MainNovel"es."
That's exactly how suffocating it felt.
If they could part on good terms, maybe she'd remember the good in him.
The failure of their marriage-she knew it was the result of her own bad choices. She wasn't about to pin all the
blon him.
But this relentless pressure-this was what she truly hated.
All Jessica wanted was a small slice of life that belonged to her alone, but even that tiny wish, he insisted on
denying her.
Jessica Greene looked at him, sorrow weighing in her eyes. "You're not a fool, Timothy. You know exactly what's
becof our marriage. There are only a few weeks left-what's the point in dragging this out?"
"Jessy, most marriages fall apart because of cheating, family issues, or lack of communication. Now you want a
divorce-shouldn't we at least sit down and talk about what went wrong? If we can fix it, let's fix it. If we can't,
then we'll end it. That's how a marriage should be-beginning to end. Why can't we just talk?"
Jessica let out a bitter laugh. "So you do understand."
He knew everything, yet acted as if he didn't know a thing.
"I've been thinking it through, Jessy. I'm sorry. We've been married seven years—I thought everything was
normal. If you want to go htonight, that's fine. But can we please sit down and talk?" Timothy gestured to
the chair across from him.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
Jessica remained standing. "We're way past the talking stage."
"We still have a few weeks, don't we? How is it too late?"
"Because any feeling | had left for this marriage is already dead."
Even if he found the perfect words, nothing could bring back the woman she'd once been the one full of hope for
their life together.
Maybe it was because Timothy was so calm that Jessica didn't even want to fight. They barely ever argued. She
used to be the quiet one, unable to speak up; now that she finally could, Timothy had becso
accommodating that there was nothing left to fight over.
Timothy's voice was steady, almost gentle. "So what you're saying is, you actually did have shope for our
marriage at one point."
"I think most people do," Jessica replied.
The cigarette in Timothy's hand burned down to the filter. He stubbed it out, grabbed his cane, and walked over
to her.
Even injured, even leaning on a cane, he was still devastatingly handsome-his presence undiminished, his
movements as graceful as ever.
"Jessy, | never wanted a divorce. | agreed to it just to buy myself thirty more days. Tis slipping away-one
week's already gone. | don't want to waste what's left. Can you givethese last three weeks? Can you try to
seewith fresh eyes?"
Jessica met his gaze, her expression wavering between tension and resignation. "Did you lie about the waiting
period too? About when we'd actually sign the papers?"
"I didn't lie. I just wanted more time. Jessy, | think there's been a misunderstanding between us. Whatever you
think you saw-did you ever try to verify it? There's a saying-even what we see with our own eyes can be wrong.
Can we please talk? Tellthe feal reason you need this divorce. Please?”
Jessica fell silent.
There was nothing left to say.
Seeing her retreat into silence, Timothy pressed on. "If you're leaving me, at least letknow why."
She shot back, "Don't you already know?"
Timothy frowned. "I know sof it. You mean aboutand Sheila Howard. But is there more?"
He wanted to settle it all at once. Better to face the whole ugly truth now than to have it drag out, piece by
piece.
Jessica's frustration was palpable "That isn't all of it. We don't see the world the sway-our values
don'Dmatch, and I'm done pretending otherwise."
She couldn't be bothered to mention Sheila again. Bringing her up made it sound
like jealousy, and she was long past that.
Jessica turned away, unable to look at him anymore.
Timothy stepped around, blocking her path. "So you're not even going to give me
a chance to explain?"
"The moment Sheila showed up, | decided to hand the title of Mrs. Lawson back to you. From start finish, this
was my choice-I'm.
leaving this marriage of myonet
free
will, don't need your explanations. Don't waste your time."
For the first time, Timothy felt truly powerless.
"Don't push me," he said, voice trembling despite his effort to steady it.
"Who's pushing who?" Jessica's anger finally broke through, her cheeks flushed, her jaw set. “You really are
impossible—"
Timothy reached out, cupping the back of her head with one hand. He kissed her, silencing her protest.
She let out a muffled cry, hands braced against his chest, but he wouldn't let go.
It was only when she bit down hard on his lip that Timothy finally released her.
Jessica's eyes darted to the fruit bowl on the coffee table—a paring knife lay among the apples. She grabbed it.
Timothy's face paled. "Jessy, don't put the knife down."
Jessica gripped the handle, turning away.
"Please, just "
Before he could finish, Jessica pressed the blade against Timothy's throat, her
voice ice cold: "Will you letgo, or not?"
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