Chapter 4

Viola's POV

Clutching my lower abdomen, which had throbbed until it was completely numb, I waited for two hours before a cab finally pulled up and took me home.

By the time I made it home, I was drenched from head to toe. My dress clung tightly to my skin, rumpled and splattered with mud from the Maybach. Near the entrance, Lynn's high heels and Joshua's dress shoes were neatly lined up together.

When I walked into the house, a rich, savory aroma drifted into my nose. I followed the scent to the kitchen.

Joshua was busy at the stove, wearing my apron. Lynn was hovering beside him, chattering away, occasionally wiping the sweat from his forehead. They really did look like a family.

When she turned around and spotted me, she gasped and shot Joshua a reproachful look. "How'd you end up so drenched, Viola? This is all Josh's fault. I told him to wait for you, but he insisted that you could get home by yourself."

Joshua also turned toward me when he heard that. He then emerged from the kitchen with a frown.

He hastily grabbed a towel from the chair and draped it over my head. "How old are you? Don't you know how to take care of yourself? Don't go catching another cold."

After taking a shower and stepping out of the bathroom, three dishes and a pot of soup were already set on the table. Lynn motioned for me to join them for dinner. So, I sat across from her and Joshua.

She was all smiles as she placed a piece of meat on my plate. "Viola, you have to try Josh's signature honey-glazed ribs. He used to make them for me all the time when we were kids!"

I looked at Joshua, who wore a faint, indulgent smile. "I haven't made them in years. My cooking might not be as good as it used to be."

I picked up the rib and took a slow, deliberate bite.

Joshua was a fantastic cook. The balance of sweet and tangy in the glaze was perfect. The meat was tender and juicy, and the chicken soup was rich and flavorful without being greasy. I couldn't find a single flaw.

After five years together, I had no idea he even knew how to cook. He had never told me, nor had he ever cooked a single meal for me, yet he had made this dish for Lynn countless times.

Lynn was, and always would be, his exception.

…

Monday arrived, bringing the start of another workweek.

When I got out of bed, Joshua and Lynn were already having breakfast. As usual, there were pancakes and oatmeal on the table. I had no appetite, so I just nibbled on a piece of bread.

When it was time to leave, Lynn went downstairs first, while Joshua went to use the bathroom. When he walked out, I was in the master bedroom, packing my luggage.

He stepped inside and told me, "Lynn and I are heading out of town on a business trip for a week. She's already packed my luggage for me this afternoon."

I nodded calmly and continued packing my clothes.

Looking at the clothes scattered across the bed, Joshua furrowed his brow. "Why are you packing your clothes? Where are you going?"

I looked up at him, attempting to commit his features to memory one last time. This was the face I had loved for five years.

This man, whom I had loved for five years, had drained me of all my courage and devotion. In the end, I was left with no choice but to leave in such a miserable state.

Before I could answer, Lynn's call came through, urging him to come downstairs.

Joshua put on his tie and flashed me a resigned smile. "Have fun."

Watching him leave without the slightest hesitation, I swallowed the final goodbye that had been on the tip of my tongue, holding onto the last shred of my dignity. I nodded and accepted his well wishes.

Once I left him, I would undoubtedly be happy. I would no longer spend my days dwelling on disappointment and sadness.

Dragging the suitcase I had brought with me when I first moved in, I took one last look at the place I called home. I had lived here for five long years, yet the evidence of my existence was pitifully slim.

Lynn's cardigan was draped over the couch, her cosmetic products were all over the coffee table, and her period medication sat on the dining table.

She had been here for less than three days, yet her belongings had already claimed every corner of the house, much like the space she occupied in Joshua's heart. Aside from this single suitcase, it was as if I had never existed in this home at all.

The cab pulled out of the neighborhood and arrived at the airport.

Lynn had posted a picture on her social media feed of her and Joshua's flight. It was departing ten minutes before mine.

Before the plane took off, I reached up and felt my forehead. I didn't have a fever anymore. It seemed I was completely cured.

That high fever known as love had burned relentlessly in the depths of my heart for five long years. It had burned away my youth, reducing my love to ashes.