Chapter 174 Before the Last Bite
Finished
As soon as Shawn saw me approaching, he stepped forward to take the bags from me, but I dodged his hand. “I told you already, didn’t Call before you come. What if it’s not a good time?”
He looked taken aback for a second, handsome face frozen mid–reach. “What could possibly make it a bad time? Don’t tell me you’ve started bringing men home?”
I
I was going to say something just to tick him off, but then I realized it wasn’t worth risking my own reputation.
So I said calmly. “Why does it have to be a man? Can’t I buy a few toys to keep myself entertained?”
Shawn was stunned.
I stepped into the elevator, and of course, he followed. His voice was low, almost soft. “I’ve been craving your cooking. Would that be alright?”
I looked straight ahead, my tone going cold. “We’ve already set a date for the divorce. We’d be strangers if you hadn’t kept dragging it out. You show up here for dinner, and you think that’s appropriate?”
We weren’t officially divorced yet, but the marriage was already over in every way that counted.
Shawn’s expression dimmed. He didn’t say a word. Just silently followed me upstairs.
When I opened the door, I hesitated for a second–this apartment was a gift from him, after all. I didn’t force him to leave. Let’s call it a final farewell.
I could let him have one last meal if he didn’t say anything unreasonable.
“I’ll help you wash the vegetables,” he said, rolling up his sleeves, ready to follow me into the kitchen.
“No need. Just sit outside and wait to be served.” I waved him off.
He stopped and stood there, looking stunned.
I didn’t bother with him. I knew exactly what was going through his head..
Basically, I wasn’t behaving the way he expected me to. That threw him into a spiral of doubt–about me, himself, and everything.
In his mind, I would never be the one to bring up divorce. I wouldn’t walk away from him or the child. In fact, if he brought it up, I was supposed to beg him to stay–that’s the script he had in his head.
But here I was, not only initiating the divorce, but also walking away without asking for a cent. No fight over money, no fight for custody. Just clean, cold detachment. And that shook him to the core.
So now he was stuck in this emotional mess, unsure how to deal with it.
He came over to help with the dishes when the food was ready. Our fingers brushed for a second–I pulled mine back instantly. He froze, then turned to look at me..
We ate in silence. To be fair, we didn’t usually talk during meals, even before.
But tonight, that quiet felt like a prelude to goodbye.
Shawn barely touched his food. After a few bites, he just sat there, staring at me.
1, on the other hand, was eating with great enthusiasm. I looked up and said, “Didn’t you say you wanted to eat my cooking? Why aren’t you eating? It doesn’t taste right?”
Chapter 174 Before the Last Bite
1
It was the same way he teased me whenever I complained about getting old.
He looked both helpless and a little speechless.
Finished
I kept going. “The stomach’s tied to your emotions. You’re down. You lose your appetite. You really need to learn how to self- regulate.”
“Tiffany, do we really have to divorce?” His voice cracked just slightly. “Can’t we
not?”
I gave him a hard look. “Did you come here to eat or to wreck my mental health? If you’re eating, then eat. If not, get out.”
He just stared at me, stunned. He looked like he was about to cry, and yet I didn’t say a single comforting word.
I told myself I’m done feeling sorry for men.
“I’ll eat some more,” he muttered as he’d finally realized playing the pity card wouldn’t work. I wasn’t falling for it anymore.
So he kept eating while I went to sit on the couch and turned on the TV.
A business channel was playing. They were airing an interview–featuring none other than Ethan Hayes, the rising tech star.
Ethan’s voice was deep and soothing, with a kind of sharp intelligence in it.
Shawn turned his head and looked at the screen; his whole face instantly clouded over.
I sat there snacking on fruit, totally absorbed in the interview.
Ethan was discussing future trends in technology. The way his eyes lit up when he spoke about his field gave him a magnetic pull, a charm you couldn’t ignore.
Shawn put
down his fork, walked over, and unplugged the TV. The TV went black. The next second, he crossed his arms, stood right before me, and looked down from above. “You’ve been keeping tabs on him this whole time?”
He was suddenly so sensitive. It caught me off guard.
He’d always been calm and composed, the kind of person who stayed unshaken no matter what.
Now, he was pulling plugs and throwing out accusations?
I wasn’t about to let that slide.
“Plug it back in,” I said, voice sharp and firm.
He didn’t move. Just frowned at me, eyes full of turbulence. “So this is why you’re dead set on divorcing me? Is he chasing you? You’re willing to walk away from money, from everything–because someone else is backing you now?”
With every word, his emotions were ramping up. By the end, he was practically convinced that something shady was going
on between me and Ethan.
Send Gifts
