Nothing Left For Us

Ever since I can remember, every person who crosses my path has a floating number above their head. It shows the exact number of times we will ever see each other again in this lifetime. When that number hits "1", it means this meeting is our final goodbye. At ten years old, my grandmother's number dropped to "1". That afternoon, she brushed my hair one last time before passing away peacefully in her sleep. When I graduated from college, my mentor’s number stood at "2". After our second meeting, he moved his family abroad and never returned. At twenty-five, I married Lucas Bolton, a star defense attorney. He was an absolute powerhouse in the courtroom, yet he gave all his tenderness to me. Throughout our seven years of marriage, he made it a point to come home on time every single day. He willingly handed over all his income, and no matter how busy he was on business trips, he always called me on video before going to bed. Most importantly, from the very first day I met Lucas, the number above his head wasn't a few hundred or a few thousand. It was an endless infinity sign. I truly believed it meant we were destined to spend the rest of our lives together. That didn't change until the eve of our seventh wedding anniversary, when Lucas suddenly started working late all the time. Even though he never usually wore cologne, his collared shirts began carrying the unfamiliar scent of gardenias. When I confronted him about it, he paused for a second before leaning down to kiss my forehead. "A recent client is going through a tough divorce with her kid. She's been dropping by the office pretty often, so it probably rubbed off by accident." I looked at the unchanged infinity symbol floating above his head and told myself I was just being paranoid. After all, the numbers never lie. That was until another night when Lucas came home late again. Suddenly, the symbol that had never changed began to flicker. Its golden light faded away, and in its place, a bright, blood-red number "3" appeared. That was the moment I knew Lucas and I had no future left. Chapter 1 I stared at the number "3" for a long time. Lucas Bolton took off his coat, hanging it on the right side of the entryway just like he always did, before bending down to slip into the gray slippers I had bought him. Every single move he made was identical to the past seven years. Had it not been for that glowing, blinding red number, I might have believed everything I’d just seen was a complete hallucination. "Why aren't you asleep yet?" He walked over and reached out to stroke my face. His palm was warm, his fingertips slightly calloused from years of flipping through legal files. I didn't pull away. I just looked at him and asked, "Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. Do you still remember?" Lucas let out a soft laugh, affectionately pinching my cheek. "Of course I remember. I've already booked the restaurant. 7 p.m., at that waterfront table you love so much. "My phone will be turned off. No work talk, no clients. The entire night is all yours. How does that sound?" The next second, his phone buzzed on the coffee table. The screen lit up, displaying a contact name with just a single letter: H. The moment Lucas saw it, his expression tightened. He grabbed the phone and headed out onto the balcony. Before the sliding glass door fully shut, I caught the sound of a woman’s panicked sobbing coming through the receiver. A few minutes later, Lucas stepped back inside and picked up the coat he had just taken off. "A situation came up with a client. I have to head over." I looked right at him. "It’s one in the morning. Can't it wait until tomorrow?" "It’s a domestic abuse divorce case. Her ex-husband keeps harassing her, and her kid is at home too. As her lawyer, I can't just ignore it." His tone was patient, like an attorney explaining basic legal protocol to an unreasonable client. "Go to sleep first. Don't wait up for me." That faint, lingering scent of gardenia on his sleeve caught my attention again. "Even so, she can't be calling you first every single time something goes wrong." Lucas frowned. "Emma, I'm her attorney. You used to never interfere with my work." I looked up at the "3" above his head, and suddenly, I didn't want to ask anything anymore. In our seven years of marriage, I really had never interfered with his career. When he read case files until dawn, I made coffee and snacks for him. When he pulled back-to-back late nights at the law firm preparing for trial, I packed and organized his fresh clothes. He fought cases for people with nowhere else to turn, but he never crossed the line between lawyer and client in the name of goodwill. I used to be so proud of his professionalism and his boundaries. But at some point, his professional duty had crossed the doors of his law firm, invading our late nights, our holidays, and the life that was supposed to belong only to us. "Go ahead." I stepped aside to clear his path. Lucas seemed surprised that I agreed so easily. He froze for a second before leaning down to kiss my forehead. "I'll be back soon." The house fell quiet once again. As I stood by the entryway, my eyes landed on the framed photo from our trip to Aspen sitting on the shoe rack. In the photo, Lucas wrapped his arms around me from behind, his smile even warmer than the snow falling around us. Back then, he asked me what we would do if we ever got into a fight. I had told him with absolute confidence, “As long as you're still willing to see me, we can always work things out.” It turned out, even if two people still see each other, their hearts can be worlds apart. I walked back into the bedroom and dialed my college classmate, Ava Henderson. She was now a top attorney specializing in divorce litigation. The phone rang for a long time before she finally answered. "Emma? Did something happen? You never call this late." I stared at the half-empty bed, my voice barely a whisper. "Help me draft a divorce agreement." Chapter 2 Lucas didn't come home that night. At 6 a.m., he sent a quick text saying that Hallie Clark’s ex-husband had been taken away by the police, and that he had to stay behind to help give a statement. At the end of the message, he added a note telling me to remember to eat breakfast. I didn't reply. At 7 p.m., I arrived early at the reserved restaurant. I waited for an hour before Lucas' call finally came through. "Emma, I'm so sorry. Something urgent just came up on my end." In the background, I could hear a child crying alongside Hallie's soft voice. "Is it because of Hallie again?" He went silent for a moment. "Hallie’s son has a high fever and went into convulsions. She can't handle this all by herself. Let's cancel dinner tonight, and I'll make it up to you another day." Without waiting for my answer, he hung up. Listening to the dead dial tone, I looked down at the anniversary cake sitting on the table. I had chosen it with meticulous care. On top sat two small figurines in formal wear, and written on the base were my name and Lucas'. I asked the waiter to pack up the cake along with the anniversary gift, then caught a cab to the hospital alone. The pediatric IV unit was brightly lit. Through the half-open door, I spotted Lucas right away. Hallie was leaning against him, her eyes completely bloodshot. The little boy in her arms was hooked up to an IV. The moment he caught sight of the cake in my hands, he sat up straight. "Mommy, I want cake!" Hallie quickly held him back. "Ben, don't throw a tantrum. That belongs to the lady." Hearing the noise, Lucas turned around. The moment he saw me, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. "Emma, what are you doing here?" He glanced at the cake in my hands and reached out to take it. "The kid had a big scare today. This is actually perfect to cheer him up." He said so naturally, as if he was completely certain I wouldn't refuse. Before I could even open my mouth, he had already unpacked the box and placed the cake right in front of Ben. Seeing the two little figurines on top, Ben finally flashed a smile. "Mr. Lucas, did you buy this for me?" Lucas lit the candles for him. "Yep. Happy thoughts for a speedy recovery, Ben." Hallie looked over at me, a perfectly timed look of apology surfacing in her eyes. "Mrs. Bolton, I'm so sorry. Kids don't know any better. How much was the cake? Let me pay you back for it." I didn't answer her. On the base of the cake, the names "Lucas" and "Emma" had already been sliced in half. Turns out, a cake prepared for our seventh anniversary could be handed off by him just like that, all to comfort another woman's child. I placed the box containing the anniversary gift onto a chair. "Lucas, I need to talk to you." He froze for a moment. "Right now?" "Yes. Right now." Hearing this, Hallie quickly cradled Ben and shifted to the side. "Mr. Bolton, please go accompany your wife. I can manage on my own." Ben, however, yanked on Lucas' sleeve, whining softly about the pain. Lucas immediately bent down to check his IV needle. Only after making sure there was no blood backflow did he turn back to me. "He’s still on an IV. Whatever it is, just say it here." "Fine. We'll talk here." I pulled the divorce agreement drafted by Ava out of my bag and held it out to him. "Let's get a divorce." The moment the words left my mouth, the room fell dead silent. As if only just snapping back to reality, Hallie stood up with red, tear-filled eyes. "Mrs. Bolton, did you misunderstand something? Ben fell sick out of nowhere today, and I really didn't know who else to turn to. That's the only reason I called him." She lowered her head, her voice cracking with tears. "If you're asking for a divorce because of me, I can switch to a new attorney right away. Even if I lose the lawsuit, even if his father takes custody away from me, I won't bother Mr. Bolton ever again." Hearing those words, Ben panicked and threw his arms around her. "Mommy, I don't want to go with Daddy!" Hallie pulled her son tight into her chest, tears streaming down her face. "Don't be scared, baby. Mommy will figure something out." Lucas' expression darkened completely. "Emma, stop making a scene out of nothing. Ben just got out of the ER, and Hallie is out of her mind with stress. Do you really have to threaten a divorce just to force me home?" Lucas' eyes were filled with utter disappointment. "I know I was in the wrong for breaking our dinner plans tonight, but this is a life-or-death situation. Can't you tell what takes priority?" With every word he threw at me, Hallie hugged the child in her arms a little tighter. It was as if I was the villain pushing a helpless mother and child into a corner. Seeing that I remained completely silent, Lucas softened his tone. "You're not in the right headspace right now. Go home and calm down first. We'll talk when I get back." Looking at this familiar face in front of me, I suddenly lost all desire to argue. I turned around and walked out. As the door to the IV room slowly slid shut behind me, I glanced back one last time. Lucas was leaning down, gently comforting the weeping mother and son. Helpless and overwhelmed, Hallie rested her head lightly against his shoulder. I pulled out my phone and booked a flight out of the city for three days from now. Chapter 3 The moment I got back home, I opened the closet and started packing. I gathered my documents, art portfolios, and the jewelry my mother had left behind. Everything else, I placed neatly back where it belonged. Most of the decorations in the living room, the vinyl records in the study, and the matching dinnerware set in the kitchen had been bought together over our seven years. I took only what was strictly mine and left everything else behind. At 2 a.m., Lucas texted to say that Ben’s fever had finally broken, but Hallie was still emotionally unstable, and he wouldn't be coming home tonight. When the hospital door closed behind me earlier, our second-to-last meeting officially came to an end. As of now, Lucas and I only had one final meeting left. The next afternoon, the front door lock beeped. I was in the living room organizing my sketchbooks when I looked up and saw Lucas pushing the door open. Following right behind him were Hallie and Ben. "Emma." Lucas set down another piece of luggage, his tone sounding like he was simply notifying me of a decision that had already been made. "The police issued a warning to Hallie's ex, but he still found her old address. It's not safe for them there right now." I looked at the two suitcases sitting by the entryway. "So you brought them here?" "They're only staying for two nights. Once the firm arranges a safe place for them, they'll move out." Hallie held her son's hand, standing awkwardly behind him. "Mrs. Bolton, I am so sorry. I really didn't want to bother you two, but Ben just got over his fever, and I'm honestly too terrified to take him back home." As apologies spilled from her lips, her gardenia perfume drifted past the entryway, invading the home I had lived in for seven years. Seven years ago, when Lucas and I first moved into this place, he replaced the existing smart door lock. He registered my fingerprint as number one and his as number two, telling me home was my haven. Anyone entering needed to have my permission first. Now, without asking me, he brought another woman straight inside. "You've already brought them in. Why bother asking me now?" Lucas frowned slightly. "Emma, this isn't the time to throw a tantrum. "Hallie is in the middle of a custody battle, and her ex has violent tendencies. If anything happens to them, nobody can take responsibility. "You've always been kind-hearted. Don't take our issues out on them." Hallie quickly pulled on his sleeve. "Mr. Bolton, maybe we should just forget it. I'll take Ben to a hotel. I really don't want you and your wife fighting because of us." Hearing this, Ben timidly leaned closer to Lucas. "Mr. Lucas, I'm scared my daddy will come get me." Lucas looked down at him, his tone immediately softening. "Don't be scared. You guys stay right here." Only after saying that did he look back at me. "The guest room is just sitting empty, anyway. It's only for two days." I remained quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. But since our seventh anniversary was ruined, I want to buy an art studio. Consider it you making it up to me." I pulled out a few pre-prepared documents, along with the divorce agreement, and handed them over to him. "I need your signature." Lucas assumed I had simply stopped making a fuss. He casually flipped through two pages and signed his name wherever the signature tabs were placed. "Buy whatever you want. You don't need to save money on my account." I gathered the documents, not telling him that one of them was the exact divorce agreement he had refused to sign last night. "Fresh bedsheets are in the closet." I picked up my portfolios and turned back toward the bedroom. Ben, however, pointed toward the end of the hallway, his eyes lighting up. "Mommy, there are stars in that room!" He broke free from Hallie's hand and pushed the door open. The galaxy projector on the wall turned on, casting a sea of blue light across the ceiling. It was the nursery Lucas and I had prepped for our future child. Ben looked up at the starlight, his face full of excitement. "Mr. Lucas, can I sleep here?" Without even looking at me, Lucas nodded. "If you like it, go right ahead. It's been sitting empty anyway." My footsteps paused for a second before I turned and walked straight into the bedroom. I closed the door and continued packing the rest of my belongings. Sitting on the very top shelf of the vanity was a silver comb left behind by my grandmother. It was what she’d used to brush my hair one last time before she passed away. I wrapped it carefully in a soft cloth and was just about to place it into my suitcase when the bedroom door suddenly swung open. Ben was standing at the doorway, his eyes locking onto the silver comb in my hands. "Hey, that thing glows!" He rushed over, snatching the handle of the comb in one swift grab. "Let me play with it for a bit!" Chapter 4 I kept a firm grip on the silver comb, refusing to let go. "You can't play with this." Ben probably didn't expect to be turned down and instantly pouted. "Mr. Lucas said I can use anything in this house!" "This belongs to me." I pulled the silver comb back toward myself. Instead of letting go, he suddenly yanked hard with both hands, clutching the handle. "I want it!" In the middle of our tug-of-war, a sharp snap rang out. The silver comb broke clean in half, with one piece dropping straight to the floor. I froze. When I was ten, my grandmother sat by the window, using this very comb to braid my hair for the last time. Back then, I even complained that she was taking too long, nagging her to hurry up so we could go buy candy. The next morning, I could never wake her up again. Over the past twenty years, I had moved four times, and I always kept this comb close. Now, it was snapped in half by a total stranger's child. Seeing the look on my face, Ben panicked and took a step back, bursting into loud, frantic tears. Lucas and Hallie rushed in moments later. "What happened?" Ben threw himself into Lucas' arms, crying so hard he could barely catch his breath. "She wouldn't let me play with it, and then she yanked it away, and... and it broke!" Hallie crouched to comfort him, then turned to look at me with a face full of guilt. "Mrs. Bolton, I am so sorry. Ben didn't mean to do it." I reached down to pick up the broken half from the floor. Lucas, however, took it before I could and glanced at it. "It's just an old comb. I'll have my assistant buy you a brand-new set tomorrow—silver, gold, whatever you want." I looked up at him. "Don't you know this was left to me by my grandmother?" Lucas stiffened for a second. During our first year of marriage, I had told him the story about my grandmother and this comb. That day, he held me in his arms for a long time, promising he would cherish every moment we shared together. But now, looking down at the crying boy in his arms, he hesitated for a few seconds before speaking up. "He's just a child. He had no idea what this comb meant to you. Don't go scaring him." I took the broken pieces back from his hands. "He didn't know, but you did." Lucas' expression darkened. "Emma, I get that you're upset, but the thing is already broken. Ben was terrified out of his mind just now. How do you expect a six-year-old child to pay for this?" Hallie spoke up, her eyes brimming with tears. "It's all my fault for not raising him better. Mrs. Bolton, blame me if you have to, but please don't be hard on the child." She took all the blame, yet she didn't ask Ben to apologize even once. I looked at her, then looked back at Lucas. The way he instinctively shielded that mother and child looked so natural, as if that was where he belonged all along. "Get out," I said. Lucas frowned. "You need to calm down." "This is my room. All of you, get the hell out!" He probably wanted to say something more, but Ben began sobbing even louder in his arms. So Hallie softly urged him to take the child outside first. After the bedroom door closed, I sat down on the floor and wrapped the two broken pieces of the silver comb back into the soft cloth. It could be repaired, but it would never return to what it once was. Just like certain relationships—the moment a crack appears, the ending is already written. At dinnertime, Lucas knocked on the door, telling me to come out and eat. I didn't answer. Half an hour later, he pushed the door open and placed a luxury jewelry shopping bag on the table. "I had my assistant buy a new one." Inside was an intricate, expensive gold comb carved with gardenia flowers. "Hallie feels guilty about earlier, too. Come and eat with us in a bit, and we can just move past this whole thing." I didn't even touch the bag. Instead, I tucked the wrapped, broken silver comb deep inside my suitcase. Chapter 5 At 11 p.m., I finally finished packing my last suitcase. I was looking down, double-checking my passport and documents, when a soft knock sounded at the bedroom door. Hallie walked in holding a cup of tea, wearing my slippers. "Mrs. Bolton, I am so truly sorry about what happened earlier today." She placed the cup on the edge of the table, her eyes falling upon the open suitcase. "Are you going on a long trip?" "None of your business." I zipped my document bag shut. Instead of leaving, she turned around and closed the door behind her. "You really don't have to be so guarded against me. Mr. Bolton is only helping me because he pities us, that's all." As she spoke, she raised her hand to adjust her hair. Her sleeve slid down, revealing a men's wristwatch on her slender wrist. It was the gift I had given Lucas for his birthday last year. Engraved on the back of the watch face was our wedding date. I stared at it for a few seconds before extending my hand. "Take it off." Hallie acted as if she had only just remembered the watch was on her wrist, quickly explaining herself. "Ben was getting an IV last night, and my phone ran out of battery. Mr. Bolton was worried I wouldn't be able to keep track of the time, so he lent me his watch. He had a long, busy day, so he probably just forgot to ask for it back." "I told you to take it off." The polite apology on her lips faded slightly, though she took her time unbuckling the strap. "Mrs. Bolton, you're leaving anyway. Why do you still care so much about a watch?" I looked up at her. "Who told you I was leaving?" "Your luggage is completely packed. Isn't that obvious?" Hallie glanced toward the open closet and let out a soft laugh. "Honestly, you don't need to throw a fit and run away from home just to force him to turn back to you. He hates being threatened more than anything." Without another word, I reached out to take the watch back myself. Hallie suddenly shrank back, her heel catching right on the edge of the rug. The very next second, she let out a sharp cry and tumbled backward, knocking over the glass picture frame sitting on the shelf. The loud crash echoed all the way into the living room. Lucas rushed in at lightning speed. "Hallie!" He shoved me aside, leaning down to lift the woman from the floor. Caught off guard, I crashed against the sharp corner of the table, my arm dragging right across the floor of broken glass. A stinging pain shot through me, and blood quickly soaked through my sleeve. Hallie turned pale, clutching her ankle while shaking her head. "Don't blame Mrs. Bolton… I just saw her packing her bags and was worried she'd leave out of anger, so I asked a few questions. "She probably misunderstood our relationship." Lucas looked up at me, his eyes overflowing with disappointment. "You pushed her?" I clutched my bleeding arm. "If I say I didn't, would you believe me?" He went quiet for two seconds. "Emma, Hallie already had an old injury on her ankle, and she has to appear in court the day after tomorrow. Even if you're mad at me, you shouldn't take it out on her." A memory from seven years ago suddenly flashed through my mind. I had been falsely accused of plagiarism by a colleague at the art gallery. Even when all the evidence pointed against me, Lucas had stood up and said that the Emma Swift he knew would never steal someone else's work. Later, he pulled the security footage and cleared my name. I truly believed back then that no matter what happened, he would always trust me first. I guess the right to be unconditionally chosen can easily be handed to someone else. "I understand." Blood dripped from my fingertips, splashing onto our shattered wedding photo. However, Lucas didn't notice. He had already scooped Hallie into his arms, hurrying toward the guest room. Only when he reached the doorway did he look back over his shoulder. "Go apologize to her tomorrow morning. They'll be moving out very soon, so stop throwing these ridiculous tantrums." I stood frozen as the glowing red "1" above his head vanished behind the door. Without a word, I pulled out my phone and changed my flight from three days away to 9 a.m. tomorrow. Chapter 6 The injury on my arm throbbed all night long. The moment day broke, I got up to wash my face and brush my teeth, putting on a long-sleeved shirt to cover the bandages. My last suitcase stood by the entryway, and my passport and the signed divorce agreement were safely tucked into my handbag. When Lucas stepped out of the guest room, he was still wearing the same shirt from last night. "Hallie's ankle is swollen. I need to take her to the hospital for an X-ray this morning." He pinched the bridge of his nose, his tone dripping with the exhaustion of someone who hadn't slept a wink. "Get ready and come with me to apologize to her." He looked at me like a lawyer handling an annoying but simple case. "Emma, I don't want to make a big deal out of this. You were in the wrong here. Hallie isn't pressing the issue only because she's showing consideration for my feelings." I looked at this man I had shared seven years of my life with. He knew how to catch a lie from a slight pause in a witness statement, and he could piece together the truth from the smallest contradictions. Yet last night, he didn't ask a single question, nor did he give me a chance to explain. Just because the person who fell was Hallie, he instantly pronounced me guilty. "Okay." Lucas visibly froze for a second. "You agree?" The tense look on his face finally relaxed. He stepped closer and reached up to fix my hair, just like he always did after every argument we used to have. However, this time, I turned my head away, leaving his hand frozen in mid-air. "My tone was a bit harsh last night. Once they move out, we'll talk, just the two of us. "I didn't sign the divorce agreement, and I'm not going to." I looked up at him. "Why?" "Because we haven't reached that point." He spoke with absolute certainty. "I've just been too busy lately and ignored your feelings. Emma, a seven-year relationship doesn't just disappear because of a few bad days." I raised my eyes to look at the blood-red "1" floating above his head. He had no idea that there wasn't going to be a next time for us. Nor did he know that the relationship he swore wouldn't disappear had already been completely burned away, consumed by every single time he chose someone else over me. "Mr. Bolton, Ben seems to be running a fever again." Hallie's voice called out from the guest room. Lucas turned around immediately. He took two steps before turning back to instruct me, "Change your clothes and come downstairs. Don't keep them waiting too long." Ten minutes later, Hallie emerged, leaning on his arm as she limped to the entryway. On his other arm, Lucas held Ben, the boy's face buried in his shoulder. Standing together, they looked far more like a family of three than we ever did in our wedding photo. When Hallie saw me, her eyes flickered. "Mrs. Bolton, are you going out too?" "She's coming to the hospital with us," Lucas answered on my behalf. He grabbed his car keys with his free hand. "I'll bring them down to the car first. Come down right after." The front door opened, letting in the cool morning breeze. I stood in the middle of the living room, quietly watching him walk out. Right at the moment before the door swung shut, the "1" above Lucas' head flickered softly. The blood-red light flickered like a candle in the wind, fading until it finally hit "0". I used to think that when the number above his head hit zero, I would fall apart completely. I thought I would recklessly rush forward and pull him back. But now that the moment was actually here, all that remained in my heart was total peace. The door clicked completely shut. I slid the wedding ring off my ring finger and set it down on the entryway console table. Then I grabbed my suitcase handle and took the second elevator down. Ava's car was already parked right outside the complex. The moment she saw the bandages on my arm, her expression changed instantly. "What happened to you?" "It doesn't matter anymore." I handed her a signed authorization document. "I'm leaving the entire divorce to you." Ava took the paper. She didn't try to persuade me otherwise, simply helping me load my luggage into the trunk. On the way to the airport, a text from Lucas popped up on my phone. [Once you're ready, come down. Tonight, I'll take you out to make up for our anniversary.] I looked at the message, leaving it unanswered. Then I blocked his number and social media accounts, and powered down my phone. The boarding announcement echoed through the terminal. I dragged my luggage onto the jet bridge without turning my head back even once. Half an hour later, the plane sliced through the clouds, and the city lights below shrank into the distance. Lucas would never know that the infinity symbol that once represented forever had already reached its end. It had drained away, piece by piece, every time he turned his back on me.