Three hours before departure, I placed the divorce papers—prepared long ago—on the coffee table in the living room.
One hour before departure, I was already seated in the airport lounge, ticket and passport in hand, waiting for my plane to take off.
At the same time, Sharon and Willow, trying to cheer Elroy up, took him to the island where we’d spent our honeymoon for a vacation. A week later, Sharon got out of Elroy’s bed and suddenly remembered— today was our sixth wedding anniversary.
As usual, she booked a photographer and makeup artist. Then, she spent the morning convincing Willow to come back home with her for a surprise.
But when the two of them finally pushed open the front door—Willow cradling a bouquet of fresh flowers, Sharon carefully balancing a cake box—their smiles faded.
The villa was dead silent.
“Shh! I bet Dad’s still sleeping in,” Willow whispered excitedly. “Let’s stay quiet and we’ll surprise him in the room.”
Willow tiptoed upstairs and opened the bedroom door, only to find it completely empty.
Sharon was confused, an inexplicable anxiety rising in her chest.
She quickly pulled out her phone, about to dial, when suddenly, a panicked doctor ran in.