Chapter 2After Nine Divorces, I'm Done

"I saw Teresa and Hansel's vacation pictures on social media."

I fell silent, suddenly remembering how I'd spent every previous divorce obsessively checking Teresa's and Hansel's social media accounts, practically torturing myself with their updates.

But I hadn't done that this time.

When I didn't respond, Stephen asked with concern, "Don't tell me you two got divorced again."

Of everyone in our social circle, Stephen was the only one who knew that Teresa and I had been married and divorced multiple times.

"Yeah, we're divorced."

He sighed and spent the next several minutes trying to comfort me.

I smiled, just about to tell him about my plans to move abroad, when we unexpectedly ran into Teresa outside a jewelry store.

"Andrew," she called out to me almost instinctively.

Meanwhile, Hansel was holding her hand. He greeted me with a polite smile. "Hey, Andrew. Are you shopping for a watch, too?"

He was certainly handsome. It was no wonder Teresa had never gotten over him.

In the past, whenever I ran into Hansel, I'd glare at him as though he were my worst enemy.

Teresa gave me a long look before instinctively moving in front of him, shielding him with her body.

I stopped Stephen before he could do anything rash and answered with a smile, "I've got something to celebrate, so I figured I'd treat myself."

Stephen immediately chimed in, "That's right! He's celebrating finally getting rid of a lousy wife, and wouldn't you know it, some other guy has already volunteered to take her off his hands. If that isn't good news, I don't know what is!"

I kicked him, although I couldn't help agreeing with every word.

Teresa parted her lips to speak, but when she saw Stephen and me laughing, she ultimately said nothing.

The sales associate quickly picked up on the tension between us and called over a colleague so we could be helped separately.

Stephen quietly told me that while Teresa was browsing the store, she kept getting distracted and glancing in our direction.

"Think your ex-wife is starting to regret losing you?" he asked.

"Maybe."

I figured she was just feeling guilty.

"I'm sorry, sir, but that particular model is sold out."

Stephen had pointed to a watch in a picture, hoping to buy it, only to be disappointed.

I glanced at the picture and immediately recognized the watch. It was the same model Teresa had given me three days before our divorce.

In the past, I'd treasured every little kindness Teresa showed me. Even the smallest gift from her would've meant the world to me.

But this time, I took the watch out of my bag and handed it to Stephen.

"Here. You can have mine."

Just then, Teresa and Hansel happened to walk past us.

Perhaps I was imagining things, but I could've sworn Teresa turned around several times, frowning as she looked at the watch in Stephen's hand.

Stephen tried to refuse, but I insisted on giving it to him.

After all, it was nothing more than a consolation gift from someone who'd hurt me. It didn't mean anything anymore.

Besides, the woman who'd given it to me was now my ex-wife.

…

I'd thought that encounter at the mall would be the last time I ever saw Teresa.

With only ten days left before my departure, I submitted my resignation to my boss.

Later that day, I was taking a walk around my apartment complex, feeling a little melancholy, when someone standing in the shadows beneath the trees startled me.

I was about to scream when the person spoke first.

"Honey, it's me."

Teresa stepped out of the shadows and grabbed my hand tightly. I pulled free and immediately backed away.

She lowered her gaze to the hand I'd pulled away, looking somewhat hurt.

"What are you doing here? You could've at least told me you were coming," I said, making no effort to hide my irritation.

"I was in the neighborhood."

Something flickered in Teresa's eyes. "I was hoping to surprise you."

I was momentarily speechless, but she had a point.

In the past, having Teresa come to see me of her own accord would've been a dream come true. I'd practically prayed for something like that to happen.

Under the moonlight, she studied me with a slightly bewildered expression.

I sighed, feeling a sudden urge to tell her the truth about my plans to leave. But I ultimately held back, unwilling to create any unnecessary complications.

"Shouldn't you be spending time with Hansel instead of coming here? I wouldn't want him getting the wrong idea."

I tried to reason with her as politely as possible.

"What's there to misunderstand? Nothing is going on between us," Teresa lied.

I sighed, but I didn't bother calling her out on it.