Chapter 1

cHAPTER ONE

-

The smoke-choked air suffocates me, each desperate breath a struggle against an invisible force that's draining the oxygen from my lungs. The flames rage around me, their fury intensifying as they consume everything in sight.

I can hear the faint screaming of “fire!’ behind me.

The cries and wails of others grow fainter, distant screams muffled by the deafening roar of the blaze. And it does nothing but heightens my fear even though I can already see the inferno in front of me

Time is slipping away, and I'm trapped in this inferno. The smoke is suffocating me, but it's not the only threat – my foot is wedged in the wooden table leg, a cruel twist of fate. Panic sets in as I realize I'm pinned down, unable to escape.

Tears stream down my face as I cry out for help, my voice hoarse from the smoke. Just as despair takes hold, Leon appears, his face etched with determination.

With swift efficiency, he removes my shoe and begins to pry my foot loose, striking the table leg with an iron rod. Each blow echoes through the room, a rhythmic accompaniment to my ragged breathing.

Finally, the wood splinters, releasing my leg from its deadly grip. Leon pulls me to safety, his grip firm as I stumble beside him.

My relief is fleeting, shattered by the sound of something massive crashing down, striking Leon with its weight and sending him tumbling into the flames.

But suddenly, I jolt upright in bed, gasping for air, my chest heaving. I frantically fan my sweaty body, my heart still racing from the vivid nightmare.

As reality sets in, I slowly realize it was just a dream.

“Eleanor? What’s wrong?”

I catch my husband's voice behind me. He gets up and suddenly pulls me close, into a warm hug.

“A nightmare? Again?” He coos and rubs my shoulder in an affectionate way and barely the way we work things in this marriage.

Arthur's scent envelops me, familiar and reassuring.

We never do this, we’re never this intimate, but I guess tonight is an exception and I’ll never miss out on this.

As I gaze up at Arthur, his hazel eyes sparkle, catching the faint light of the room and reflecting it to me.

His gaze is a gentle caress, making me feel like the only person in his universe.

Without thinking, I reach up and press my lips to his, not expecting his reciprocation.

But Arthur's response is instant, his mouth opening to welcome mine, his tongue warm and inviting. Our kiss is a slow-burning basket .

As our lips move in sync, Arthur's hand circles my waist, his fingers tracing the curve of my lower back, pulling me closer to feel his hardness.

I feel the heat radiating from his body, his desire matching mine. My body responds, melting into his, our contours merging like two pieces of a puzzle.

Suddenly, Arthur moves his head backward and breaks our kiss, his lips a bit swollen and red from it.

“Wait— Eli”

He breathes, letting me go.

“What?” I ask while still trying to go in and continue our kiss.

Whatever he wants to say can wait. I need his lips on mine now—

“Eleanor!” He yells and pushes me back a bit, making me stop.

“Arthur, what’s wrong?” I swallow, staring at him in shock.

He hardly calls me by my full name.

I sit up and stare at him.

“What’s wrong Arthur?” I ask again as he shuts his eyes like he’s trying to retrieve something from the back of his mind.

Arthur’s thick voice takes over the room and I fear the seriousness that immediately follows it.

“I need to talk to you about something..”

I catch my breath and slowly sit up.

“Is something wrong? At work?” I try to help him talk faster by suggesting.

He shakes his head.

“Eli… Let’s get a divorce” The word comes out a bit too fast that I almost miss it or he said something else and I’m just imagining things.

My head slowly turns to face him.

“Excuse me?”

The look he gives me makes My breath catch in my throat.

“I’ve been thinking, and I want us to get a divorce” He rubs the back of his head.

I don’t speak— it’s not that I don’t know what to say, I do, But my voice feels like it’s frozen and it’s being stung by thousands of bees.

I look at Arthur and I hate that he’s avoiding my gaze.

“Arthur..” I finally speak and it’s an airy call of his name.

He looks at me and sighs.

“Brianna… she’s back in Manhattan.. and I’m getting our divorce papers ready,” Arthur breathes out her name and my entirety freezes.

Brianna?.

I should have seen this coming—No, I did see it coming!

Our marriage has been a bit.. rocky, with less intimacy and communication, and more importantly, this marriage came as an offer. I should remember my place here.

I shouldn’t get carried away by a divorce I saw coming.

I just thought he’d love me enough one day. I have been stupid.

I’ll never be close to what Arthur had with Brianna, even as his wife, even after four years of being married.

Was loving each other only from my end? I didn’t imagine this, right?

I walk down from the bed and adjust my night dress.

I swallow and nod at his silence.

"I'll sign the divorce papers whenever they're ready," I say, my voice steady. "By sunrise, I'm leaving."

Arthur's face flashes astonishment and melancholy before hardening into determination. "I'm glad you understand."

I turn away, settling into the edge of the bed, creating distance between us. As Arthur turns off the light, plunging us into darkness, I surrender to my emotions. Tears well up, and a silent wail escapes, a cry of intense pain.

Or, if you'd like an even shorter version:

"I'll sign the papers and leave by sunrise," I say, my voice firm.

Arthur's expression shifts from shock to determination. "I'm glad you understand."

In the darkness, I let tears consume me, mourning the love that could never be.

I was truly the only one who fell in love.

-

During breakfast in the morning, we are both quiet, an awkward silence that seems worse with every clatter from our forks to our plates. My appetite is nonexistent, but I still force myself to eat, and my eyes still feel heavy from last night's brawl I did on my pillow.

After our horrible breakfast, I leave the dining room and head upstairs to get my things.

With my suitcase ready, I throw on a less gloomy expression and personality before walking down the stairs to see Arthur waiting for me, with his car keys.

He looks awkward as he starts to say.

“Where will you go? I’ll drive you”

I gulp, praying that my voice doesn't reveal my emotions.

“My parents, it’s okay, I already booked an Uber” I breathe.

He’ll drive me after crushing me? I’ll never let that happen.

Arthur walks me to the car, watching as I settle in. His tousled blond hair and gray-hazed hazel eyes reveal a mix of emotions.

I bite back questions, hiding my devastation.

I want to ask him a lot of questions, so many questions that I wish to answer in my head, but I swallow it all down as I am in no position to.

As the driver revs up, Arthur slams his hand against the windowsill, stopping us abruptly.

“Eli,” He calls gently.

My eyes turn to him and he catches it and holds my gaze.

“Who is Leon?”

My body makes a shivering move and my legs go stiff.

How does he know Leon?

No one’s supposed to know Leon.

I don’t know the expression I’m making but seeing how he has clench his jaw and almost breaking the car with his hands pressed to the windowsill. I know my expression cannot be good.

“I— Le—Leon.. I—

I stutter terribly.

No…

He glares at me.

“That’s what I thought. Eleanor, I’m sorry for wasting four years of your time, have a safe trip” The word sounds so bitter and his jaw is still fiercely clenched.

And with that, he marches away.

—*