Chapter 4 — The Choice to Walk Away

I fumbled through my purse, found the envelope, and tore it open.

A neatly arranged stack of documents lay inside. I picked them up and frowned at the first page.

At first, the words blurred together. Then one line caught my eye, and my breath hitched.

Adrian had accepted full financial responsibility for Aina's treatment—her hospitalization, medications, follow-up care, and future expenses related to her recovery.

I flipped through the remaining pages. His signature appeared at the bottom of each one, confirming that the hospital was to bill him directly for her care.

My grip tightened around the papers.

“No...” I whispered, staring at his signature. “That can't be real.”

“Then why are you doing this, Adrian?”

I carefully placed the documents back inside the envelope and slipped it into my purse. I wiped the moisture from my cheeks and smoothed my hair before reaching for the door.

Aina was asleep, her small body lying beneath the sheets as the monitors filled the room with their steady rhythm.

I closed the door, pulled a chair beside her bed, and sat down, watching her sleep.

A tear slipped down my cheek as I gently brushed my hand over her forehead. I quickly wiped it away before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

Then I quietly left the room.

Once I stepped into the corridor, I pulled out my phone and opened my email before searching for my former supervisor's address.

I wrote the message without hesitating.

Sir, I hope you're doing well. It has been a long time, but I wanted to ask if there is an opportunity for me to join the project team once again. I would be grateful if we could discuss it.

I added another line.

Please let me know when you have time.

I read the email once, then pressed send.

With this, I searched my contacts for an old colleague from the company, someone I had stayed in touch with after leaving.

I found her number and called.

She answered after the second ring.

“Hi, Bella. How are you?”

Her familiar voice made something inside me tighten.

“Mia, I need a favor.”

There was a brief pause.

“Of course. What happened?”

“I need to find a small apartment as soon as possible. Something affordable. Do you know anyone who might be renting one?”

“An apartment?” Her voice grew concerned. “Bella, why do you need one all of a sudden?”

“I'll explain everything later. Right now, I just need your help.”

“I'll ask around,” Mia said gently. “Give me a little time. I'll call you as soon as I hear anything.”

“Thank you.”

I stayed at the hospital until visiting hours ended that night.

The next morning, I returned to Aina’s room and spent the day beside her. The hours passed quietly, one after another, until evening came.

By then, my body felt heavy, and a dull ache pressed against my temples. I cried whenever I found a moment alone, keeping my face turned away whenever the tears came. I couldn't even let myself cry openly. Everything I had been holding back seemed to sit inside my chest, growing heavier with every passing hour.

I stepped outside the hospital and walked toward the small park nearby. I needed a little time away from the noise and everything waiting for me inside.

The evening had settled over the park, leaving the paths almost empty. A few old lamps cast soft pools of light beneath the trees, while fallen leaves shifted quietly across the pavement in the cool breeze.

I followed the path until I found an empty bench and sat down.

The air cooled my face as I leaned back and closed my eyes.

My thoughts drifted to Adrian.

I knew when things between us had changed. I remembered every detail—and how he slowly became more distant after Alina entered his life. Yet there had never been one moment I could point to and say, That was when I completely lost him. Maybe I hadn't realized it while it was happening.

I had always believed Alina was part of the reason. The timing had made that difficult to ignore. But Adrian had said himself that she wasn't the reason.

Then what was?

He said he had never wanted this marriage. Maybe that was true. But if he never wanted me, what had he actually wanted? And if it was Alina, why had he stayed married to me for three more years?

If she was what he wanted, he could have divorced me. He could have walked away and built a life with her. Instead, he stayed, keeping everything between us exactly where it was, distant but never completely broken.

That was what I couldn't understand.

I opened my eyes and stared at the empty path ahead.

I didn't know what Adrian had been holding back all these years.

But now I needed to know. I was still sitting with that thought when my phone began to ring inside my purse.

I opened my eyes, pulled it out, and glanced at the screen before answering.

“Bella, I found something.”

“What did you find?”

“An apartment. A really good one.”

I frowned slightly.

“Good how?”

“It’s clean, spacious, and in a decent area. The rent is much lower than places like this usually are.”

I sat up a little straighter.

“That sounds too good to be true.”

“I thought the same thing,” Mia admitted. “But I went to see it myself. The owner is currently out of the country, and he has a property dealer handling everything for him. He's just looking for someone reliable, which is why the price is reasonable.”

I remained quiet, listening.

“There's only one problem,” she continued. “The dealer already has several people interested. He wants to finalize it quickly.”

I gripped my phone tighter.

“Mia, I don't have much time right now. I need to handle something important here.”

She went quiet for a moment.

“Bella, are you sure? You haven't even seen it yourself.”

“I trust your judgment. If you think it's a good place, then please help me finalize it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Send me the dealer's details and the payment information. I'll transfer the money. I'll come later to sign the agreement and complete the paperwork.”

Mia hesitated before replying.

“All right. I'll take care of it.”

The call ended.

I slipped my phone into my purse and remained on the bench for another moment before standing.

I knew where I needed to go.

I drove to the Blackridge estate and parked in the driveway. After getting out, I walked to the front door and let myself inside.

The familiar hallway greeted me, quiet except for the faint hum of the house.

I had barely taken a step toward the stairs when Adrian's voice drifted from the drawing room.

I stopped in my tracks.

His back was facing the stairs as he sat on the sofa, his elbows resting on his knees. Alina sat beside him with her back turned toward the glass wall, slowly turning her drink in her hand. Neither of them noticed me.

“I can't believe I finally made the decision I've been avoiding for years.”

“You wouldn't have made it even now if I hadn't pushed you. You kept holding on to something you didn't even want.”

“And you couldn't stand watching me do it.”

Alina looked at him but didn't answer.

“I was waiting for you,” Adrian continued. “Three years ago, you weren't ready.”

“I know.”

“And now you are.”

I stood motionless in the hallway as the meaning of his words slowly settled over me.

For three years, I had wondered why Adrian had never left me for Alina. 

Now I finally did.

He had been waiting for her.

Alina placed her drink on the table and turned toward him. Adrian reached for her hand, and she let him pull her closer until her head rested against his shoulder.

I watched them through the glass wall, unable to look away.

I had spent five years wondering why he had never chosen her.

I finally had my answer.