It takes the both of us (PUBLISHED - WEBNOVEL)

CHAPTER ONE: Mrs. Chua

© Erhaneya.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the author's imagination.

Front cover image by Erhaneya.

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[Shaira's POINT OF VIEW]

My phone beeped as a message from my husband landed in my inbox. I opened it and smiled bitterly as I put my phone back in my pocket. I stood up and headed to the park where he asked to meet me.

The path carried me to an agreeable resting place. Close by the convoluted path. The streetlight abruptly censored out. Looking at the sky; the sun has previously risen. A few mornings, the sun radiates across the sky, which isn't as yet exactly blue, yet the sun has completely risen. At the point when the breeze blows, it munches over the pieces of turf.

A vacant, wooden seat became visible, occupied by an old couple. The refined man wore a smooth white shirt and khaki pants with two dark stripes on the two sides. He had tanned skin and white hair like the snow in winter. I saw a sparkle all over, badly crumpled by a long period of obstacles, which propelled one with a sensation of unwavering confidence. The old woman was wearing the same way as her better half. Not a solitary word was spitted from their mouth. However, the two of them wore grins like the new moon. I could tell from one glance that they were madly in love with each other.

My heart suddenly felt heavy as I watched them. I have an ominous feeling that today the sky will turn to weep hard, although the vibrant color of the sky shows no sign of rain.

I crumpled the hem of my blouse and looked away. Shortly after, I heard a familiar voice calling me. A moment of silence enveloped us as Jhotam stood in front of me. And before I could initiate a conversation, he broke the silence by saying, "Let's end this."

"What do you mean?" I stared into his eyes and found the answer I never wished to realize.

"Let's part ways. It's hurting both of us. This marriage is not happy as it was. You and I think differently. We have different thoughts about the weight of our words and actions," Jhotam replied without batting his eyes.

A few moments have been stolen from me to react to the situation, but I managed to reply, "Easy for you, huh? What about our son? Have you thought about the outcome of your decision?"

It is not just about my husband and me. It involves an innocent life we made in our cherry years.

"We may not live in the same house, but my responsibility as his father will not cease. It's been a month since we lived separately, and we've adjusted to our new lives. I don't see a reason to keep holding on to a piece of paper."

"I can't seem to change your mind," I replied. I lowered my head and watched the ants pass next to my sandals. I heaved a breath. Then added, "There's no point in trying 'cause we're both exhausted from this marriage."

"Thank you for the wonderful years we've spent together. May you find someone better in the future."

I said nothing but watched him turn his back on me. My heart is too numb to feel anything.

I went in a different direction. Walking through the trail full of mud and leaves always made me think about my life decisions. It was always there when I needed to walk and get things off my mind. Looking around, watching the leaves fall off tree after tree flying like butterflies, all different colors. When they touch the ground, they immediately wither. They were not coming back alive again, just like my marriage. Once it ends with a divorce, it will never be the same again.

I stared at the sky and realized that my greatest fear had come to tilt my world upside-down. Indeed, one of the fears that every married couple experiences is going through an unsolicited divorce. No matter how heavy or light the reason for separation is, it always means two people who were once in love will turn back into strangers.

I sniffed and found myself covered with tears as I opened my eyes. My husband looked at me with a perplexed gaze. Then he asked, what's wrong?

I blinked twice and buried my face next to his naked chest. I can smell his milk lotion, and it gives me a sigh of relief. It was just one random dream, I'm glad.

"What's gotten into you, Shaira?" He asked as he ran his finger on my hair.

"I thought you and I were divorcing," I replied, still buried next to his chest.

"Huh? Even in my wildest dream, I will never divorce you. I didn't ask for your hand in marriage, only to part ways with you."

"It's just too vivid to distinguish it from reality."

"Shhh~~ this is your reality," he replied and captivated my right hand to place it on his chiseled abdomen. "If it still feels unreal, why don't you kiss them?" he added while chuckling.

I jokingly bit the crown on his chest and replied. "I'll prepare breakfast for us."

I stood up and left our bedchamber. On my way to descend the staircase, I momentarily stopped and murmured to myself, "I hope that thing will stay as a nightmare. I don't want to go through that phase..."