The Husband She Left Behind

Chapter 10

Late that night, Vanessa's phone rang. It was Anita.

After learning that Darren had moved into the guest room, Anita immediately asked what had happened.

Vanessa sighed heavily before venting all of her frustration.

"Darren is being unbelievably narrow-minded. He refuses to listen to any explanation and keeps insisting that I fire Adrian. He wants me to cut all contact with him."

She frowned. "I've already told him there's nothing inappropriate between Adrian and me. I absolutely refuse to fire him. It would be completely unreasonable, because Adrian hasn't done anything wrong."

"Vanessa, Darren's anger is completely understandable. No man can calmly watch his wife become that close to another man."

Vanessa frowned. "But—"

Anita interrupted gently. "Then answer me honestly. If Darren became extremely close to another woman. If he constantly abandoned you to take care of her... If they hugged, and she accidentally kissed him. How would you feel?"

Vanessa opened her mouth, but no words came out. For the first time that evening, she couldn't answer.

Although she remained outwardly dismissive, Anita had clearly struck a sensitive nerve.

Knowing Vanessa's stubborn personality, Anita softened her tone.

"Tomorrow is both your birthday and Darren's. You've celebrated it together every year. Use tomorrow. Comfort him and repair your relationship before things become irreversible."

She paused before adding seriously,

"And Vanessa... If you've truly developed feelings for someone else, you must be honest with Darren. Don't deceive him, and don't keep emotionally taking Adrian's side. If you continue like this, the consequences may become impossible to control."

Vanessa immediately denied it.

"I don't want this cold war. I want to spend the rest of my life happily with Darren. I've never betrayed him, and I never will."

"Oh, really?"

Anita's words, especially the faint sarcasm hidden beneath them—made her increasingly uncomfortable. Embarrassed and irritated, Vanessa hurriedly ended the call.

She genuinely could not understand why everything had become so complicated. Her marriage seemed to be slipping further away with every passing hour.

Meanwhile, beyond the locked guest-room door, Darren lay awake on the narrow bed. His eyes remained open throughout the night. Sleep never came.

His mind replayed every memory they had shared over the years. He had never imagined the woman he loved most would one day become the person who hurt him the deepest.

Neither of them slept that night.

...

The following morning, Darren opened the guest-room door. The moment he stepped outside, he froze.

Sometime during the night, Vanessa had quietly dragged the living-room sofa directly in front of the guest-room entrance.

Curled up on it, still wearing yesterday's clothes, she had fallen asleep while waiting for him. Even in sleep, her brows were tightly knitted together. There was obvious exhaustion on her face.

Seeing her like that, Darren's hardened heart softened slightly.

At that moment, Vanessa heard the sound of the door opening, so she slowly woke. Struggling to sit upright, she rubbed her sleepy eyes, and the instant she saw Darren standing before her, joy flashed across her face.

Immediately afterward came grievance. Without caring about her aching back, she stood up and walked straight to him, gently hugging his arm with both hands.

"Darren... Can we please stop fighting? I don't want us to be like this anymore. Let's just live a good life together again..."