Asher dared not look at Regina's reaction. He didn't want to see the indifference in her eyes again. Instead, he turned and headed upstairs to begin packing his belongings.
Now that the divorce papers were signed, he no longer had any reason to remain in the Gleason residence.
He had so many items of clothing, watches, and shoes that they nearly filled up the entire room. Normally, anyone else might have simply gotten rid of them all, but he wanted to take everything with him.
It wasn't out of greed, but rather an inability to let go of the past.
Regina had chosen every single item in this room for him. She'd even gone to great lengths researching men's fashion specifically for him.
He used to tease her, calling her a helicopter mother hen who insisted on managing everything from his attire to his meals.
But she hadn't gotten shy or annoyed with him. Rather, she simply stated quite matter-of-factly, "How you carry yourself also affects my image and reputation. Even though we're not yet officially married, the whole city knows you as my husband. Of course I have to take good care of you.
"It also serves as a lesson to those other women who have their eyes on you. They can only claim that they love you more than me if they go above and beyond what I'm doing for you now."
Though the memory had grown somewhat hazy, her words remained etched in Asher's mind as they continued playing and replaying in his head.
Still, his suitcase had limited space, and he couldn't possibly take everything with him.
Or maybe the one thing he truly wanted to take with him was just Regina and nothing else.
In the end, the only thing he ended up taking away with him was a photograph of them from their high school days. They were both wearing their graduation gowns as he stood with his arms crossed while she stood behind him, her eyes radiant with joy.
Unfortunately for him, time couldn't remain frozen in that moment of happiness forever.
The suitcase Asher pulled along was very light, but every step he took as he departed felt exceptionally heavy, especially when Regina said coldly and detachedly, "Take care of yourself. And remember to send me a message once you've arrived at your new place to let me know you're safe."
In the past, she used to use these polite, perfunctory remarks for mere guests who were leaving. Now, he was also on the receiving end of such "polite" words.
Asher feigned composure and said simply, "Goodbye, Regina."
As the heavy door slammed shut behind him, the sky beyond his field of vision turned hazy, much like his own state of mind. It wasn't until he climbed into a cab that he finally leaned his head back.
He could see his disheveled, wretched appearance reflected in the car windows. In fact, he could hardly reconcile the man he had become with the vibrant, flamboyant Asher of the past.
"So, even love can leave a person so haggard and unrecognizable in the end…" he murmured, though he also didn't know whether he was speaking to himself or to the woman who was no longer by his side.
He didn't return to Pearce Manor, choosing instead to stay at a five-star hotel in the city center.
The old family estate had once been home to his parents and Regina, but now, it felt far too cold, filled only with hollow, chilling echoes.
He still couldn't bring himself to accept his newfound solitude. For days on end, he emptied the hotel room's minibar of all the alcoholic drinks. He only managed to drift into sleep after the alcohol had numbed all of his senses, but somehow, Regina's face would always appear in his dreams.
Sometimes, her expression was tender. Sometimes, it was cold and indifferent. Sometimes, she would lash out at him and shriek, "You're nothing but a jinx, Asher Pearce! If it weren't for you, my parents would still be alive!"
In every one of his dreams, he would plead his case, even sinking to his knees and sobbing loudly in desperate apology, and she would eventually forgive him. They would then reconcile and hold another wedding.
But the moment he placed the ring on her finger, he would wake up immediately.
And then, he would be met only by the deathly silence of his hotel room instead of the joyous wedding celebrations in his dreams.
Asher laughed self-deprecatingly at his own delusional fantasies, instinctively reaching for more alcohol to dull the pain. But when he found the minibar empty, he recalled the 24-hour convenience store nearby and went out to get some more.
He bought every bottle of alcohol in the store before sitting by a flowerbed, looking for all the world like a homeless beggar, and began downing all the alcohol, one after another.
He lost track of how long he'd been drinking. All he remembered was his consciousness suddenly blacking out at some point.
Amid the haze, he thought he heard the wail of an ambulance, and for a brief moment, he thought he also caught a glimpse of Regina.
He struggled, reaching out to grasp her. "Regina… I missed you so much…"
Suddenly, he heard a familiar, clear, and cool female voice coming from above him.
"I missed you too, Asher."
LOGIN
