After I Vanished, He Finally Realized What He Lost

Chapter 2

I wasn't making a fuss, I truly had no intention of getting the marriage certificate anymore. Deciding it was time to set things straight, I opened my mouth to speak, but a sweet, slightly petulant voice interrupted me. "Linus! This is all your fault! What you got me this morning doesn't even fit!"

"How's a girl supposed to make do with something like that? Linus, you're truly clueless!"

Not far away, Themis stood with her hands on her hips, stomping her foot in frustration, her cheeks puffed in annoyance. The moment Linus saw her, he brushed past me and hurried over to scoop her up into his arms. With a stern urgency, he scolded, "Running around barefoot at this time of the month? Are you trying to make yourself sick?"

A memory flashed in my mind. Earlier this month, I'd been curled up with intense cramps, asking Linus to pick up some pads and painkillers. He had only scowled and replied, "You expect a grown man like me to buy that kind of stuff?"

"All women deal with it. Just stop fussing; it's annoying."

When I snapped back to the present, Linus had already carried Themis off. I looked away, pushing down the ache in my chest, and reached for my phone to contact a headhunter who'd been after me for an overseas position.

The moment I booked the ticket, a notification popped up on my feed: Themis had tagged me in a post. In the live photo, a large hand rested on her lower abdomen, her voice in the background exclaiming, "Linus, your hand is so warm." Her caption read: [My dear brother is so sweet about my period pain! He says he'll take all the pain away. It's amazing to be cherished in someone's hands.]

Her intentions couldn't have been clearer. I gave the post a like, then went to my profile and quietly removed my wedding photo with Linus from my cover image.

That day, several prominent orchestras were converging at the theater for a collaborative performance. Numerous tasks still required my oversight, so I managed the reception of the musicians, leading them to the lounge for a brief respite. As the group followed, they quickly spotted Linus at the dining table, feeding Themis.

"Wow, I heard Mr. Evans, the renowned artist, married his manager, Naia Morris, a long time ago. Their relationship must be wonderful!"

"Exactly! And a pianist's hands are so invaluable, he's even using them to serve his wife!"

Indeed, a pianist's hands had always been their most cherished asset. For a decade, I had taken care of everything for him, always worried he might get hurt. Yet, now, those same hands were being used to cater to another woman.

The admiration around me finally drew the attention of the two of them. Themis, spotting me at the front, quickly adopted a pitiful look and lamented, "Naia, look at Linus! He's making me eat pork liver, and it's making me fat!"

Without even glancing in my direction, Linus gently wiped the corners of Themis's mouth. "Be good, finish it, and later have some brown coffee."

The murmurs surrounding me came to a sudden halt. I exchanged awkward glances with the others, maintaining a polite smile as I escorted them to their seats. Once everyone was settled, I pulled out my phone to continue my online visa application.

Before long, Linus appeared behind me. He peered at my screen, his expression hardening, his voice filled with disbelief. "A visa? Who are you applying for a visa for?"

I hadn't decided how to respond when he suddenly grabbed my hand, his tone heavy with surprise.