(09
“You know perfectly well,” I said with a cold smile, “that in five years of marriage, I never owed you a thing.” My voice faltered slightly, but I forced myself to continue. “It’s just you made the same mistake so many men do. You couldn’t resist temptation.”
There was no emotion left in my laughter–only bitterness.
“There’s no point pretending anymore. You’re dirty, Tristan and no matter what you do, you’ll never be clean again.”
Theld his gaze, unwavering.
“Our marriage? It was never just the two of us, was it? Zara was always there–her presence cutting into every part of our lives until I couldn’t even tell whether I was the wife or the intruder.”
“You let her trample over me, humiliate me, belittle me in front of others. And you stood by, saying nothing. There’s no going back from that.”
Tristan closed his eyes as though trying to block out the weight of my words. Yet when he spoke, his voice was resolute.
“No matter what happens, I’ll fix this. Zara will never come between us again.”
He turned abruptly and walked out of the room without a backward glance. I watched him leave with a hollow ache in my chest. Then I pulled out my phone and calmly booked a plane ticket for the following week.
Men’s promises are fleeting–born of guilt and doomed to fade. But my future? That’s something I would secure with my own hands. I wouldn’t rely on anyone else ever again. The only person I could trust was myself
Tristan’s strides were swift as he exited the hospital, but Zara deliberately slowed her steps to intercept him near the entrance. Tears glistened on her face as she threw herself into his arms.
“I knew it,” she sobbed. “I knew you wouldn’t abandon me.”
Her voice trembled with sweet persuasion.
“Now that Mrs. Linda knows everything, why not divorce her?” she pleaded softly. “The company’s already under your name. I’ll be by your side we can face the future together. You’ll see you don’t need her!”
But Zara’s syrupy words landed on deaf ears Tristan’s expression was cold,
shook off her grip
Blached. With a sharp motion, he
“I think you misunderstood,” he said flatly “I never intended to divorce Linda
He straightened his posture, his tone turning even colder. “And I certainly never planned to marry you.” Zarg’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What are you saying?” she gasped. “You want to leave me?‘
For th
Her voice cracked as she searched his face for a lie “Did Linda say something to you? Is that why you’re abandoning me? She’s manipulating yout She’s doing all of this just to ruin our relationship!” Zara wailed. “I already apologized to her 1 even toasted her in front of everyone You saw it too! She’s the one who refuses to forgive mer
Desperate, she lunged toward him, hoping to reclaim his sympathy But this time, Tristan stepped back sharply letting her fall unceremoniously to the ground
“You don’t get it, do you?” he said icily
“I’ll make this simple–Linda is my wife. She’s been my wife for five years and she’s nothing like the unreasonable woman you keep pretending she is ”
He leaned forward, his voice dangerously low “You know exactly what you did whether it was intentional or not at that drinking game. For five years, Linda never asked me for a thing–not gifts, not apologies. And while I gave you all my attention, she endured everything quietly”
His fists clenched as rage and quilt warred inside him “I’m the one who did wrong I’m the one who owes her an apology–not you”
He turned abruptly, ready to leave, but Zara sprang up and grabbed his arm, desperation twisting her face.
“You think you can just walk away after everything we’ve done?” she hissed venomously, “You’ve been in my bed for five years and now you’re playing the righteous husband?”
Her voice dripped with venom. “If Linda knew you killed her four children–do you think she’d still live under the
same roof as YOU?”
The blood drained from Tristan’s face. Rage erupted in him like wildfire. Without hesitation, he struck her across the face with a hard slap that echoed through the corridor. Zara staggered, clutching her cheek in shock.
Tristan’s voice was cold and deadly “I’m warning you,” he said through clenched teeth, “you’ll take that secret to your grave. If you ever breathe a word of it to Linda, I swear I’ll make sure you never walk out of here alive.”
His eyes burned with an intensity that left no room for doubt. For the first time, Zara realized she had lost the war
