Chapter 1The Drink He Never Shared

On the day of my abortion, my best friend tried to stop me. "You and your husband have been married for seven years. You finally managed to get pregnant. Why does the baby have to go?"

I answered calmly, "Because of a glass of water."

Aaron Jefferson had a severe germphobia. He never shared everyday items with me. If I had already drunk from a glass, he would not touch it.

Then I found a video on his student's social media. In it, the girl held up her half-finished coffee and brought it to his lips. Aaron leaned down and took a sip straight from her hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

He frowned slightly, but a smile still touched his lips. "That sweet, huh? Careful, or your teeth will start hurting again."

That night, I sat alone in the living room and watched the video hundreds of times.

When Aaron woke up, I poured myself a glass of water and took a sip in front of him. Then I held it out to him. "Drink up."

He stared at me as if I had lost my mind. "Tessa, I don't drink after other people."

Seven years of marriage, and to him, I was still just one of those other people.

I pulled myself back to the present and walked into the operating room. Then I lay quietly on the table.

Outside the window, cicadas sang at the height of summer, and the sun blazed overhead. Suddenly, I no longer wanted to hold on to Aaron or that glass of water.

* * *

Tessa's POV

The moment I stepped out of the operating room, a message from Aaron came through.

Aaron: [Pick up a few boxes of egg pastries from the south side of town. Viv's coming over for dinner. She likes steak, the meaty cut. Also, she doesn't eat celery or eggplant.]

The anesthesia had worn off, and a stabbing pain shot through my lower abdomen. I struggled to stay on my feet and leaned against the wall for support.

Misha Green caught me by the arm. She glanced at my phone screen and instantly lost her temper. "What is wrong with Aaron? He remembers other people's dietary restrictions to the letter, but what about yours?

"Last week, he made you mushroom meatballs and forgot you're allergic to mushrooms. You went into severe anaphylactic shock. If I hadn't been standing right next to you, you could have died!"

My eyes stung, and tears spilled down my cheeks without warning.

When Aaron and I first started dating, he had been clumsy but tender. He kept a note on his phone with my birthday, my likes and dislikes, and all my dietary restrictions. He always made sure to have brown sugar water and pads ready the day before my period started. Every holiday, he somehow found the perfect gift for me.

But now, he no longer remembered our anniversaries or planned surprises. He had even forgotten I was allergic to mushrooms.

I had to admit that the fervent vows he had sworn nine years ago had begun to rot and reek. Word by word, those promises had turned into thorns that cut deeper and deeper into my heart until it bled.

After a long moment, I put my phone away and looked at Misha. "Find me a lawyer. I want a divorce."

…

I dragged my exhausted body home.

The moment I pushed open the door, a sharp, cold blast of alcohol spray hit me full in the face.

Vivian Sidwell pinched her nose and aimed the spray bottle at me before sticking out her tongue. "The professor said dirty things aren't allowed through the door. You won't get mad, will you?"

I forced my stinging eyes open and looked at her.

She was wearing one of Aaron's short-sleeved shirts, the one I had custom-ordered for him just last week. I had even embroidered the budding plant design on the cuff myself.

Now it hung loosely on her, barely covering her rear. It did far more to expose the truth than conceal it.

I laughed. "I didn't know Aaron had such an ill-mannered student."

Vivian's face instantly went pale. She shot Aaron a pleading look.

Aaron's expression hardened. He stepped in front of her and snapped at me in a low voice, "Tessa, watch your tone. Viv was only joking with you."

A joke?

I wanted to ask him if sharing a cup of coffee was a joke too. Was Vivian wearing his clothes also a joke? Exactly how many more of these ambiguous little jokes had passed between them?

But as I watched him defend her without a second thought, I no longer wanted to ask anything at all.

I shut the door behind me, changed my shoes, and walked to the dining table.

Then I pulled out a chair and sat down. "Aaron, I have something to tell you."