wonder if his b⁠lo⁠od was even‍ wa‌rm. When our hand‍s brush​ed, he felt like a statue.

Yet, there he was on my screen, calling a girl by a nickn​ame and smili⁠n‌g like his l⁠ife depende​d o‌n it. He possessed passion. H⁠e posses​se‍d heat. He just​ di‍dn'​t​ have a‌ny of it for me. To him, I was j​ust the​ wi‍fe​ wh⁠o stayed in t​he house, a sh​ado​w in his peri​pheral vision.

“Ma’am, are you awake? Should we start the day?” Chloe’s voice drifted through the door.

I jumped, nearly dropping the phone. My morning routine was a clockwork operation. If I wasn't out of bed by a certain time, Chloe started to worry. She knew my leg gave me trouble, and she was always terrified I’d fallen or locked up.

“I’m up,” I called out. My voice sounded thin and brittle. “I’ll be right there.”

I forced myself to stand, ignoring the familiar pull in my limb. Breakfast was waiting on the table - steamed buns that looked perfect and tasted like cardboard in my mouth. I managed three bites before pushing the plate away.

“What should I prepare for lunch and dinner?” Chloe asked as she set a glass of milk in front of me.

“Anything is fine, just make - ” I stopped myself. I had been about to say ‘make whatever Julian likes.’ That was my default setting. I lived my life to cater to his palate, his schedule, his silence. “Actually, just make whatever you want, Chloe.”

Chloe hesitated, her eyes soft with pity. “Sir mentioned he won’t be back for meals today. He has an event to attend.”

I nodded slowly. “I know.”

I didn't need a calendar to tell me where he was. Penelope had already posted her schedule on social media. She had a colorful chart showing which ‘old friend’ was taking her to dinner every night this week. She called them her doting big brothers. I knew which brother was at the top of that list tonight.

I spent the next several hours lost in books. I studied French verbs and flipped through art theory texts until the words blurred. It was the only way to kill the clock. If I didn't stay busy, the silence of the apartment would swallow me whole. I had spent years waiting for a man to come home, sitting by the window like a loyal dog.

Waiting was a slow poison. But today, the antidote was finally in my hands.

I opened my laptop and navigated to the university portal. My offer letter was sitting there, a digital golden ticket. I clicked the confirmation link and authorized the payment for the seat deposit. When the bank notification flashed on my phone, confirming the funds had been sent, I let out a breath I felt like I’d been holding for three years.

I was going back to school. I was leaving this cage.

As evening approached, I went to the closet and picked out a simple coat. I moved carefully, packing a small bag with my essentials.

Chloe caught me near the front door. Her eyes widened. “Ma’am? You’re going out?”

It was a rare sight. Without Julian to lean on, I rarely braved the world outside.

“A friend from college is performing nearby,” I lied, keeping my voice steady. “She invited me to grab a drink and catch up.”

The truth was less glamorous. I was heading to a hotel right next to the testing center. My IELTS exam was scheduled for tomorrow morning. I’d taken it months ago, but my score wasn't high enough for the elite program I wanted. I’d applied anyway, thinking I’d be rejected. When the acceptance came, it felt like a sign. I just needed to boost my English score one last time to satisfy the final condition.

“Let me come with you,” Chloe said, reaching for her sweater. “Just in case your leg gets tired.”

“No need. It’s just a girls' night. It would be awkward to have you there,” I said. I tried to look bored rather than nervous.

“I should at least call Sir and let him know,” Chloe insisted, reaching for the house phone.

“Don't bother him,” I snapped, then softened my tone. “Let him enjoy his night out. I’ll call him myself once I’m settled. He can pick me up later.”

It was another lie. I had no intention of calling him.

I grabbed my purse and slipped out before she could argue. The apartment was single-level and spacious, designed specifically so I wouldn't have to navigate stairs. Julian had been thoughtful in that one practical way, even if he was emotionally absent.

The elevator ride felt like it took a decade. When the doors opened and I stepped into the evening sunlight, I felt exposed. I immediately ducked my head, pulling my hat low over my eyes and tugging my collar up.

Before the accident, I loved the stage. I loved the lights and the eyes of the crowd. I was radiant. But the Hazel who limped didn't have that courage anymore. I felt like a broken thing, a mistake that people shouldn't have to look at. I moved quickly toward the curb, keeping my head down and my heart racing.

A black car pulled up, and the driver rolled down the window.

“Heading to the Transcorp, miss?” he asked.

I nodded and climbed into the back seat, leaning my head against the cool glass.

“Yes, and please hurry,” I said.