Chapter 0001

Chapter One

Janet’s POV

When I excitedly packed my travel bags and rushed downstairs to my husband’s car, there was already another woman sitting in the passenger seat.

Rowan was gently wiping Flora’s tears, and I slid into the back seat and watched them in utter shock and disbelief, yet I knew I couldn’t say anything.

Because Flora had lost her husband, Jared, three months ago. And Rowan, as their best friend, had taken it upon himself to care for her.

I understand that Rowan and Jared were close. They had known each other since High school. And I never minded him helping her out before. After all, I knew the pain of losing someone close. It was like living under constant rain.

However, it had been 3 months!

Rowan dropped everything whenever Flora called, even in the middle of the night. Wouldn’t that be too much for anyone?

Just last night, he had gone to the hospital to comfort her after another round of terrible nightmares. And now, here she was, in our car.

“Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” I asked, my voice dripping with bitterness as the car came to a stop by the side of the road.

One minute ago, Flora had excused herself and disappeared into the restroom, finally giving us some privacy.

Rowan looked up from his phone and gave me a surprised look.

"Don’t tell me you’re still upset about this, Janet."

"How do you expect me to react?" I bit back, trying to keep my voice calm. “What’s going on this time? She’s ‘feeling lonely’ again? The fifth time this week?”

He rubbed his temples, his voice smooth and unbothered. “Flora just happened to pass by when I was waiting for you. She asked if I could give her a ride to Jared’s company to pick up some of his things. That’s all.”

I nodded, swallowing the bitter taste in my mouth. Of course. Always an excuse. Always a reason that made him look like the perfect man—kind, thoughtful, selfless. However, I wouldn’t buy it this time.

I pressed my lips together, trying to keep my voice even after checking the time again. “I’m not after her, Rowan. I’m not even angry with her. But you made a promise, To Your wife. Look, I’d been planning this trip for weeks, and every reservation I made depended on us arriving on time. She was heading across the city, miles away from the airport. We'd miss our flight and everything that came after it. Why couldn’t she just take a taxi—”

Rowan cut me off, his tone dismissive. “Come on, Janet! She’s been through a lot. Can’t you show a little compassion? We’ll go to the airport after and we can always go on our trip later, whenever we want. It’s not a big deal.”

His eyes flicked to mine briefly before he turned his face toward the window, rubbing his hand through his hair in that way he always did when he wanted to avoid a fight.

But I couldn’t get over his last words.

Not a big deal?

Was I the only one who remembered that tomorrow was our three-year wedding anniversary?

That’s when Flora opened the back door, tossed her bag onto the seat, and climbed in. “Sorry to keep you waiting!” Her voice was bright, oblivious to the tension choking the air. Or maybe she wasn’t oblivious. Maybe she just didn’t care.

Rowan started the car without a word, and I sank back into my seat, hoping for silence. Just a quiet drive. But, of course, Flora couldn’t resist filling the quiet with her troubles.

“Life has been so tough lately,” she began, her voice trembling. “The house feels so empty and lonely. No one to talk to…” She paused, sniffling for effect. “I’m so grateful to you both, especially you, Rowan. If not for you, I don’t know how I’d have coped.”

I turned my face back to the window, the tightness in my chest threatening to snap. The way Rowan answered her, soft and careful, made my teeth clench.

“What are friends for?” he said, his voice almost warm. Almost tender.

Flora sniffed again. “Everyone turned their back on me after Jared passed. Except you, Rowan. You’re truly… amazing. Jared would’ve been so proud of you.”

Her voice broke on the last word, and she started crying. Rowan frowned slightly, but instead of pulling away, he reached for tissues on the dashboard and handed them to her. “Don’t cry, Flora. Everything will be okay,” he said gently. “No one is irreplaceable.”

That was it. That line. No one is irreplaceable. My throat tightened so much, I thought I’d choke. Did he mean it? Was he already thinking of replacing me? I kept my face glued to the window, staring hard at nothing, letting their words wash over me like a cold wave. I didn’t trust myself to speak.

When we finally arrived at Flora’s destination, relief flooded me. She stepped out of the car, but then she turned to Rowan, her voice soft and pleading.

“Please, Rowan. I need help carrying some things. They’re heavy, and I can’t do it alone.”

I couldn’t stop the sharp edge in my voice. “I thought we were just giving you a ride.”

Her face turned slightly downcast. “I’m sorry. But it won’t take long,” she said, her tone practically dripping with innocence. Aggrieved. Helpless. She was playing the part perfectly.

“It’s fine, Janet. Just wait in the car,” Rowan said, already stepping out.

I watched him walk away with her, my fingers gripping the edge of my seat until they ached.

As minutes dragged into hours. I checked the flight status again and again, feeling the anxiety gnawing at me.

We had obviously missed our original flight, but if we could catch the midnight one, we could still make it. We could celebrate our anniversary, and I could finally tell him the good news I’d been holding onto…

When my phone lit up, I nearly jumped. Rowan’s voice came through, calm, almost detached. “There’s been a delay. Flora ran into some classmates, and they’re having dinner together. Just cancel the tickets and rebook for tomorrow.”

“Rowan,” I said, my voice steady but strained. “How many times are you going to break your promises?”

“Why are you in such a rush huh?” he replied, his tone almost casual. “We can still go tomorrow or next week.”

I took a deep breath, trying to push down the scream bubbling in my chest. My hand rested on my lower abdomen. “Rowan, we need to talk. Listen, I have some news for you…”

Suddenly, his tone turned sharp, cutting me off. “Don’t tell me you’re just upset about the airfare.”

What? I frowned deeply. Before I could say anything, he continued. "You’ve been married to me for three years—can’t you stop being so cheap and selfish? We can go on a trip whenever you want. I’ll pay for it, okay?"

“Tomorrow is our 3rd anniversary!” I couldn’t hold back the slight rise in my voice, and I fought to keep the tears from breaking through.

There was silence on the other end. Then, I heard a woman’s voice.

“Rowan, is that your wife calling?”

Flora’s voice.

And then, just like that, he hung up.

I stared at my phone, the blank screen matching the hollow ache in my chest. Disappointment. Helplessness. Anger. They all swirled together until I couldn’t breathe. I grabbed my purse, shoved the door open, and stepped out into the cool night air.