Semua Bab No Present, No Apology, Just Divorce: Bab 1 - Bab 10

Henry's POVI knew Jasmine Gunner, my wife, had heard what I said, and I wasn't in the mood to repeat myself. "You can just tell me if there's anything you want. I'll have someone buy it and deliver it to you, Jasmine."Jasmine gradually furrowed her brow. She then chuckled faintly after a moment's silence. "What are you up to this time, Henry?"I flashed Jasmine a puzzled look, wondering what had suddenly gotten into her. I then replied calmly, "I'm not pulling anything. Why are you being so strange, Jasmine? Haven't you always been indifferent to the gifts I send you?"I remembered that the gifts I got her would either end up in the doghouse or would be passed along to others, with her telling them that anything they wanted was up for grabs.Jasmine seemed to arrive at some conclusion, her tone turning gentler. "You're actually blaming me for that, huh? I swear I'll keep your gift properly this time, then. You should get up and get ready, Henry—everything should be just like it

Those present seemed surprised that I wasn't going tit-for-tat with Patrick for once; after all, just four months earlier, I had confronted him at the airport—even if the media had mocked me afterward as the bitter, cast-off spouse.Patrick, Jasmine, and I landed in Harborough simultaneously. I was the one going home for the New Year without a wife by my side, while Patrick was the adopted brother who had just returned from a vacation with Jasmine accompanying him.Throughout our five-year marriage, I spent the first four New Years away from home. Jasmine claimed she had to stay at her family's place to respect their customs and that I was required to do the same.I insisted that I was going back this year, no matter what. Jasmine didn't even bother looking up from what she was doing. "I need to prioritize my family here, so you'll have to go back alone."Mom and Dad were thrilled to see me, and the whole family gathered around to ask how I was doing and how my marriage was going.

Those things left behind by Henry weren't anything special. They were mostly items Jasmine had given Henry in the past, and since Henry didn't want to bring them with him, he decided to just return them to Jasmine.There was also a medical report among the items. Jasmine stared at the name on the document, but the longer she looked, the more unfamiliar it seemed, as though she could no longer understand what she was reading.She suddenly grabbed Jesse and asked, "When was this?"Jesse replied tremblingly, "I remember you told me not to schedule any work that day because you wanted to go to the church with your family, Ms. Gunner."That day, Jasmine received her divorce decree and also found out that Henry had been beaten so badly that he suffered internal bleeding on the very day she had left the church with her family.Jasmine dismissed Jesse, saying, "I'd like to be alone for a while."Jasmine's hands shook as she lit one cigarette after another, trying to calm herself down.P

It was the dead of night, and the house was completely dark, save for a few slivers of moonlight filtering inside. Jasmine had stopped the maid from coming over during this time, fearing that having people around would wash away the faint traces of Henry, who used to be there.Yet, the light that had always been left on for her was still gone.In the kitchen, the handwritten notes on how to cook Jasmine's favorite dishes were missing, and the flowers placed around the house, missing the careful hand that once tended them, had begun to wither.Jasmine looked at the spot where that pair of ceramic vases had been, now empty. She felt as though a piece of her own heart had been carved out, leaving behind a dull, lingering pain.It was even more noticeable in the bedroom, where the walk-in closet was entirely bare, save for her clothes hanging in the empty space.There used to be a small stuffed doll on the bed. Jasmine remembered how, in the past, Henry would hold that doll and wave i

It wasn't long before everyone around me found out that I had gotten a divorce."You're divorced, Henry? You should be free to join me for a meal, then, right?"I was left somewhat dazed when I saw Sophie Luther's message. She was someone I had grown up with since I was young, and later, when I fell in love with Jasmine, Sophie was always critical of her and couldn't find a single nice thing to say about her.Sophie actually showed up drunk on the night before I left for Harborough to get married and spoke incoherently for quite some time. She then pulled at my sleeve to hold me back just as I was leaving.She was hunched over just as I turned around, hiding her expression. "Is it impossible for you to stay, Henry? Do you actually want to marry her and go to a place that far away by yourself? She doesn't even treat you well. I like you, Henry, so marry me instead. I swear I'll treat you well for the rest of my life."I had no further contact with Sophie afterward to avoid any misu