The Principal's Affair

“Julian Long, let’s get a divorce.”

I received his call as soon as I sent the message.

“Molly Shane, will you stop with the tricks already? Yesterday you said your grandmother was dying, and now you want to threaten me with a divorce? The wedding is just a ceremony. Is it really that important to you?

“I told you, Sunny’s dog went missing yesterday, and she was worried sick. She’s had that dog for ages, and it’s really important to her. Its life was at stake, so what are you so jealous about? Can’t you have a heart for once?”

His accusations made my blood run cold.

Our wedding was supposed to be yesterday, but Julian ran away after receiving a call.

My grandmother was so mad she had a heart attack. I sent her to the hospital in a hurry, but the doctor there said Julian was the only one capable of such a surgery, so I called him.

He only picked up after my tenth call.

“Honey, my grandmother had a heart attack. Come to the hospital quick, save her!”

Julian said angrily, “Your grandmother is your only family member! How could you lie using your only family’s life to drag me back to the wedding? Are you crazy?

“Sunny’s dog went missing, and I’m helping her look for it. Stop calling me already.”

I sobbed, “No, I’m not lying! Grandma is really waiting at the hospital for you, and you’re the only one who can save her. I’m begging you, come to the hospital!”

Julian’s tone was impatient despite my sobs. “Enough acting, it’s just a wedding. I’ll make it up to you once we find Sunny’s dog, so stop bothering me.”

Just like that, he ended the call.

I was about to call him again when my grandmother’s ECG went flat. She was dead.

I lost my parents as a child, so she was the one who raised me all my life. If it were not for her, I would not be here right now.

The grief was too much. I cried until I passed out.

My best friend, Evie Rimm, stayed beside me the entire time. As soon as I woke up, I was determined to get a divorce.

Ever since Sunny Waters returned, Julian only ever cared about her.

Occasionally, when he said he was working overtime, he was meeting up with her instead.

He never liked or commented on any of my social media posts. Whenever I asked him to, he would call me childish.

Yet, he was the first to like any of Sunny’s posts.

I thought I had a lifetime to wait. Once we got married, he would remember me eventually, as long as I waited patiently for him.

All I received in return for my patience was a cold shoulder and his increasing impatience.

The day we registered our marriage, he went camping and moon-watching with Sunny.

Whenever she called him, he would rush to her side no matter how busy he was.

When my appendicitis flared up, when I was in so much pain I asked him in a cold sweat to send me to the hospital, he said I was weak-willed and pathetic.

When Sunny accidentally cut her hand while cooking, however, he would take her straight to the emergency room.

Sunny Waters was his most precious jewel. I knew I was no match for her, but I did not know my grandmother’s life meant less to him than her pet dog.

Julian was still going on over the phone. “Sunny said her dog’s still spooked, so I’m taking the two of them on a trip. We can talk once I get back.”

Evie could not stand it anymore. She grabbed my phone and roared at Julian, “Julian Long, Molly’s grandma died! If you still have a heart, come back right now to see her one last time!”