Chapter 5: Are you inlove with her?

The words hit Rita so hard that, for a second, she genuinely thought she had heard him wrong. "I want a divorce."

Silence.

Rita stood in the middle of their bedroom, staring at Philip as though he had suddenly begun speaking a language she didn't understand.

Rita blinked slowly. "What?"

Philip's expression didn't change. "I said I want a divorce."

Her fingers slowly curled at her sides. "No." Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "No, you didn't."

Philip exhaled through his nose, already looking tired. "I don't want this marriage anymore, Rita."

The words settled heavily between them. Rita stared at him. "Why?"

Philip walked toward the window and stood with his back partially turned to her. Outside, the city stretched beneath the glass, alive with movement.

"I think we've both known for a while that this marriage isn't working."

Rita let out a small, disbelieving laugh. "We've both known?"

Philip glanced at her over his shoulder.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Turn this into something dramatic."

Her mouth fell open. Something dramatic. Her husband had just asked for a divorce, and he was telling her not to be dramatic.

Rita swallowed the lump rising in her throat. "Then explain it to me, Philip. Because apparently, I'm the only one standing here who didn't know my marriage was ending."

His jaw tightened slightly. "You've been unhappy."

"I've been unhappy?"

"You complain constantly about my work."

Her brows pulled together. "Philip—"

"You complain that I'm never home. That I'm always in meetings. That I travel too much. That I don't spend enough time with you."

His voice remained calm, controlled. Too calm.

Like he was discussing a business problem instead of ending their marriage.

"You knew who I was before you married me," he continued. "My work has always demanded my time. I run several companies, Rita. I have thousands of employees depending on decisions I make every day. I cannot abandon my responsibilities because you want me home for dinner."

Rita felt something twist painfully inside her chest. "That's not what I said."

"But that's what you meant."

"No." Her voice rose. "I said I missed my husband!"

Philip went quiet.

Rita took a step toward him. "I wasn't asking you to abandon your companies. I wasn't asking you to stop working. I wasn't asking you to sit around the house and stare at me all day."

Her eyes burned. "I wanted you to make time for me."

His expression hardened. "And I told you that my time isn't always mine to give."

That hurt. God. That hurt.

Rita looked away for a second, blinking rapidly. Then she laughed. It was a quiet sound. Broken. "So that's it?"

Philip didn't answer.

"You're divorcing me because I wanted my husband to actually behave like a husband?"

"That's not the only reason."

Her head snapped back toward him. Of course, there was more. Rita's chest tightened. "Blair."

Philip's face changed almost imperceptibly. Rita laughed again, but this time there was no humor in it.

"Blair."

"Don't start."

"Oh, I'm starting."

Philip turned fully toward her. "Rita."

"No. You don't get to stand there and tell me not to start when you asked me for a divorce barely an hour after Blair walked into this house."

"Blair has nothing to do with—"

"Don't lie to me!"

Her voice cracked through the room.

Philip's jaw tightened. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then he said quietly, "You haven't made things easy for her."

Rita stared at him. "What?"

"You heard me."

"No. I heard the words coming out of your mouth. I just can't believe you actually said them."

Philip's gaze remained fixed on hers. "Blair is grieving."

"And?"

"And she's carrying my late brother's child."

Rita went still.

Philip continued. "She has nowhere else to go for now. She's staying here, and I've asked you to make her comfortable."

Rita's lips parted. "You asked me to make her comfortable?"

"Yes."

"And what exactly does that mean, Philip?"

"It means treating her with decency."

Her face changed. "Are you accusing me of treating her badly?"

"I'm saying you've refused to take proper care of her."

Rita actually stepped back. For a moment, she could only stare.Then she laughed.A sharp, disbelieving laugh. "Take care of her?"

"Rita—"

"No, say it again. I want to hear you."

His expression darkened.

"You've made her uncomfortable since she arrived."

"Because I didn't personally serve her everything she asked for?"

"Don't twist my words."

"I'm twisting your words?"

Her voice rose again.

"You brought your late brother's widow into our home, Philip. Into my home. And now you're standing here telling me I haven't taken good care of her?"

"She is family."

"So am I!" The words exploded from her.

Philip's eyes flickered. Rita's chest rose and fell heavily. "So am I," she repeated, quieter this time. Her eyes filled despite her efforts to stop them. "I'm your wife."

Philip looked away.

That was worse than anything he could have said.

Rita pressed her lips together, trying desperately to hold herself together.But the humiliation burned.

She thought of Blair downstairs.

Soft-spoken. Fragile.Widowed.Carrying Philip's brother's child.And Philip hovering around her since she arrived. Making sure she was comfortable. Calling the housekeeper to prepare whatever she wanted.

Things Rita had once begged him to notice about her.

"You care about her," Rita whispered.

Philip's head turned immediately. "Don't make this into something it isn't."

"Then what is it?"

"She's vulnerable."

"So was I." The words slipped out.

Philip's face hardened.

Rita immediately regretted saying them. Not because they weren't true. But because Philip looked like he had already decided not to care.

"I don't want to argue about Blair," he said.

"Of course you don't."

"I've made my decision."

Rita's throat tightened. "So you're really doing this."

"Yes."

"Just like that?"

"No." His voice dropped. "Not just like that."

She waited.

Philip ran a hand over his jaw. "This marriage has been difficult for a long time."

Her eyes searched his face. "Because I wanted you around?"

"Because we want different things."

"What do you want, Philip?"

He didn't answer immediately.

And somehow, that silence answered more than his words could have.

Rita's heart sank. "Is it because of Blair?"

“What?” Philip frowned.

"Answer me!" Her voice rose."Are you in love with her?”