Elowen went still in his arms. Every muscle of her body went rigid.
’Not getting divorced?’
Last night, he had been determined to end this marriage. Now he was holding her and saying he wouldn’t divorce her.
What had made him change his mind?
She twisted out of his arms and stepped backward, creating distance between them. Her eyes were fixed on him, wary and unconvinced. It was as though she was trying to figure out if he was serious.
Soren froze, staring blankly at her.
"What do you mean?" she asked, both skeptical and surprised. "You said our marriage is meaningless, that there is no point in staying in this relationship any longer. What changed now?"
Soren opened his mouth to explain. Nothing came out.
How could he explain that he had died, that he was reborn? Could he tell her that he got three months to make things right?
No
She would never believe him.
"I-I realized my mistake," he stuttered. "I shouldn’t have brought up the divorce. Just forget about it. I-I haven’t filed it yet. This doesn’t count, okay?"
She narrowed her eyes. She pressed her lips into a thin line. The suspicion in her eyes deepened, and it only made him even more nervous.
"Fine. I’ll tear the divorce papers. Do you trust me now?"
Elowen shook her head slowly.
He felt silent, deadpan.
’Damn... Why is it so difficult to explain this to her?’ he cursed under his breath.
He had closed business deals with ease, negotiated with clients effortlessly, and made the entire boardroom follow his decisions. He had never faced the slightest trouble dealing with the ruthless businessmen.
Yet, standing in front of his wife, for the first time, he couldn’t find proper words to say. He couldn’t give her a convincing explanation.
"Alright, I’m telling you the truth now."
He stared into her deep brown eyes. His chest swelled up. He inhaled deeply.
"I died."
What?
Elowen gaped at him. Her fingers flew to her slightly parted lips.
Soren instantly regretted the words.
’Could I tell her the story of my rebirth? She will think I’ve gone crazy.’
"In my dreams," he added quickly. "I saw that I became miserable after the divorce. Alone, sad, crippled. After losing you, I realized how important you are to me. I missed you terribly. I can’t lose you."
Elowen’s eyebrows drew closer. For a long moment, she didn’t speak. She kept staring at him. Her expression remained doubtful.
Then she cleared her throat softly. "I’ll go make some sober soup for you."
She turned and walked out.
Soren remained standing there, stunned, his mouth agape.
’Sober soup? She thinks I am still inebriated?’
He followed her. In just a few steps, he caught up to her.
"I don’t it. I am completely sober."
Elowen turned. She studied him again. Her eyes moved slowly over his face, searching for something.
"Go and take a bath. Clear your head. By then, the soup will be ready."
She started walking toward the kitchen.
"I really don’t need the soup," he said, stopping her mid-stride. "My head is clear. I am not drunk anymore."
She turned back to him. Slightly tilting her head, she argued, "We spent seven years together. You don’t talk nonsense." She squinted at him. "When did you start believing in dreams?"
"I..." He wanted to say so many things, but he couldn’t put them into words.
"The effect of alcohol is still there," she cut in. "That’s why you are blabbering." She let out a defeated sigh. "If you don’t want to take the soup, that’s fine. I’m leaving now. The taxi will be here soon."
When she mentioned the taxi, his face paled. The images of the wrecked car, shattered pieces of glass, Elowen’s blood-covered body, and Sera lying motionless beside her—everything flashed in front of his eyes.
’That taxi again. She can’t get into it. Or she will die.’
He stepped toward her and grabbed her hand.
"You can’t leave."
Elowen flinched.
"You are not going out of this house."
"You are hurting me."
Soren was so anxious that he wasn’t aware how tightly he had been clasping her hand. He immediately released her.
She rubbed her aching wrist and scowled at him. "We signed the divorce agreement already. My bags are packed. You can’t stop me."
’If you leave, you will die.’ Those words almost left his mouth.
But he swallowed them at the last moment.
"I’m serious, Elowen. We are not getting a divorce."
Elowen didn’t lose her cool easily. But this time, she couldn’t keep herself calm anymore.
"Soren. Please don’t joke around. Breaking up with you isn’t easy for me. Don’t give me any hope only to break me further."
He reached for her, but she stepped back.
That small movement pierced his heart.
"You said you hated me for seven years." Sadness filled her eyes. "You called me manipulative and materialistic. You didn’t want to spend another moment with a gold-digger like me."
Those had been his words. In the past, he had said that with absolute certainty. He had been full of arrogance and pride. But hearing them from her mouth, he finally understood how cruel they had sounded.
"I was wrong. I realized it. And I am ready to make it up to you."
Elowen stayed silent.
Soren waited, hoping she would say something.
Maybe she would argue. Maybe she would accuse him of playing with her feelings. Instead, she kept looking at him as if he were a stranger she could no longer understand.
"You don’t believe me? Wait here." He stepped back, his eyes still on her. "Don’t go anywhere."
He turned and rushed into the study.
Elowen blinked, confused. "What is he doing?"
A few moments later, he came running back. "I told you I am serious."
He held up the divorce agreement. "This means nothing now."
Before she could process what he was going to do, he tore the documents apart.
Rip-Rip-Rip...
The pieces fluttered through the air and scattered across the floor.
Elowen’s mouth fell open. She glanced down at the shredded papers and then looked up at him with confusion and disbelief.
Soren let out a deep breath, relief spreading through him. The burden that had pressed heavily on his chest for two lifetimes seemed to have finally lifted.
A smile curled his lips.
"We are not getting divorce. You are still my wife. You don’t have to move out."