All Chapters of On Our Anniversary, She Chose Him: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

Crystal hated my work.To her, painting was nothing but an expensive hobby, nowhere near as important as her endless string of business dinners and client meetings. Because she hated it, I'd given up my own career after we got together and turned myself into a stay-at-home husband whose whole job was taking care of her. Every corner of our apartment was filled with things she liked. The only space that belonged to me was this study.My old professor called to talk about the trip abroad. He said he'd always regretted that I'd given up painting all those years ago. Out of our entire graduating class, I'd been the most talented, and the only one who'd walked away from it.He rambled on for a while, but it all came down to the same point: he wanted me to think about my own future, not let myself get soft and trapped again in the grind of daily life."Collin, people change. Even if she seemed perfect to you back then, give it enough time and all that sacrifice, all that hurt you swall

I looked down at my apron, streaked with paint, and shook my brush with a resigned little laugh.Forget it. We were never the same kind of people to begin with. Whatever pointless message she'd sent, I could just ignore it. Remembering the last time she'd bombarded my phone with messages, I worried she might start calling again if she didn't see me spiraling in response. Luckily, I didn't have many friends, and even fewer people I actually needed to keep in touch with, so I turned my phone off entirely and threw myself into my work.Time always moved fast when I was focused. When I finally heard the door slam outside, I looked up and realized it was already one in the morning.Crystal stumbled into the room, drunk, her heels dangling from one hand, reeking of alcohol. I couldn't help frowning. "Why didn't you answer my calls? Why didn't you call me back?" There was an edge of accusation in her voice.I turned my canvas aside, intending to walk her back out of the room. Instead,

Crystal spending two nights away from home didn't stir up so much as a ripple in me. Even I found that hard to believe.Insecurity had always run deep in this relationship of ours, so much so that the moment Luke showed up, alarm bells went off in my head. Back then, wherever the two of them went, I'd find some way to dig up the details. Her friends all thought I was overreacting. Eventually, Crystal herself grew sick of my behavior, and more than once called me boring and obsessive.I leaned against the balcony railing, looking down. A couple was walking through the park below. The girl skipped ahead, glancing back at the guy every few steps. He walked behind her, both hands full of shopping bags, smiling at her the whole way. Crystal and I used to be like that too. How had we ended up here?My phone buzzed while I was still turning that thought over. I looked down. It was a message from Crystal.Crystal: [Had the meatloaf platter today. Not as good as the place we used to go

I recognized the ring immediately. It was the same style as the one I'd once picked out to propose to her with. She must have taken my old suggestion to heart and bought a matching pair."You have no idea. Ever since I found out you were leaving, I've felt sick with worry, like you were slipping away from me and there was nothing I could do about it. Collin, I've gotten so used to having you around. I honestly can't picture my life without you in it." As she spoke, she pushed the ring toward me with both hands, solemn as a vow. "I know I haven't treated you right. I promise I'll change. If it would put your mind at ease, I'll hand the company over to someone else and come with you. You spent all those years taking care of me. This time, let me take care of you while you chase your dream. What do you say?"Listening to her, my nose stung against my will. Not because I was moved. If anything, it was grief for all the years of my life I'd wasted on this. So this was how easily a p