The Husband She Left Behind

Chapter 7

Anita Hartwell nearly dropped the mug in her hand.

"What did you just say?"

On the other end of the phone, Vanessa leaned back, pressing a hand against her aching forehead. "Darren said... if things continue like this, the only path left is divorce."

For several long seconds, Anita simply stared ahead, trying to process what she had just heard. "Divorce?" Her voice was filled with genuine disbelief. "Did Darren really say that?"

"Yes."

"No..." Anita shook her head instinctively, even though Vanessa could not see her. "That doesn't sound like him."

Among everyone in the Hartwell family, Anita had never thought Darren was the ideal match for her cousin. In her opinion, he lacked a prestigious background, had no visible wealth, and lived an unusually quiet life that revealed little about his past.

Even so, there was one thing she had never questioned. His love for Vanessa. It had been obvious to everyone.

Even Anita, who had always been skeptical of him, had privately admitted that Darren loved Vanessa more deeply than most husbands loved their wives. For someone like him to mention divorce, the situation had to be serious.

"He's only angry. He'll calm down tomorrow and come to his senses," Vanessa tried to convince herself.

After a brief pause, she asked gently, "Tell me exactly what happened."

Vanessa let out a weary sigh before reluctantly recounting everything that had happened since the previous night, including Darren's misunderstanding.

"He's jealous and overthinking everything. There isn't anything inappropriate between Adrian and me."

When she finished, Anita remained silent for a moment before asking quietly, "...Have you ever considered putting some distance between yourself and Adrian?"

Vanessa frowned immediately, and her answer came without hesitation. "No, I won't."

Anita blinked. "Vanessa..."

"Darren doesn't get to decide who I can or can't interact with. Adrian works for me. He's an excellent employee, and I won't fire him simply because Darren feels insecure."

Anita slowly leaned back in her chair. She knew her cousin well. When Vanessa spoke in that tone, changing her mind was never easy.

Still, she asked,

"...Are you refusing because you simply don't want Darren controlling your decisions, or because you can't bear to cut ties with Adrian?"

The room fell completely silent. Vanessa froze. For the first time during the conversation, she did not answer immediately. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the phone.

"I..." She hesitated, then quickly shook her head, even though Anita couldn't see. "Of course not."

"That's ridiculous. I don't have feelings for Adrian. I've already told you... He's just my subordinate." Her expression no longer carried the same confidence.

On the other end, Anita quietly noticed it. As a psychologist, hesitation often revealed more than words themselves. She did not accuse Vanessa nor did she press further. Instead, she sighed softly.

"Whether Darren is right or wrong... your marriage has already developed cracks. You may not agree with everything he said. But you should seriously think about why he reached this point."

Her voice became gentler. "At least try to repair the damage. Don't wait until neither of you wants to."

"...I'll think about it." Vanessa replied.

After hanging up, Vanessa remained seated on the sofa and her frustration refused to disappear. Neither did the strange heaviness pressing against her chest.

Rather than continuing to think about Darren's words, she chose to be engrossed with work.

...

Less than an hour later, Vanessa arrived at Hartwell Corporation. The moment she stepped through the lobby, employees instinctively straightened.

Everyone had expected the newlywed CEO to be enjoying her honeymoon. Instead... she had appeared at the office wearing a cold expression that discouraged conversation.

Whispers briefly spread through the department.

"Didn't she just get married?" "Why is she already back?" "Did something happen?"

No one dared ask her directly.

As Vanessa walked past, conversations immediately stopped. Employees buried themselves in documents and computer screens, pretending to be completely absorbed in work.

Even the atmosphere felt tense.

Inside her office, Vanessa stared at her phone, and her thumb hovered over Darren's contact.

Should she call? She remained motionless for almost a full minute. Then she locked the screen again.

"No. He was the one who threatened divorce. If anyone should apologize first... it should be him."

Just then, the office door quietly opened and Adrian Knox stepped inside. His complexion remained pale, and his movements were slower than usual.

Vanessa looked up in surprise.

"Adrian? What are you doing here?"

Adrian smiled weakly.

"I heard some coworkers saying you came to the office. I didn't believe them. So I wanted to see for myself."

Vanessa's expression changed instantly. "You left the hospital?"

He gave an embarrassed smile. "I'm feeling much better."

Vanessa frowned deeply. "No, you are not. You were discharged far too early. You should still be resting."

Her tone became noticeably sharper. "Go back to the hospital immediately."

Adrian rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, smiling in a slightful playful way, just in a bid to lighten the atmosphere. "I didn't want to stay there alone. Besides... I recover faster when I'm working."

"That's not funny. You've already frightened everyone enough. I'm serious. You need rest."

Adrian laughed softly. "Alright... I'll listen."

Then his expression gradually became more cautious.

"...Vanessa."

"What is it?"

He lowered his voice. "...Did Mister Vale misunderstand our relationship?"

Vanessa sighed tiredly. "He did."

"I'm really sorry." Adrian lowered his head. "I never wanted to create problems between you." His voice sounded full of guilt.

"If I hadn't called or gotten sick... None of this would've happened."

Vanessa shook her head. "It wasn't your fault."

Adrian looked up, and after a brief hesitation, he spoke again.

"You know, if I ever had a girlfriend, I would trust every decision she made. I wouldn't question who she helped. I'd support her completely."

A gentle smile lingered on his lips. "After all... if you truly love someone, shouldn't trust come first?"