Chapter 88
His knuckles had been sharp and powerful, the veins on the back of his hand creating a captivating, predatory tension that looked like a work of art.
When she had taken that photo, she used to pull it out and stare at it, giggling like a complete fool.
The fourth page, the fifth page—every single entry was a devastating testament to how deeply they had once loved each other.
The final entry abruptly cut off three years ago. It was a photo of her in a breathtaking wedding dress, her head resting blissfully on Frederick’s broad shoulder.
Underneath it, she had written: Finally marrying the man of my dreams. We are going to be happy forever.
What a tragic joke. Her version of “forever” had only lasted three miserable years.
Maeve slowly closed the notebook. She systematically gathered every single item that had ever belonged to Frederick, carried the heavy pile out to the backyard, and dumped it on the ground. She grabbed a lighter from the kitchen, flicked it, and held the flame to the diary.
The fire caught instantly, spreading fast. Watching the physical proof of their romance turn to ash, a profound wave of liberating relief washed over her chest.
It was finally time to say goodbye to the pathetic girl she used to be.
She slid the diamond ring off her finger. The suffocating waves of despair it represented had already hollowed her out, breaking her heart more times than she could count.
All that remained now was a dull, lingering ache.
She knew time would eventually heal it all.
Maeve closed her eyes, took a breath, and tossed it.
The ring flew in a perfect arc, vanishing straight into the blazing flames.
“No p>
Frederick’s desperate scream tore through the quiet yard.
Maeve’s head whipped around just in time to see Frederick hurl himself directly into the inferno. His long fingers blindly clawed through the searing heat, desperately grasping for the ring she had just thrown away.
His massive frame rolled forcefully through the ashes, smothering the flames with his own body.
But the bespoke fabric of his black suit jacket had caught fire, the angry orange flames aggressively licking up his sleeves.
Horrified, Maeve sprinted back into the kitchen, grabbed a basin of water, and hurled it directly onto him.
The fire hissed out in a cloud of thick smoke. Frederick slumped onto the scorched grass, his ruined shirt plastered to his skin as dirty water dripped from his hair. He looked titterly pathetic, yet his fist remained clamped completely shut, refusing to release his grip for even a second.
Seeing the angry, blistering burns blistering across his hand, she instinctively poured the remaining water over his skin to cool it and turned to grab the first aid kit from the house.
But the moment she spun around, a ruthless grip locked onto her wrist, yanking her back against his dripping, shivering chest.
“Mae, what are you burning? Did the ring accidentally fall off? Thank God I got here in time to save it p>
Maeve shoved him away, turning to face him with terrifying, hollow apathy.
“Frederick, I was burning our relationship journal p>
Frederick’s pupils violently dilated. He slowly turned his head to stare at the charred, unrecognizable heap of ash, absolute denial shattering his features.
“You burned our journal p>
When they got married three years ago and she hadn’t brought the diary to the city, he had been genuinely confused. She had smiled and told. him she let it behind so he would be forced to visit her hometown every single year just to reminisce about their romance.
That book was the sacred vault of their entire love story. How could she possibly burn it? How could she bear to destroy it?
“Yes,” Maeve said, dropping her cold gaze to the ring still clutched in his burned hand.
“And the ring didn’t accidentally fall. I took it off and threw it in p>
Frederick’s lips trembled violently. He desperately tried to form a sentence, but his throat seized up, choking off every sound.
Completely unfazed by the total collapse of his sanity, Maeve stared right through him and delivered the final blow.
“Frederick, we are completely over. Sign the divorce papers as soon as possible and stop lying to yourself p>