The midnight 4

She linked her arm through mine, her touch warm and familiar. 

“Claire! I haven’t seen you in ages. What are you doing at the hospital? Are you okay?” 

I’d met Lily in the parking garage. I was coming home late one night when a drunk sleeping in a stairwell blocked my path. Just as I was about to call 911, Lily appeared, brandishing a stun gun. 

“I’ve already called the cops!” she’d shouted. “You’d better get moving!” 

Later, she told me she’d recognized me from the building and felt she had to step in. After that, we kept runn ing into each other in the garage. She was charming and bubbly, and we quickly became close friends. 

“No, I’m fine. Just taking care of some personal business,” I said. 

She was quiet for a moment before asking cautiously, “Are you and Thomas really getting a divorce? You tw 

always seemed so perfect together. What happened?” 

My body stiffened. I turned to look at her, my expression unreadable. 

Lily quickly backpedaled. “Oh, my God, sorry! It’s just… you guys were fighting so loudly last night, we could 

near it all the way upstairs.” 

‘I wanted to call and check on you, but I was afraid it was too late and I’d wake you…” She stuck her tongue 

out playfully. 

‘Ugh, listen to me, I have no filter. Let’s not talk about it. Whatever you decide to do, Claire, I support you one hundred percent.” 

didn’t say anything, but I gently removed her arm from mine. 

‘It’s nothing complicated. He cheated. I can’t stand the sight of him…” 

Lily’s expression flickered through a series of emotions before settling back into one of concerned sympat 

‘Do you… do you know who it was?” she asked softly. 

“It’s okay, Claire. You still have me. You can tell me anything.” 

I just nodded, saying nothing more. 

We made small talk for a few more minutes before I made an excuse to leave. As I turned to go, something 

in her hair caught the light, a glint of metal that made my stomach clench. 

I glanced back, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest. 

For the next few days, I blocked Thomas’s number and all his social media, hiding out in a hotel. Three days 

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Chapter 

later, I had to go home to retrieve an urgent file from my home office. 

When I walked in, I found our apartment full of people. Both our parents were there, along with a few of Thomas’s colleagues from the hospital. From the grim looks on their faces, I knew they were all aware of the 

divorce. 

My mother-in-law and my own mom were the first to approach me. 

‘Claire, honey, you and Thomas have been through so much together. Why this, all of a sudden?” my mother 

n-law pleaded. 

Exactly,” my mom added. “Couples fight. You kiss and make up. Don’t let this become a public spectacle.” 

glanced at Thomas, who was standing in the corner, his eyes puffy and red. I addressed the room, my voice 

lat. 

You should be asking him that question. Ask him what he’s done.” 

My words were like a lit match in a room full of gasoline. Thomas exploded. 

le shot to his feet, his eyes burning into me. “Claire, when did you become so completely unreasonable?” 

His father clapped a hand on his back. “Son, that’s no way to talk to your wife,” he said sternly, then turned to ne with a placating smile. “Claire, dear, has there been some kind of misunderstanding? I know my son. He’ 

ot the kind of man who would…” 

said nothing. Thomas, however, couldn’t take it anymore. He stormed out, slamming the door behind him. 

ive minutes later, he returned. With Jenna by his side. 

Instead of you spinning these wild accusations, let’s just clear the air right here, right now,” he announced 

is voice ringing with self-righteousness. 

This is the security footage from Jenna’s apartment. I can play it for every single one of you right now and rove that all I did that night was treat her sick child.” 

The video showed exactly what he said it did. The two of them in her living room, maintaining a polite dista 

ice. Not even a hint of physical contact. 

The footage painted me as a jealous, hysterical shrew. 

The look on my parents’ faces shifted instantly. 

‘Claire, stop embarrassing us and apologize to your husband right now,” my father hissed. 

“Honestly, what has gotten into you?” my mother added. “You’re making a fool of yourself. We’re so asham- 

ed.” 

Jenna was weeping softly. “Claire, there’s truly nothing between us. You can’t just assume the worst of me because I’m a widow. I have my dignity, too…” 

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14:42 

Chapter 2 t 

My in-laws didn’t speak, but their disapproval was written all over their faces. They were all closing in, a unit- ed front, demanding my apology. 

In the commotion, my phone slipped from my hand and clattered to the floor. My mother-in-law, quickest to react, snatched it up. The screen was still lit. Her eyes widened, her face paling in shock. 

She looked up, her voice trembling with a fury that stunned everyone into silence. 

“Divorce him,” she said, her gaze fixed on me. “You have to divorce him.”