Chapter 23 The Shattered Marriage
Aveline stood frozen for a few seconds before her knees finally gave way, and she fell to her knees. The tears she had held back since earlier finally broke loose uncontrollably. Her trembling hands reached the broken plates and glasses were still scattered on the floor. She tried to clean everything up in silence, but more and more tears fell to the floor.
What is wrong with this marriage?
The question echoed repeatedly, as if to confirm that the answer was as definite as she feared. That this marriage was heading for destruction.
Aveline wiped her cheeks with the edge of her sleeve, but the tears kept falling, wetting her face, blurring her vision as she took a napkin to wipe up the scattered food residue. Suddenly, everything felt small... and she felt so alone.
All this time, she had kept convincing herself that she could fix everything. That Adrian just needed time. That their grief over Liam could still be healed together. But the opposite was happening.
Adrian left. Slamming the door and leaving without looking back.
Am I not enough? Did I fail as a wife? Did I fail as a mother?
Aveline's tears fell again, hot and sharp, as she collected the last glass shards and put them in the trash. She leaned against the kitchen counter, trying to take a deep breath, but her chest felt too narrow to fill with air. Until finally, she couldn't hold on anymore.
She covered her face with both hands and wept in silence. A sound only heard by her and the empty kitchen walls.
Aveline entered the class with swollen eyes. She tried to apply makeup as best as possible, but it was still clearly visible that she had been crying. Some students glanced at each other, but no one dared to ask.
Usually, Ezra sat in the middle row, with his gaze focused entirely on her. But that morning... the seat was empty.
Aveline tried to act normally and not think about it. Nor did she let the incident last night mess up her mind. She tried to teach according to the material, but her words felt like they were passing through a thick fog she couldn't penetrate.
Occasionally, her eyes flickered back to Ezra's still-empty seat.
He wouldn't skip, she thought.
Ezra was not the type to be absent easily. Even during heavy rain or early morning classes in the middle of a busy week, he was always there.
As soon as the class finished, Aveline opened her phone and sent a message.
Aveline: You weren't in class. Are you okay?
A reply came ten minutes later.
Ezra: Sorry, I'm sick. Can't come in.
That was all. Short and too brief.
Aveline bit her lip. Something felt odd. Ezra was not just sick, but he was hiding something.
A subtle urge in Aveline's heart told her to do something that might be inappropriate, but she did it anyway. She went to the administration office with a formal excuse.
"Can I help you?" the female admin asked.
"I'd like to check on the condition of one of my students. He's quite serious about my class, so I'm worried if his condition is severe. Can I have his address?"
The administrative woman looked at her for a moment, making sure Aveline was a permanent lecturer. After checking, she handed Aveline a small slip of paper.
Aveline immediately read it. Apartment 12th floor...
Without thinking twice, she grabbed her bag, signed the brief attendance list, and then left campus. In the second class she was supposed to teach that afternoon, she was forced to abandon without notification.
The corridor of the 12th-floor apartment building felt quiet as Aveline approached the door numbered 1205. For a moment, she felt nervous.
She bravely knocked softly. "Ezra? It's me... Aveline."
A few seconds later, the door slowly opened.
And behind it stood Ezra with disheveled hair, swollen eyes as if from lack of sleep, but still with his handsome face that made Aveline unconsciously hold her breath.
"Ave..." Ezra was silent, clearly surprised. "Why are you here?"
Aveline swallowed. "You said you were sick. I was worried."
Ezra rubbed his temple, as if fighting a headache. "I didn't expect you to come."
Aveline glanced around Ezra from the doorway. His apartment was tidier and more comfortable than she expected, with minimalist interiors, warm decorations, and a faint aroma of cinnamon. It didn't look like an ordinary student's room at all.
"Can I come in?" Aveline asked hesitantly.
Ezra looked confused for a few seconds, as if considering something. But finally, he nodded slowly and invited Aveline in.
As the door closed behind them, Aveline felt something different from Ezra that day. There was distance. There was an unstable energy that made the room feel colder.
"Are you really sick?" she asked softly.
Ezra let out a long sigh, then leaned against the sofa. "Something like that. Maybe a little dizzy and feverish."
Aveline sat across from him. "You don't look well."
Ezra looked at her. Long. Deeply. As if trying to read her heart.
"You don't look well either, Ave," he finally said.
His tone was gentle, but implied something deeper.
Aveline's cheeks instantly flushed. "I... I'm fine... just a little trouble last night."
"With your husband."
Aveline was surprised, not expecting Ezra to guess it.
Ezra gave a faint smile, one that wasn't genuinely happy. "Your eyes are swollen. That's usually a sign someone has just had a fight or is... heartbroken."
Aveline looked down, avoiding his gaze.
Ezra rose slowly, then walked closer until he stood in front of her. He knelt down, looking up at her, making Aveline freeze.
"Why did you come here, Ave?" His voice was low, almost trembling.
Aveline bit her lip. "Because I... was worried about you."
Ezra looked deeply into her eyes, a warm gaze that was so familiar and comforting. A gaze that felt far more sincere than anything she had received from Adrian in the last few months.
"Don't do that."
Aveline flinched. "Don't do... what?"
Ezra swallowed. He looked down for a moment, then looked at Aveline again with eyes whose emotions couldn't be hidden.
"Don't care about me... if it's going to hurt both of us."
Aveline held her breath. "I don't understand."
Ezra let out a long sigh, as if holding back something he wanted to release.
"You shouldn't be here," he said gently but firmly.
Aveline felt something stab her chest. "Why?"
Ezra looked at her for a long time before answering.
"Because I'm not sure I can keep my distance from you."