Even Tina couldn't quite articulate the fleeting panic that, in that moment, became tangible.
She felt like a caged eagle, majestic and beautiful, with a free and unyielding spirit and a clear mind, seeing through the life she had no choice in.
She had convinced herself to spend a lifetime tied by convenience to a man devoid of love, indifferent to whomever he might emotionally cherish or physically be with. That was why she laid out those clear-cut terms at their first meeting.
She wasn't looking for love in this marriage but to safeguard the Watson family's interests and her dignity.
But if she fell in love with her husband, her desires would change inevitably.
She could tolerate a husband who shared her bed but not her heart, where there was no affection, only mutual benefits, but not one who couldn't reciprocate her feelings. She could no longer calmly accept the idea of Phillip having affairs.
In truth, she harbored an extreme purity of spirit and body, wishing he would remain faithful. If other women appeared in his life, she'd lose her mind, becoming a hysterical, jealous wife.
She didn't want to be like that, too ugly and sad.
Tina remained silent, standing quietly before Phillip, her head bowed.
The penetrating wind seeped through her coat, chilling her to the bone, though the cashmere scarf around her neck was soft and warm. Yet, she knew the comfort was something Phillip could retract at any moment.
In that minute, she envisioned the sad trajectory of her future life.
When she finally looked up, her demeanor was as it had been upon their first meeting, looking casually proud in a way that wasn't off-putting.
"If you're okay with it," she said, "let's head back."
That night, she acted normal but never spoke another word to Phillip.
Back in the apartment, she slept in her room. The following morning when Phillip was leaving for the office, the housekeeper mentioned Tina hadn't yet woken up. Content
Before he left, he glanced at her door, instructing the housekeeper not to disturb her sleep. She usually woke up around ten, just in time for breakfast.
There were moments when he wondered if he should have checked on her.
Off work, Phillip took a side trip to grab Tina's favorite cake. He noticed she was down, even though he couldn't put a finger on the reason.
The housekeeper told him that Tina had left.
Her wardrobe was filled with clothes she'd bought over the past months, not a piece missing. She arrived with just one suitcase and left just as lightly packed. From that day, Phillip lost contact with her. Her phone was off, and messages sunk like stones in the sea.
Her social media was still active, showing her in Tanzania, capturing the migration of wildebeests across the Serengeti's eastern plains.
Pictures showed baby elephants clumsily following their mothers to drink by the river during Tanzania's short rainy season, with lions resting in the grass.
She was shooting a nature
documentary with a photographer
friend. Updates were infrequent and random. Sometimes, her free and easy smile appeared in the corner of a lifestyle shot.
Her departure was decisive. Stonebridge's winter arrived, the trees along the streets bare. Phillip was buried in work while she lived carefree and vibrant far south of the equator.
Tina returned home half a month later.
Phillip didn't even get to hear about the annulment from her directly. He was at a signing ceremony for an international project when Jennifer called.
After the ceremony, he returned the call. Jennifer said, "Tina wants to call off the wedding. You should come over."
It was a dreary day in Stonebridge. At the city's most luxurious restaurant, the atmosphere in the private room was heavy and tense when Phillip walked in.
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