I Waited Until I Was Done

I have tried to persuade my wife, Sandra Kimmel, to go to AnthoNIX's music concert with me 99 times now. On the 100th attempt, Sandra finally agrees to go with me. She then buys us two front row tickets. But during the concert, I am stopped outside the venue by the guards because I didn't have my ticket on me. I am then left standing there all alone, immaculately dressed as I am. None of my calls manage to go through to Sandra, not even when the concert comes to an end. News of Sandra and her sidepiece attending the concert and asking AnthoNIX to perform his hit song 'Night Blossom' then starts trending online. My heart shatters into a million pieces. I begin mourning the loss of my marriage. Chapter 1 The trending news about Sandra Kimmel and her sidepiece, William Howles, ended up being reposted by her on her social media. She even included an apology in her captions. "He got a little carried away after insisting on going to the concert with me. Neither of us expected this news to go viral. I'm really grateful for everybody's concern, and I apologize for the fuss." Sandra and I had been married for five years, but she never posted about me on her social media. Yet now, another man had taken my spot with such ease. I'd asked Sandra to go to the concert with me 99 times, but she never once said yes. Yet when William asked her to do the same thing, she agreed to it on his first try. I exited the social media app, feeling somewhat numb inside. I then continued waiting for a cab by the road. There were massive traffic jams all over the city tonight due to AnthoNIX's concert. Even though I waited by the venue entrance for a long time, I still couldn't manage to get a cab. My phone rang. It was Sandra. Her voice was icy as she spoke. "Why aren't you home yet?" I stayed quiet. If this was before, I would've questioned her right away. However, right now I wasn't quite sure what to say to her. Sandra got a little irritated. "Did you turn mute, Lincoln Huntsworth?" "I'm at the concert venue entrance," I said. Sandra turned quiet, as if she'd suddenly remembered that she'd promised to go to the concert with me. I just hadn't expected that she'd use the tickets to go to the concert with William instead. "Wait for me in the parking lot. I'll come and take you home," Sandra said. I didn't really trust her, but I didn't want to get a cab either. Rain was starting to pour heavily, causing a city-wide power blackout. I stood in the parking lot, trying to shield myself from the pouring rain. I looked utterly disheveled. It was utterly dark, save for the light coming from my phone. However, the battery would only last for two hours. Sandra didn't contact me anymore after the call, not even when my phone finally died. I did swipe to William's social media profile. There, I saw that he had made a new post. "Even when the power goes out, and the entire city falls to darkness, you still remain my shining beacon in the night." That was William's caption. The posted photo depicted Sandra's side profile. Her hands were on the steering wheel. I smiled, feeling a little relieved. Perhaps this was for the best. While I stood at the venue entrance until the concert came to an end, Sandra was keeping William company. I had spent the past five years of our marriage hoping to kindle her affection for me. However, now, that hope had finally died. … I walked to the nearest hotel and booked a room. I then lay down on the bed and fell asleep quickly. The next day, I went to a law firm to work, albeit a little late. The firm's name was Kimmel & Partners and had been founded by Sandra. Meanwhile, I was just one of the regular lawyers who worked there. The moment I sat down, the lawyer who worked in the cubicle adjacent to mine—Jasper Brown—turned to me with a look of admiration. "I can't believe you had the balls to skip the boss' team meeting today," Jasper exclaimed. I chuckled. Sandra never cared about me or anything I did, let alone skipping a routine meeting like this one. I was always the one caring about her instead. I didn't have much work to do during the morning. After settling my work, I started drafting a divorce agreement. Sandra showed up out of the blue. "Is there a reason why you didn't come home last night? You know how I feel about this. If this happens again…" she began. I nodded at her words, still focused on writing the agreement. "Don't worry. It won't happen again." There would never be an 'again' to speak of. Once we were divorced, we'd go our separate ways for good. Sandra was a little taken aback by my words. She was about to mock me but quickly held it back. "Let's have dinner together later," she said. She then paused and glanced at my laptop screen. "When did you take on a divorce case?" I smiled. "If you stop questioning me, I won't ask you where you were last night." Sandra gave me a long, hard look and said nothing more. Chapter 2 When it was almost time to get off work, I got a text message from Sandra. It was a booking notification from a local high-end restaurant. I knew this was Sandra's way of making things up to me. I tucked the freshly-printed divorce agreement into my briefcase and got ready to go to the restaurant. The moment I stepped out of the office, I saw William in the distance. William was famously known as Sandra's trusty sidekick throughout the city. He was quite handsome too. I watched as he entered Sandra's car before it sped off. Sandra soon sent me a text message, most likely asking me to wait for her at the law firm. I didn't do so. Instead, I went to the restaurant. I then ordered a couple's set menu for myself. I loved the ribeye steak here, and so I ate both portions for dinner. I used to only start eating when Sandra arrived. However, now I knew that she couldn't care less about whether I ate or not. Sandra stood me up in the end. I didn't get upset whatsoever. Even after I tended carefully to her for five whole years, she still didn't care for me in the slightest. As long as Sandra signed the divorce agreement, I couldn't care less about what she was up to. She didn't know that the divorce agreement she saw earlier today was for us. … I took a stroll after dinner. It was late at night by the time I reached home. The living room's lights were still on. I was shocked to see Sandra still up and waiting for me. The reason I was shocked was that in the past, Sandra usually only came home past midnight. Meanwhile, I would always turn down any gatherings or hangouts to wait for her to come home. I used to be so worried she wouldn't have anyone to look after her once she came home drunk, or that she would miss dinner because of work. So I would always have some hangover meds and a properly-cooked meal ready for her at home. Sandra hated it when I did this. She used to say that my behavior made me seem like a fussy old woman. I shook my head, trying to dispel the memories. Sandra's gaze and tone of voice were very cold. "You nearly spent the entire night outside again." "Oh," I said. Maybe not coming home at night was something only she was allowed to do in our household. No matter. From now on, we'd just go back to our own respective homes. Sandra's eyes narrowed. She seemed to be confused by my response. "Do you know what day it is today?" she asked. I was taken aback by her question for a moment. My hand instinctively went to my pocket, where the present I'd prepared earlier for Sandra was. Today was our fifth wedding anniversary. I used to spend so much effort on celebrating our anniversaries. But I didn't take the present out this time, given that we were about to be divorced. There was no need for such a meaningless formality any longer. Sandra looked a little irritated. She handed me a gift box and said, "I got this for you sometime ago. You can open it and take a look." I wasn't surprised by her gesture. After all, she had to make it up to me after canceling on me the past few times. This was how Sandra had always been. She'd make a mistake, then give me something later to make up for it. I would always eagerly anticipate such a gesture from her, hoping that one of these times she'd pay me back by spending more time with me. I took the gift box before tossing it onto the couch. "You're too kind," I said politely. A confused expression appeared in Sandra's gaze. She didn't seem to understand why I was being so polite. "I didn't join you for dinner earlier because William had an emergency—" Sandra began. "It's fine. You don't need to explain yourself. I understand perfectly," I said, cutting her off. I meant what I said. Yet Sandra seemed a little frustrated by my response. "Quit imagining things and making a fuss. Since I took on the Howles family's case, I have to see it through," she said. "That you do—even to the extent of going to a concert. You're so devoted to this case, aren't you?" I said, thumbing through my briefcase for the divorce agreement. Sandra's brows knitted slightly as her expression darkened. Staring at me with that glum, solemn look was all she could do. After all, she had no way of explaining herself out of such a situation. In the past, I would've been shocked out of my wits by such an expression. I would then urgently try to appease her and even apologize. Chapter 3 Yep. The moment Sandra made such a face, the one at fault could only ever be me. However, all I was doing now was flipping through the contents of my briefcase to search for the divorce agreement. I didn't manage to find it in the end. I most likely left it at the restaurant earlier. "What are you looking for now?" Sandra asked. She shifted to her side and leaned over to look. I hummed but said nothing further. I didn't like how close she was to me right now. That night, I ditched the master bedroom and slept in the guestroom instead. My sleep was very peaceful and deep. … Considering that I had been seeing Sandra more frequently these two days, I decided to amend the divorce agreement. I was deep in thought at my desk when Sandra suddenly gave me a phone call. She told me to head to her office and hand in some documents. I thought about it and decided not to bring up the divorce yet. After all, Sandra hated it when any personal affairs were brought up in her office—especially when it had to do with me. I hadn't expected William to be there when I arrived. William was one of our clients' son. He was also a renowned livestream host. He was currently sitting on Sandra's office chair, spritzing some cologne on himself while peering into a mirror. "You're here, Linc," William called out. There was a somewhat provocative look in his eye as he gazed at me. I gave him a friendly smile in return, then set the documents on the desk. I was about to leave when Sandra suddenly called to me. "Give me my meds, Lincoln." I glanced at Sandra and instantly understood why. Sandra was born in wealth and luxury. She had a more delicate constitution than most and was allergic to many things, including certain perfumes. That was why I could never really buy any skincare products after marrying her. She'd even snap at me if I bought different shampoos. "Do you even care about me anymore?" she would hiss. I gradually developed a habit of carrying Sandra's allergy meds with me. Looks-wise, I was a pretty decent fellow. I just stopped grooming myself as much after marriage. In truth, all I needed was a quick wash. "I didn't bring it," I said. My eyes were fixed on William's cologne. I wasn't trying to imitate him. Sandra just happened to be allergic to William's cologne. "I should start paying more attention to how I look once the divorce goes through," I thought to myself. Irritation appeared in Sandra's gaze. Her tone was laced with disbelief as she spoke. "How could you not have brought it? You know how I get…" "That's just wrong, Linc. You ought to be more concerned about Sandra," William cut in. Sandra grew silent. She probably realized she couldn't comment further in the situation we were in. After all, I'd just forgotten to bring her allergy medication. I wasn't the one causing her allergies to flare up. "I'll send you back to retrieve it then," Sandra said. She immediately felt a little embarrassed upon saying so. It was a little inconvenient to send me home just to get her medication for her. She was the one who needed it, not me. "Go on your own. I have a lunch meeting," I replied. I did indeed have a lunch meeting. Besides Sandra, Jasper was the best lawyer to look for when it came to divorce cases. Since I wanted to amend the divorce agreement, I naturally had to get some help. It wasn't like I could ask Sandra to amend the agreement, right? … Jasper and I agreed to have lunch at the cafe beside the firm. I asked him some questions about the details of the agreement as we ate. "Are you really going to divorce your wife?" Jasper asked. His eyes were sympathetic. He wasn't aware that Sandra and I were married. In fact, no one in Kimmel & Partners knew. Sandra hated it when people's private affairs were brought up in the office, after all. "Yep. She has another man on the side. But it's no big deal. I've wanted to divorce her for some time now anyway," I said. Just then, I saw Sandra and William walking into the cafe, all smiles. Sandra instinctively stopped smiling the moment she saw me. She even took a step back away from William. I shot both of them a polite smile. I then called the waiter to switch Jasper and me to a table outside the cafe. The sunlight was just nice right now, and this position ensured we'd not be an eyesore to the lovebirds inside. Chapter 4 I still remembered bumping into Sandra and William at the mall two months ago. What a coincidence it had been. I had been picking out Sandra's birthday present. Meanwhile, she'd been shopping with William. I had panicked while William had remained calm. Then, Sandra had flown into a fit of rage. She publicly accused me of stalking her and interfering with her and her client's private discussions. In the end, I spent the entire day smoking cigarettes outside the mall entrance. That was why I chose to distance myself from them this time. The divorce agreement was swiftly amended. Jasper had some business to attend to, so he gave me further instructions on some of the clauses before leaving. I sipped on my coffee while basking in the warm sunlight. I then amended the remaining clauses while humming a happy little tune. "Why don't I drive you back to the firm, Lincoln?" Sandra asked. She was standing by my table with a smile on her face. William was nowhere to be found, much to my surprise. I glanced at her before wrinkling my nose. "You and your boyfriend sure know how to have a good time." Sandra was wearing a tight-fitting suit today. There was a beige-colored kerchief tucked in her collar that clearly belonged to William. The moment Sandra saw it, she tugged it out a little frantically. "I got distracted while drinking soup earlier, and some of it got onto my collar. Will… William then helped me wipe it off…" Sandra carefully replied. It didn't bother me too much, though. "Shall I drive you back to the office?" she asked once more. I looked at the divorce agreement on my laptop. I was nearly finished amending it at this point. I then nodded and said apologetically, "Sorry, but I still need a little more time. Could you wait a little longer? I'll be done in a second." Sandra looked a little cheerful today. She leaned over and glanced at the screen. "What's this?" she asked. "A divorce agreement. I'm still amending it," I drawled out as I typed on the keyboard. I was a little unfamiliar with what was happening right now. I never dared to make Sandra wait for me whenever she offered to drive me, not even when there was something urgent to deal with. She'd get incredibly upset otherwise. This was the first time I made her wait for me. Sandra's expression changed a little the moment she heard the words "divorce agreement". I was getting a little stuck while figuring out how to amend the clauses, so I asked, "How do I write a clause that ensures neither party disrupts the other's life after the divorce?" "Huh? What?" Sandra asked. Sandra Kimmel, a renowned divorce lawyer in the country, was actually faltering in her own area of expertise. She even sidestepped my question by asking, "Why is a criminal lawyer like you so interested in divorce agreements?" I was about to answer her directly when her phone rang. It was William. I didn't waste any time while Sandra answered the call. I saved the amended agreement and went to see the cafe owner. I asked to borrow their printer. Happiness bubbled up inside me as I watched the machine print the agreement out. Outside, Sandra was still on the phone. She was impatiently pacing back and forth. She'd occasionally glance at me through the glass door. "Sorry to keep you waiting," I said somewhat apologetically after walking out of the cafe. It was quite the wait. The printer was a little finicky, and it took 15 minutes to print the agreement. This was probably the longest Sandra had ever waited for me throughout our past few years of marriage. Sandra quickly hung up and said, "It's completely fine!" I really liked how formal and distant she was being. I hoped this would continue post-divorce. No, that wasn't right. I hoped we would never see each other again after the divorce. I'd quit my job here at Kimmel & Partners and apply to another firm for work. It might be best if I went to another city to work too. The thought made me smile. Sandra thought I was feeling happier now that I was smiling, so she smiled nervously as well. I then placed the divorce agreement on the table and said quietly, "Let's just get this done today. You can sign right here. Don't worry. You'll benefit greatly when it comes to the assets." Sandra's smile instantly disappeared from her face.