Chapter 17: Are You Free Tonight?
“You’re overthinking this. They’re good people. It’s just that I’m really busy and I hope we can work out a good time for a future meeting. A time that will suit everyone.”
“How about inviting my father here so he can meet you? I know you’re busy, but that wouldn’t take much of your time, right?”
“Yes, you can tell your family about our marriage, but it would be more proper if we would be the ones visiting them. We’ll do that when I get some time off.”
Selene laughed.
She felt like she truly couldn’t understand his motivations. On the one hand, he flat-out refused to divorce her, but on the other, he was incredibly reluctant to develop their relationship.
Of course, Selene also hadn’t told her father about her marriage.
Two days later, when Selene was on her way to her store, she passed by the luxury apartment Clint had previously lived in. She spotted a familiar car, out of which four people got off.
From the back, she recognized two of them; One was Clint Denovan, and the other was Jennifer Keller. The two others were older. It seemed that they were Clint’s parents.
She stopped her taxi and watched as the four people talked, laughed, and walked into the apartment.
Pondering for a few moments, she took out her mobile phone and called Clint.
She rarely called him. When Clint answered the phone, he seemed a little surprised. “What’s wrong?” He asked.
“Are you free tonight? Let’s have dinner together.” Selene asked.
“I’m afraid we can’t make it tonight. I’m busy.”
“Busy with work?”
“Yes.”
Before she hung up the phone, she vaguely overheard the conversation happening around Clint from the other side of the phone. “Clint, is that your girlfriend calling? You could ask her out to meet with us.”
“Clint, you’ve got a girlfriend; why don’t you share the good news with me?”
The call then ended, and she turned to look at the apartment across from her. She could not see them anymore.
What would his parents and Jennifer think if I were to go right now and tell them that I’m his wife? Selene wondered.
But that was only a thought; she wasn’t actually going to do it.
She felt somewhat disappointed all of a sudden.
“Hi, are you going to make me drive, or will you get off?” The cab driver asked impatiently, snapping Selene out of her reverie.
“Just keep driving.”
Clint’s defense statement and the words he had uttered in the hospital raised Selene’s standards when it came to marriage. She wanted something new. But now, it was obvious that Clint had made an excuse to save their marriage.
Why did he really want to keep their marriage?
To respect the ‘holy union of matrimony?
No way!
What he really needed was a wife who would not interfere much with his work life and would give birth to his children. It didn’t matter whether he would respect the idea of marriage or not. It was also certain that Clint did not respect her.
She had always known that Clint had no affairs with other women but felt terrible that he deeply loved someone else. Not only that, but he built a long, private relationship with Jennifer. He would take Jennifer with his parents, but not her, who was his legal wife.
“Am I that ugly”?
Selene sat up in the taxi to look at herself in the rearview mirror.
She looked lovely indeed.
When Selene moved into the new apartment that Clint had prepared for their marriage, she did not take many of her things. But after half a year, she had amassed much more than before.
But they were just articles of daily use, and it only took her one hour to pack.
She was never sloppy.
That night, she moved back to her own small apartment and lay on her own bed that had not been laid on for a long time. She had thought she would feel relieved and have a sense of belonging.
But the fact was that she was used to the bed she had been sleeping on with Clint for half a year.
She couldn’t sleep for the whole night.
Selene awoke the next morning with tired eyes and a slight headache. She switched on her cellphone, only to find that someone was calling her. It was Clint Denovan.
She answered the call.
“I don’t understand, Selene. What are you thinking?” Clint barraged her, most likely due to having found out that she was moving away.
“I’ve moved back to my old apartment. You didn’t agree to a divorce, so I’ll just go ahead and wait for six months, then file for separation in court.” Selene replied calmly.
“Why are you doing this? Why can’t we just discuss the problems in our marriage together? Surely, we could solve these problems without divorcing.”
“Clint. It’s not that you aren’t kind enough. The problem is that you yourself are not ready for this marriage. You always refuse to let me meet your friends and family. You’re too hesitant when it comes to that, and I see it as a major red flag.”
“You don’t like socializing, so I thought you were reluctant to meet them,” Clint replied after a few moments of silence.
“But this is what marriage is about.”
“I do want you to meet my friends and family. I just haven’t found the perfect opportunity for it yet.” Clint answered, a little hesitant this time.
“It doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s not like I’m meeting the president. I’m not a child, and your excuse sucks.”
“Give me more time, I will-”
“I’ve made my decision…” Selene interjected. ”Getting married was a mistake. It’s better to fix it sooner than later. I’m still young, and I’d like to live the rest of my life with someone I love.”
“Do you know how to love?” Clint sneered.
“Yes, I do, and I will – when I meet the right person,” Selene answered calmly after a few moments of silence.
“Okay.” Clint snorted.This content © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.