Chapter 3
I spent a full week in the hospital.
Once the doctor cleared me, I finally went home.
Not a single call from Alexander the entire time.
And I couldn’t bring myself to check his socials to see where he and Charlotte were off to
next.
I opened the front door-
and there he was, standing in the living room.
Phone in hand, frowning as he turned to look at me.
“I told you to wait at home. Where the hell did you go?”
He tucked his phone away.
Probably about to call when he saw the house was empty.
Wouldn’t have called for any other reason.
Just wanted to make sure I was being a “good girl.”
“I fell down the stairs. Just got out of the hospital.”
“Why, you need something?”
He looked like he wanted to say something.
But then just let it go.
Dropped onto the couch and rubbed his temples.
“I’m hungry. Go make dinner.”
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Chapter 3
I ignored him and headed upstairs.
He kicked my suitcase, hard.
“Lillian Bennett! This the kind of wife you think you are?”
I grabbed the railing, turned slightly, and looked down at him.
“Wife? Isn’t that Charlotte’s job now?”
“What’s it got to do with me?”
Then I kept walking.
I heard him kick the coffee table as I locked the bedroom door.
It’s not like he’s set foot in our room in months anyway.
I laid down for a bit.
When I opened my eyes again, it was already morning.
Back in the day, I’d have jumped out of bed to pack his bag, prep his travel kit.
But Alexander always had something to complain about.
My outfits were “low–class.”
My cooking “too plain, too basic.”
Said I wasn’t fit to be shown off.
If I was so embarrassing in his eyes, I wasn’t gonna keep begging to be liked.
But when I came downstairs-
I was surprised to see him sweeping up the broken glass from last night.
He looked up when he heard me.
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Chapter 3
Then looked away.
“I know losing your dad hit
you hard.”
“But I came back just for yesterday. And you’re still jealous of Charlotte?”
Yesterday?
“You’re five days late and calling it ‘just in time“?”
Alexander threw the broom down.
“You forgot what day it was, didn’t you? It was our anniversary.”
He nodded toward the couch, where a gift box was sitting.
“And you treat me like this?”
“And still have the nerve to compare yourself to Charlotte-”
He froze mid–sentence.
I was smiling.
And I said calmly, “It was two days ago, Alexander.”
He looked awkward, then quickly changed the subject.
“You said you fell? What happened?”
“I spent the whole day handling Dad’s funeral.
Then stayed at the beach all night.
Didn’t eat.
Passed out from low blood sugar on the hospital stairs.”
“But hey–Charlotte’s altitude sickness took priority.
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Chapter 3
I don’t blame you.”
Alexander’s lips pressed together.
His hands fidgeted awkwardly at his sides like he didn’t know what to do with them.
“You hungry? I made a reservation–French place, your favorite. Let’s go out.”
“I’m good.” I shook my head.
“I’m exhausted.”
“And for the record–I hate French food.”
“I’m just a simple girl. I can’t eat raw stuff. I’m allergic.”
I couldn’t be bothered to play along with his temporary guilt trip.
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