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Chapter 1

Jackson Holloway’s voice was urgent and worried on the other end of the line.“What’s the meaning of this, Cerise? Did you really run off with our children in the middle of the night because of that little thing this afternoon?“Do you have any idea how hard it is at work? My colleagues and higher-ups were all there. Do you know how embarrassing it was for me that you sat in the lobby in that get-up?”I stood by the window of my rented apartment and looked at the drizzle outside. “That little thing?” My voice was calm.“You think that was just a small thing, Jackson?”“I only told you to go home. It couldn’t have been raining that hard. You can survive a little rain. Was it so bad that you had to run off with our kids?”Jackson’s voice got louder and louder. “Come back immediately! Stop throwing a tantrum. It’s honestly embarrassing.”I looked down at my ring finger. After ten years of marriage, I was still wearing the silver ring he had bought me for our wedding. Back t

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Chapter 2

I hung up on him. At some point, the rain outside grew heavier and began pounding against the window.I put my phone on silent and stood there for a long time. A cold draft slipped through the frame and sent a chill through me. I was not like this ten years ago. Back then, I had just graduated from college and found a decent job in my hometown. My parents worked good jobs. We were not very rich, but we had a comfortable life. Jackson had come to town on a business trip, and we met through a friend. We dated for a year before I followed him to this northern city. In the beginning, my parents did not approve of my choice. They were worried that I would be taken advantage of. In the end, they could not dissuade me and agreed to let me marry Jackson. The day I left my hometown, Mom cried so hard that she could barely speak. At the train station, Dad said, “Come home if things get bad. I can still afford to take care of you.”I hugged my mother, chuckled, and told them not

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Chapter 3

After some time, I finally stood up and walked into the bedroom. The kids were squeezed into the tiny bed and sleeping soundly. My younger son, Lionel Holloway, was four years old and liked having something to hold in his sleep. The teddy bear he had brought from home was misshapen from the way he clutched it every night. My older daughter, Lila Holloway, was eight, and she slept in wild positions. Her leg was draped over Lionel.I moved her leg gently off of him and tucked the blanket more securely around them. Lila turned over and muttered in her sleep. It sounded like she was calling for me. Tears stung my eyes, and I quickly went back outside. I wanted to call my mother. I keyed in her number before I deleted it again. It had been eleven years. Eleven years ago, I had sworn to my parents that I would be fine. How worried would they be if I called them in the middle of the night, telling them I had walked out with my children and was getting divorced?I decided

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Chapter 4

I was surprised for a moment. Then, I let out a laugh. I looked at him and said, “You’re the one who seems to have found someone else. Am I correct, Jackson?”Jackson’s face darkened. “What nonsense are you spouting?”“I’m not spouting nonsense. Since we’re both here, let’s go to City Hall and get divorced.”Jackson’s face only got darker. “Are you nuts, Cerise? Are you really going to do all this because of such a small thing that happened that day?”“‘A small thing’?” I said. “I’ve been delivering lunch to you for ten years, Jackson, but you said I was your cousin. Do you know what I was thinking in the rain on the way home? I was wondering what the past ten years were for.”“It was something I said in the moment.”“I was in the rain at that moment. Ten years, Jackson! I cooked for you for ten years, but you can’t even acknowledge me as your wife.”Jackson did not say anything. “Let’s get a divorce. Let’s just let this go.”“I won’t get a divorce.” Jackson turned away.

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Chapter 5

The car window rolled down. When Jackson saw me, his face went pale. The woman looked at me. Her eyes were bright with curiosity but also wariness. “Who’s this, Jackson?”“Let me explain, Cerise…”“No need to explain.” I took out my phone and showed him the photos I took. “Look, I got some great shots.”Jackson reached out to grab my phone, but I pulled it back. “Don’t misunderstand, Cerise. This is my colleague, and we were talking about work.”“Do you need to be touching each other’s faces when talking about work?”The woman’s expression shifted, but she did not say anything. “Can we get a divorce now?” I looked at Jackson. “If this isn’t enough, I can send all these pictures to your colleagues. If nothing else, they can vouch for how your company expects its staff to discuss work matters.”“Don’t go too far, Cerise!”“I’m going too far?” I laughed. “I didn’t make a fuss that day you called me your cousin, Jackson. But this isn’t something easy to let go.”Jackson’s

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Chapter 6

Claire’s expression changed slightly, but she was still insistent. “You’re lying! Jackson isn’t that kind of person!”“Ask him if you don’t believe me. Feel free to come back and make a fuss after you’ve done that.”I did not want to waste my time on them any longer, so I turned and entered the building. They yelled after me, but I ignored them. I thought that this would be the end of it, but I had underestimated them. Three days later, I got a call from Mom. Her voice shook as she said, “Cerise, you got a divorce?”I was taken aback. “How did you find out about that, Mom?”“Claire called me and said you’re mistreating Jackson. She said you’d even taken the kids and wanted us to get you in line,” she said. “What’s going on, Cerise?”I leaned against the wall and suddenly felt exhausted. “I’m not mistreating him, Mom. He has a mistress. I saw it with my own eyes.”Mom was quiet on the other end of the line.“What about the kids?”“I’m taking care of the kids. I have lega

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Chapter 7

“Dad!” I cried, rushing to pull him back. “Don’t go! I’ve already settled everything. Our divorce is done and legally binding. I have custody of the kids. There’s nothing to argue about.”“Well, I still need to let them know that they can’t push you around!” Dad flung my hand away. “David, Cerise is right. Don’t go. You’ll only give them more to fight about.”Dad stood in the doorway for a long time. Finally, he turned and came back inside. He looked at me. “It’s all my fault, Cerise.”“What are you talking about, Dad?”“I should have stopped you from marrying him all those years ago. You moved so far away to be with him. No one knew about the hardships you suffered.”I cried as I looked at the gray in his hair.“Don’t say that, Dad. It was my choice to marry him. It’s not your fault.”Mom started crying as well. We stood there, all crying together. That night, Mom insisted on cooking and made a delicious feast. There was a whole chicken, a gigantic bowl of spaghetti b

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Chapter 8

I could not say anything for a moment. “Dad…”“Don’t argue.” Dad waved it off. “It’s all decided.”Mom was smiling. “Ignore him. He’s always wanted to move here to be closer to you. He just wasn’t able to say it.”I looked at them and was at a loss for words.That afternoon, I took them to the train station. Mom turned to me and gave me a look. “Call me if anything happens, Cerise. Don’t handle it all alone.”“I know, Mom.”“Also, if Jackson comes to make trouble, tell me. I may be old, but I can still give him a good scolding.”I chuckled. “Alright.”They walked further into the station.I stood there for a long time, watching them disappear in the crowd. On the way home, I received a text from Rose. [Jackson is in the hospital, Cerise. Do with that what you will.]I was stunned for a moment. Then, I deleted the text. It did not matter to me where Jackson was or what happened to him. When I took Lila and Lionel to school the next day, I saw Jackson at the gate ag

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Chapter 9

I left. After walking some distance away, I looked back. Jackson was still standing there looking at me. He was frozen in place. That night, I called Mom. “Mom.”“What is it, Cerise?”“Nothing. I just miss you.”Mom laughed. “Silly girl, we’ll be back once we’re done here.”“Okay,” I said. “Where’s Dad, Mom?”“Watching TV. David, Cerise wants to talk to you.”Dad came to the phone. “How are things, Cerise?”“Everything’s fine, Dad. I just wanted to ask you how selling the house is going.”“We’ll be done soon. Someone’s interested, and we’re talking things out.”“Dad…” I paused before continuing, “Thank you.”Dad was silent on the other end of the line.“Silly girl, you don’t need to thank me. I’m your father,” he said. After hanging up, I sat by the window and looked at the lights outside. This city was very active at night, and the lights flickered as cars veered past.I had lived here for eleven years, but this was the first time I felt like it was not so foreign

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Chapter 10

After the meal, Jackson left, and I stood in the kitchen alone for a long time. The faucet ran, and water gushed in the sink. I stared at the bowl in my hand without moving. When he had said those words, his voice had been low, as though he had forced them out.“Your cooking still tastes the same.”I did not know how I felt. I had been with him for ten years, but this was the first time I felt he was truly remorseful.But what would that do? It would change nothing in our relationship.That night, I called Mom and told her about Jackson joining us for dinner. Mom was silent for a while before asking, “What are you thinking, Cerise?”I told her I did not know. “Then, take your time thinking about it. Don’t rush. Once we get back, we can discuss this together.”I agreed and hung up. I sat by the window and watched the moon outside. It was a full moon that night. Before the divorce, I always cooked up a storm and waited for him to come home for dinner. Jackson rarely

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