Chapter 2

I scrolled through the entries one by one.

Coffee and pastries for Jenna: 500 dollars a week for two months. Group meals during her internship: seven meals averaging 500 dollars each. A cake from her favorite bakery: 80 dollars every week.

He had spent nearly 50,000 dollars on Jenna alone.

I kept scrolling. At the bottom was a category labeled "Household Expenses."

The mortgage was paid on time each month. Groceries and daily necessities were tracked down to the dollar. My allowance had fallen from 1,000 dollars to 200 dollars.

Everything he saved from our household budget went to Jenna.

I looked up at Adrian, anger flaring. "You've spent nearly 50,000 dollars on Jenna alone. Even counting all the discounted products close to expiring, you've spent less than 20,000 dollars on me. Adrian, is this what you call being frugal?"

Adrian leaned back against the couch, his eyes still on his phone. "Jenna is an orphan and she's young. It's hard for her to live alone in a big city. As her supervisor, what's wrong with looking out for her?"

I forced myself to stay calm. "Looking out for a junior colleague? You spent 28,000 dollars on her birthday. Our entire wedding budget was only 30,000 dollars. I couldn't even get the wedding dress I wanted because you said it would put us over budget."

He put down his phone and frowned at me. "Nina Shaw, do you have to make such a big deal out of this? She's a young woman living alone in this city. What's wrong with taking extra care of her? The money isn't yours."

Not my money? Together, we barely made 30,000 dollars a month.

Yet in just two months, he had spent nearly 50,000 dollars on Jenna.

I reined in my anger and asked, "Have you noticed how much stricter you've gotten with me? We have to cut every household expense, but when it comes to Jenna, money doesn't matter."

Adrian fell silent for a few seconds before answering. "We're married. We're saving for our future. Do you have to compete with a young woman? I'm nice to her because she's my intern. Can't you be a little more generous?"

It was exactly the answer I had expected.

He framed shortchanging me as saving for our future and spoiling Jenna as simply caring for an intern.

"In that case, let's get a div..."

I was about to say "divorce" when his phone rang, cutting me off.

I glanced at the screen. Jenna was calling.

"Adrian, my rent is due and my salary hasn't come through. Could you lend me some money?"

He glanced at me, then stepped onto the balcony. "I'll send you 5,000 dollars. Use it for now. There's no rush to pay me back."

"Have you lost your mind?"

He opened the balcony door. "Were you eavesdropping? She's a young woman..."

"Last month, my mother was hospitalized. When I asked you for 5,000 dollars, you said we'd just paid the mortgage and told me to ask my father.

"That same month, you spent 28,000 dollars on Jenna's birthday, and now you're giving her another 5,000 dollars. You always have money for Jenna. But when it comes to me, suddenly there's none. Suddenly we have to save. Suddenly it isn't necessary."

He frowned. "Nina, I already told you, she's my intern. If you're even jealous of her, how are we supposed to stay married?"

Too exhausted to argue anymore, I turned and went back to the bedroom.

I texted my mother. "Mom, I want a divorce."

Seconds later, my mother called. "Nina, what happened? Why do you suddenly want a divorce?"

I was about to answer when Adrian pushed open the door.

"Nina, who are you talking to this late? I have rounds first thing tomorrow. Keep your voice down."

He seemed to have forgotten that just a week earlier, Jenna had stayed after dinner, talking and laughing with him until late at night.

Their laughter never quieted. He'd had rounds the next morning then, too.

He continued, "By the way, Jenna's lease expires next month. I don't feel comfortable letting her look for a place alone, so I'll go apartment hunting with her tomorrow. If she can't cover the rent, I'll pay the difference for now."

"Tomorrow is my follow-up appointment. I booked it three months ago. It took me forever to work around your shifts. You promised you'd come with me," I said.

He froze, as if he'd only just remembered. "Go by yourself tomorrow. I'll meet you there as soon as I've finished looking at apartments with Jenna."

After he closed the door, I slowly raised the phone again. "Mom, do you understand now why I want a divorce?"