The Unveiled Rose

I hailed a cab and gave the driver the address to Leander's office. Then, I settled quietly into the backseat, gazing out the window.

I thought the ten-minute ride would give me enough time to cool off...

But the more I thought about it, the worse I felt.

The tears I had managed to stop started falling again.

Did Nigel really love Luna that much?

Enough to...throw me, his own mother, aside?

When I got to Leander's company, I didn't stop; I headed straight for his office.

Just as I was about to push the door open, I overheard people inside talking about me.

"Amara's just not it anymore. She's a real plain Jane; only her sweet temper and love for you are redeeming qualities. She's got nothing else going for her."

"Yeah, and then there's Luna, same age, but dresses like she's fresh out of college."

"And personality-wise, Amara is just all about the household, dull and boring. Luna's different, though. She's outgoing, optimistic, living life to the fullest! If I were you, I'd definitely ditch Amara for Luna." I froze in my tracks.

Is that how Leander's friends see me?

Someone seemed to lean in closer to Leander and asked, "What's your take on this? If you're over Luna, then it's our turn to shoot our shot!"

The eagerness in their voices was unmistakable; Luna, even after a divorce and with a child, was still seen as quite the catch. "Huh."

The room fell silent.

Everyone waited for his response.

Leander's voice was chillingly indifferent. "I'm with Amara just... because, at the time, Luna had left me. And Amara loved me. She traveled thousands of miles to find me."

"At my lowest, she was the lifebuoy that kept me from drowning... She was like a light appearing when wandering alone in the dark. I truly am grateful to her. Before Luna came back, I actually thought I'd spend my life with Amara." The office was dead silent.

I could even hear the breathing of the people inside.

So...Leander's choice to be with me wasn't out of love?

But because Luna has dumped him and I just happened to be there.

My heart, already scarred, now bore deeper, heavier wounds from his words...

The pain almost knocked me out.

"Do you know what?" Leander's voice was coldly rational. "I always thought, after all these years, I had forgotten Luna. Even though I loved her deeply, right up until my wedding, I'd write letters begging her to come back and call her when she rejected me... Back then, just one word from her, and I would've called off the wedding."

"But when Luna came back into my life, I suddenly realized I didn't feel that way. I still love her."

All my doubts were confirmed in his words...

Turns out even after years of marriage, after all my silent support...he still loves Luna...

And here I was thinking, if I just overlooked the past, we could return to how things were.

I frantically wiped away my tears.

Someone asked, "Then why don't you divorce Amara?"