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I shake my head. Explaining is exactly what I have to do because him being my nightmare…it’s about me being a burden to him, and…and him kissing Sadie⁠—

“And you won't have much longer to wait either.”

My stomach starts tying itself in knots when I hear this.

"It's why I came here, and I've already spoken to Keiran. He's giving you the day off tomorrow. We'll have a meeting with our lawyers in the conference room.”

Ruel hasn’t really said the word, but I hear it all the same.

Divorce.

It’s what we don’t have much longer to wait for.

Divorce.

He’s here to end our marriage for good, and it’s what makes me just watch helplessly, unable to say a thing as he walks away.

All I can do is just stand there as the door swings shut behind him.

It’s really going to happen.

Come tomorrow, I’ll no longer be his wife.

Chapter 11

Not Yours, But Mine

You can do it. You can do it.

I tell myself this as I stare at my reflection.

I’ve done my best to look presentable. That’s all I’m aiming for. Presentable. It’s a coping mechanism of sorts. If I try to make myself pretty, it might lead me to comparing myself to Sadie. But if I just aim to be presentable, then I can at least convince myself that I simply want to be…professional for the meeting.

So yes, presentable.

I reach for my mascara. Then my lip gloss. I just want to add some color to my face and not look like a ghost when I’m served the divorce papers.

You can do it, I tell myself one last time before leaving my room.

But once I’m out, and I’m on my way to the conference room, that’s when I realize I might not be able to do it after all.

Because the one thing I accidentally overlooked?

It’s how everyone’s interested in Ruel, aka Mr. Mysterious to many, and it’s this interest that has all heads turning my way when they realize where I’m heading. Many of them are my coworkers, and I can almost hear their thoughts when they finally notice I’m not in my uniform.

They all start talking as soon as I walk past them, but I do my best to block it all out. It’s already all too easy to imagine what they’re thinking⁠—

Who does she think she is?

Is she really going in there?

Has she lost her mind?

But I’m sure their thoughts are much worse in reality, so…nope.

I’ve come to accept I’ll never be a genius. But that doesn’t mean I’m dumb enough to sign myself up for pointless torment when I don’t have to.

So just focus, Kar.