That memory stayed beautiful. Even now. Even after he shattered so much of what we built, that moment still existed.Proof that once, without question, he had loved me in the purest way he knew how.
—?—
That night, I cooked dinner for him. Nothing complicated, just honey mustard chicken and roasted potatoes. When Adrian came home and saw the table set, I caught the brief flicker of happiness on his face, even though he tried to hide it.
“Elena, you didn’t have to do all this,” he said softly. “But... thank you.”
He stepped closer to me where I stood beside the dining table, leaning in to kiss my forehead. He didn’t get the chance. I moved away before his lips could reach me and took my seat instead. He let out a quiet breath before sitting down across from me.
We ate in silence, calm and restrained, a sharp contrast to a month ago, when dinners were filled with stories and laughter. After we finished eating, I stood to clear the table and wash the dishes, but Adrian stopped me.
“I’ll do it,” he said gently.
He took my plate and carried it to the sink. I watched his back as he washed the dishes, my chest tightening painfully. I drew a slow breath in, then let it out just as slowly, trying to keep the tears at bay. It still hurt. So much. Because I still loved him, and the irony of it all was cruel. I still wanted comfort from the same person who had hurt me. I still needed him to be the one to lessen the pain he had caused.
When he finished cleaning up, I didn’t waste any more time.
“I called her this morning,” I said.
Adrian turned to face me and walked closer. Strangely, he didn’t look surprised at all, and I’d learned to trust my instincts.
“You knew,” I said. Not a question. A statement.
He hesitated for a moment, as if weighing his words.
“Yes,” he admitted quietly.
I let out a bitter smile. “So she reported to you right away.”
“It’s not like that,” he said quickly. “Let me explain. I don’t want you to misunderstand.”
He took the chair across from me.
“Yes, she contacted me,” he continued. “She was rambling after you confronted her, but I didn’t engage. I told her to only contact me about the debt.”
“Should I clap for you?” I said coldly. “For managing to restrain yourself? Congratulations.”
Adrian stayed silent, his eyes fixed on me.
“I told her to pay the debt back through me,” I added. “Not you.”
His expression didn’t change. “Alright,” he said. “That’s better, actually, if you don’t mind.”
“You put me in this position, Adrian,” I said, exhaling shakily. “And now that woman stays in my life until her debt is paid off. She’ll always be there, as a reminder that you betrayed me.”
“Elena—”
And finally, I said the thought that had been haunting me since this morning, since the moment I ended that call with Phoebe.
“Is our marriage still worth saving, Adrian?” I asked quietly.
“Of course it is,” he said immediately, his hand clenching into a fist. “I can’t lose you, Elena. We can still do this. We can.”
“I don’t know if I can move forward,” I whispered. “I don’t know if we can rebuild.”
“Please don’t say that. I’ll do anything you ask,” he said, his voice breaking. “Anything, Elena. Just... don’t leave me. Please give me a chance.”
“You didn’t just cheat on me physically, Adrian,” I said. “You were emotionally attached to her for months. Why don’t we just stop here?
