Chapter 3
Heavy breathing came through the phone.
Josephine figured, that if she were standing in front of Peter right now, she probably wouldn’t even make it to the end of the month–he’d strangle her on the spot.
Before he could start cursing her out, she let out a soft laugh.
“Peter, I’m not messing with you this time, but I do have one condition.”
Peter didn’t answer.
She didn’t care. She kept talking anyway.
“I want you to do ten things with me. Just ten. Once we’re done, I’ll sign the divorce papers without a word. I swear–after that, I’ll disappear from your life completely.‘
That offer was tempting. Very tempting.
Peter frowned.
“Ten’s too many. Five.”
Josephine gave a quiet chuckle. “Fine.”
The first thing she did was ask him to attend a charity gala with her.
She dressed to the nines, and when Peter arrived to pick her up, his fingers flew over his phone screen. He didn’t even look up to glance at her.
Josephine didn’t mind. She knew better than to expect sweet talk from
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him.
But he frowned when he got in the car and finally looked at her.
“You lost weight? Your face looks sickly. You look terrible.”
Her fingers twitched slightly, but she stared straight ahead and said nothing.
When they got out of the car, Peter suddenly grabbed her hand.
She froze for a second, and he scoffed.
“What’s the matter? It’s not like we’ve never held hands or done even more intimate things. Why pretend to be so shy now?”
His burning palm wrapped around her cold fingers.
It wasn’t the first time he’d held her hand–but it was the first time he’d
ever done it alone.
People around them noticed. The strange harmony between them caught. everyone off guard. Eyes widened.
The auction began. Josephine spotted something she liked.
She raised her paddle instinctively, but someone else beat her to it.
It was a painting–a rare final work by a now–deceased foreign artist. Several bidders liked it and started raising their offers.
In the end, it was Peter who won with the highest bid.
Warmth rushed through her chest.
“Wa-
Chapter 3
“Send it to the Heath family in Atlanta.”
Her outstretched hand froze in midair.
So the painting wasn’t for her.
A wave of bitterness surged inside her, threatening to drown her.
She stood up suddenly and walked toward the exit.
Peter frowned, got up, and grabbed her arm.
“Where do you think you’re going? It’s not over yet.”
She tried to pull free, but his grip was too strong.
He was starting to get annoyed. “You’re the one who dragged me here. Now what? Throwing a tantrum? You’re seriously messed up.”
That last line–messed up–stabbed her straight in the heart.
“You’re right. I am messed up.”
She yanked her arm free and stormed out without looking back.
For an entire week, Josephine didn’t contact him.
She moved out of their home. At first, Peter didn’t care.
But the thought of the remaining four tasks gnawed at him. Made him restless.
For example, if he didn’t get them over with soon, Josephine would cling to him all over again.
Unable to stand the uncertainty, he called her.
When the phone rang, Josephine had just finished a round of radiation
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therapy.
Her condition was deteriorating quickly. Her bones ached constantly.
“There are still four things left, Josephine. Don’t think you can weasel out
of them.”
She was silent for a moment.
“I want to go to Tibet.”
Peter frowned. “Now?”
“Mm. Right now.
He thought she was insane.
But he went along with it, for the sake of the divorce, for the sake of finally shaking her off.
He booked the tickets to Tibet immediately.
Josephine wrapped herself up from head to toe. By the time she arrived, Peter had been waiting impatiently.
“What the hell? I offered to pick you up, but you refused. Then you show up late? What were you doing?”
She ignored his complaints and handed him her suitcase.
“Stop whining.”
Peter snorted but took the luggage from her hands without protest.
He didn’t even realize how natural it had become.
Just before boarding, his phone rang.
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Josephine stood at the gate, looking at him from across the hall.
He gripped the phone tighter, his whole body tense.
“Sorry, Josephine.
“I can’t go to Tibet with you.”
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Chapter 4
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Chapter 4
