Drifting Apart With Time

Lester kicked the door open, his hands trembling as he scooped Irene into his arms. "Rene, you'll be alright! I'm taking you to the hospital right now."

Natalie opened her mouth to explain, but Lester strode past her without a word, his shoulder knocking hard into hers. She staggered back.

Lester didn't even seem to notice, focusing entirely on comforting the woman in his arms.

He hadn't said a word, yet Natalie felt a chill run through her.

She had no idea how she even ended up at the hospital. When she finally found the operating room where Irene was, Lester was waiting outside, visibly tense.

It was clear that he cared deeply about Irene.

Natalie said nothing, taking a seat quietly across from him, waiting for the surgery to finish.

The hallway was deathly silent.

The intimacy they had once shared now felt galaxies away, leaving only silence between them.

After what felt like an eternity, Lester looked up, his eyes bloodshot, and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Natalie, I already promised you that your status as my wife would never change. You're the only one I love. Why would you harm Irene?"

Seven years with him had given Natalie a deep understanding of Lester.

He was teetering on the edge of fury. The last time he had been this furious was when she'd been injured on set, and he had taken his anger out on the entire crew.

Now, the target of his anger was her, all because of his mistress. How ironic.

Natalie lowered her gaze, swallowing the bitterness coiling through her chest. "I didn't push her. She set me up."

Lester scoffed, disbelief clear in his tone. "Natalie, when did you start playing the games women used to compete for affection? Haven't I already given you everything? You're the one I love, and Rene is just a fling. Can't you tolerate her?"

Hearing that Irene was just a fling and that he only loved her, Natalie let out a bitter laugh, tears stinging her eyes.

"Lester, maybe you've said your lies so many times that you actually believe them yourself. Be honest with yourself—do you really still love me?"

If he loved her, why would he constantly seek out other women, get another woman pregnant, and not trust her?

Natalie's eyes revealed a desolate, barren truth.

Lester faltered, and his fury cooled somewhat. He assumed Natalie loved him too much and was just jealous.

After all, he had focused entirely on Irene this past month and had ignored Natalie's feelings.

He rose, holding Natalie close, and said, "Nat, wait for me. Once I lose interest in other women, I'll come back, and whatever you want to do, I'll be there with you."

It was the same empty promise he'd made countless times.

Natalie pushed him away, her voice flat. "No."

They were divorced—she no longer had to wait for him. From now on, she could live her own life.

Lester thought she was still sulking, so he said, "I'll make sure Rene doesn't press the issue, but when she comes around, you're going to have to apologize."

Natalie couldn't believe her ears. Why would she apologize when she had done nothing wrong?

Before she could respond, the operating room door burst open.

A nurse rushed out, saying, "Mr. Garrison, the patient is hemorrhaging. We urgently need type-A blood."

Lester immediately pulled out his phone and called his secretary, instructing him to source type-A blood from across the city.

Seeing his urgency, Natalie was reminded of the day of her accident on set. Lester had rushed to her side, tense and anxious, only relaxing when he saw she was safe.

Natalie rolled up her sleeve and offered her arm. "I have type-A blood. Take mine first."

Lester's gaze darkened, his lips moving as if to speak, but he said nothing.

Natalie ignored him and followed the nurse, giving 800 milliliters of blood.

After it was done, her face was pale, her lips colorless. She held her arm where the needle had been, stepping toward Lester with a faint, resigned smile. "Now, I owe you nothing…"

She had repaid Lester the debt from seven years ago.

However, he interpreted her selflessness as guilt for pushing Irene.

As he looked at her pale face, a flicker of tenderness rose in him. "Nat, go home and rest. I'll come see you once Rene's okay."

Natalie said nothing, dragging her weak body away.

For some reason, Lester's chest tightened as he watched her leave. He wanted to call after her, but the operating room's indicator light went off at that moment. He had no choice but to turn to the doctor for news of Irene.

When he turned back again, Natalie was gone.

When Natalie returned home, she dragged her already-packed suitcase to the door. She placed the divorce papers on the shoe cabinet and wrote one last note to Lester.

It read, "Lester, our story ends today. After this, we'll never meet again."

She pressed the note under the papers, glanced once at the home she had lived in for seven years, and walked out.

All the love and hatred of those years ended there and then.

Natalie was ready to write the next chapter of her life.