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Lahat ng Kabanata ng Always First: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 8

8 Kabanata

Chapter 1

When I got home, only one floor lamp was on in the living room.Ace Hensley still wasn't home.The vase I'd swapped out before leaving that morning sat on the dining table, the white roses inside already drooping. I'd originally prepared them for our anniversary.Now they looked more like a small funeral held in advance for our marriage.I stood in the entryway and slipped off my shoes.Ace used to say he could always recognize the sound of me coming through the door. He said that no matter how late it was, as long as he heard those sounds, he knew someone was waiting for him at home.But now I understood.It wasn't me he loved. He loved having a home where the lights were always on, and someone was always waiting for him.I didn't go to the kitchen. I went straight to the study. In the cabinet at the very back was the bag where I kept my important documents: my passport, bank cards, my dad's medical records from all his surgeries over the years, and the deed to the small house

Chapter 2

Ace turned around, a flicker of impatience crossing his eyes. "What could you possibly have to do?"I looked at him. "Ace, from now on, don't make her problems my responsibility."He was silent for two seconds. Then, as if I'd said something completely unreasonable, he raised a hand and rubbed his brow. "Angel, she doesn't have anyone else. What's wrong with me taking care of her? You're my wife. Isn't it only right that you help me shoulder some of the responsibility?"Suddenly, I felt like even arguing with him was a waste of energy, so I nodded. "You're right."Ace's expression softened. He thought I'd given in again.But I'd only finally understood. In his eyes, I didn't even have the right to say no.The next morning, Ace was up unusually early. He stood in front of the closet choosing a shirt, his phone lying on the nightstand. The screen lit up.A message from Peyton came through.[Ace, I couldn't sleep again last night.]A photo followed. A hospital IV dressing was tap

Chapter 3

The law office wasn't far from home.After reviewing the documents I'd brought, Daniel Peralta looked up at me. "Ms. Hensley, are you sure you want to go through with the divorce?"I nodded. "Absolutely."If Mr. Hensley refuses to cooperate, the process could take some time.""That's fine." I paused before adding, "I'm not in a hurry to get him to sign."Daniel looked surprised.I smiled. "He always assumes I'll wait. So let him wait for once."When I left the law office, the sky was heavily overcast.I received a message from Ace.[Peyton's blood sugar dropped, and she fainted for a moment. I stayed with her while she finished her IV.]A few minutes later, another message came through.[I'll be home for dinner tonight. I bought your favorite chicken.]I stared at the screen for a long time.He was always like this. He'd hand someone else the knife, then come back and try to comfort me with a meal. As if as long as he was willing to make it up to me, I was supposed to forg

Chapter 4

I signed the final authorization form before the boarding gate closed.Daniel took the document from me and asked softly, "Ms. Hensley, are you sure you don't want to wait for Mr. Hensley to come back and talk things through one more time?"I capped my pen. "I'm not waiting anymore.""He probably still doesn't know you're really leaving.""Whether he knows or not doesn't change the fact that I'm leaving."The boarding announcement sounded again.I pulled my suitcase behind me, my phone vibrating nonstop in my palm. Call after call came from Ace.I didn't answer.Then the messages started coming in.[Angel, where are you?][What do you mean by taking all your things out of the house?][What's this about a divorce agreement?][Pick up the phone.]I stared at those messages and suddenly remembered the first time he'd proposed to me seven years ago.It had been at the airport too. He'd just returned from a business trip, standing at the arrivals gate with a suitcase in one ha

Chapter 5

On the third day, Ace found my parents' address.When Mom opened the door, he was standing in the hallway, with dark circles under his eyes and his shirt badly wrinkled. He was holding a bag of fruit. There were mangoes inside.Mom took one look, and her expression cooled. "Angel doesn't eat mangoes. You didn't know that?"Ace's hand went still. "I forgot."Mom didn't take the bag. "You didn't forget. You just didn't care."Ace stood in the doorway without saying a word for a long time.I was sitting in the living room. Hearing his voice still made my chest tighten for a moment.Seven years of habit didn't disappear in a few days. Just like whenever I heard his footsteps, I still instinctively looked up, but I didn't get up.Ace saw me through the doorway, his voice softening. "Angel, we need to talk."Mom moved to stop him.However, I stood up. "Mom, it's okay."There weren't many people in the little garden downstairs.Ace followed behind me, walking slowly. He had never

Chapter 6

Ace didn't come to my parents' house again.Daniel told me he had finally agreed to discuss the divorce agreement.Our first meeting was scheduled at his law office.When I arrived, Ace was already sitting in the conference room. The divorce agreement was lying in front of him. The edges of the pages were slightly crumpled. He had probably gone through it many times.The moment he saw me, he stood up. "Angel."I sat down beside Daniel. "Let's get started."Ace looked terrible. "Do you really have to be this formal?""We're discussing a legal matter."Daniel pushed the list of assets toward us.The house had been purchased by Ace before our marriage, so it was his separate property. I didn't contest it. Most of the furniture in the house had been things I'd purchased and added myself. I didn't want any of it either.I only took back my savings, my work equipment, and the $120,000 I'd fronted for him over the years.Ace's brows drew together when he saw the amount. "You never

Chapter 7

After the divorce procedure began, Ace sent me a lot of messages.He stopped talking about Peyton and started talking about the past.[I found the schedule you made for me the first time. You even marked the weather for every city I traveled to for work. You wrote down whether my stomach might hurt after I landed.]I didn't reply.A day later, he sent me a photo. It was a drawer in our home office. Inside were the medication organizers I'd once arranged for him. Every compartment had a label.Ace sent another message: [I never realized how much you did.]I stared at the photo and closed the conversation.Of course he hadn't realized.Whenever he came home, his medicine was already laid out, dinner was already warm, and his shirts were already ironed.I had done everything so quietly. So quietly that he'd assumed those things were simply supposed to be there.Later, I learned from Daniel that Ace and Peyton had completely fallen out.It wasn't because of me. It was because on

Chapter 8

Dad was silent for a long time before saying, "At least you understand that now."Ace walked into the living room.I was sitting on the sofa and didn't get up.He placed the document folder on the coffee table. "This is the deed transfer."I frowned. "What do you mean?""I'm transferring the house to you.""I don't want it.""Angel, this is something I owe you.""Ace." I looked at him. "What you owe me isn't a house. You owe me every moment over those seven years when you weren't there. But you can't give those things back."Ace's eyes reddened. "I know. But I don't know what else I can do.""Then don't do anything."He froze.I continued, "You don't need to compensate me anymore. And you don't need to use your guilt to prove that you regret what you did. I didn't leave so that I could wait for you to regret it. I just want to give myself back to myself."Ace sat there, and tears finally fell from his eyes. He lowered his head and wiped them away with the back of his hand.

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