The Husband She Left Behind

Chapter 9

Vanessa's expression immediately darkened. Instead of reflecting on Darren's accusations, she looked at him with obvious disappointment.

"I really didn't expect you to think this way." Her voice was filled with frustration. "Everything you're saying is based on your own assumptions. You keep imagining things that have never happened. There has never been anything improper between Adrian and me. You've already decided he's guilty without any evidence."

Her tone became increasingly firm. "I honestly don't understand you anymore. You have no compassion at all. When someone is injured, all you care about is your own feelings. When someone works through illness for the sake of the company, instead of respecting his dedication, you only suspect him."

"You can't even see reality anymore. He was a patient who needed someone to care for him. He was an employee who kept working despite being physically weak. Yet in your eyes, every act of kindness becomes evidence of an affair."

Darren stood motionless and his expression gradually turned blank. Then, he snapped.

"So that's how you see it. You think I'm the one causing trouble?" He let out a cold laugh.

"Vanessa..." His eyes reddened. "You clearly know Adrian is the reason our relationship has been falling apart. Yet every single time, you bring him up, not even realizing how much you've been hurting me."

"If you truly think Adrian is so wonderful..." His lips curled into a bitter smile. "Then go be with him. I'm sure he'd gladly cook for you every day, and he'd probably be more than willing to marry you."

His fists trembled at his sides as he struggled to suppress the fury threatening to overwhelm him. "Maybe, it would be best if our divorce and your marriage to Adrian happened on the exact same day."

Vanessa's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?" She stared at him as if she had been struck. "Darren! How can you say something like that? I don't have that kind of relationship with Adrian! I've never had one! You've insulted both of us!"

She pointed at him angrily. "You owe me an apology! You apologize right now!"

Darren simply took steps backward. The warmth that had always existed in his eyes completely disappeared, and he looked at her as though she were a complete stranger.

That unfamiliar gaze pierced straight through Vanessa's heart, and her breathing stopped. The words she wanted to say suddenly became lodged in her throat and she could no longer speak.

For the first time, she truly felt that the distance between them had become unimaginably vast. It was as if one more step would send their marriage over a cliff from which there was no return.

Darren slowly turned around. He no longer wished to continue arguing.

"Darren..." She hurried forward. Without hesitation, wrapping both arms tightly around him from behind, and resting her forehead against his back.

"Please, stop fighting with me. I don't want us to be like this." Her voice became unusually soft.

Eventually, Darren spoke without turning around. "If you truly want us to stop fighting, there is only one way. Fire Adrian, and completely cut ties with him."

As those words left his mouth, a mocking smile slowly appeared on his lips. But behind that smile lay bitterness. He already knew what her answer would be.

And just as expected— Vanessa's embrace stiffened, and her face filled with conflict. After several moments, she slowly shook her head. "I can't. There really isn't anything improper between Adrian and me. He has outstanding business ability, and he's one of the company's most valuable employees."

"The company needs talented people like him. I can't fire someone for no reason." Her answer landed exactly as Darren had predicted, and his eyes became sadder.

With a cold chuckle, he firmly removed Vanessa's hands from around his waist. "If you can't do it, then stop making excuses."

He looked directly into her eyes. "I don't want to hear another word about 'for the company'. I don't believe it anymore. Not one word."

Vanessa bit her lip. She had never seen Darren this indifferent before.

After another long silence, she finally compromised. "Fine, I'll keep my distance from Adrian. I'll avoid unnecessary contact, and I'll pay more attention to boundaries."

She looked hopefully at Darren. "But I still can't fire him. I've already compromised as much as I possibly can. I'm not lowering myself any further."

The mocking smile on Darren's face became more obvious and his heart hurt even more.

Keep distance? He no longer believed those words. How many similar promises had he heard before? Too many.

At this moment, he became certain of something he had desperately tried to deny. Vanessa had already developed feelings for Adrian. Perhaps she herself had not realized it yet, and still believed it was merely concern for an employee.

Although Darren had already begun mentally preparing himself for divorce, realizing that possibility still felt like countless knives stabbing through his chest.

Without saying another word, he walked toward the bedroom and packed some changes of clothes, and a pillow.

An indescribable panic spread through Vanessa as she watched him walk into the guest room, quietly locking the door behind him.

Her heart sank completely. He wasn't even willing to sleep beside her anymore.

...

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."