Chapter 3
The master bedroom had only one large bed. The entire room was decorated in a minimalist black, white, and gray palette. Apart from that, it was immaculately tidy, with a light scent of gardenias floating in the air. I recognized it instantly—it was my favorite fragrance. I headed to the walk-in closet, looking for my pajamas. But all I saw was a row of black clothes. And they were all men’s clothing. … I had no choice but to knock on the door of Zach’s study. “Zach… I mean, honey, sorry to bother you.” Zach looked up from his laptop, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses. His whole demeanor was both tempting and distant. “Do you know where my pajamas are? I looked through the closet in the master bedroom but couldn’t find them.” Zach stared at me for a few seconds without saying a word. Just as I was about to give up and leave, he suddenly stood up and walked toward me. He towered over me, standing at six foot one while I barely reached five foot five. I felt like a child standing in front of him. Zach smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets. “So, are you planning to carry on with this amnesia act?” I gulped, unsure of what to say. The truth was, even if I told him the truth, he wouldn’t believe me. Thankfully, he didn’t make things difficult this time. He walked past me, heading toward another part of the house. I stood there, confused and not sure what to do next. He glanced back at me from the corner of his eye. “Well? Aren’t you coming?” I immediately followed him, keeping a safe distance. “Thanks.” Two minutes later, I eagerly opened the closet door in the guest bedroom to grab my pajamas. But the moment I saw what was inside, I slammed the door shut, my face flushed with embarrassment. Oh my God! “This is…” I didn’t even finish my sentence, but I knew Zach understood. He stood by the door, arms crossed, silently watching me with a look that said, “Keep going, I’m just here to watch the show.” … Taking a deep breath, I slowly reopened the closet door. Inside were outfits so revealing, they looked like they belonged on a nightclub dancer. Tiny scraps of fabric—there was hardly anything to cover up with! Was this how I dressed after graduation… I mean, after I got married? Had my style become this… provocative? To make things worse, Zach didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving. I ignored his piercing gaze and continued searching through the clothes. But I couldn’t find anything even remotely “normal.” … I sighed inwardly and, for some reason, turned to Zach and asked, “Honey, which one do you like seeing me in?” His eyes immediately darkened, and without a word, he turned and walked out of the room. The door slammed shut behind him, and the sound made me jump. Why did he get mad? They say women are hard to understand, but men are even more of a mystery. I grabbed some pajamas and headed to the bathroom. A wild thought crossed my mind: could our impending divorce have something to do with… issues in the bedroom? After my shower, I wrapped myself in a robe and headed to Cooper’s room. The nursery was cozy, and it was clear Zach had put a lot of thought into it. Everything was designed with care. I tiptoed over to his bed. Cooper was fast asleep, clutching a little stuffed animal. I gently tucked the blanket around him and wiped his thumb, which he had been sucking on. For the first time, I felt a real connection to being a mother. But I still didn’t know how old he was. I looked over at our marriage certificate. It was dated four years ago. That meant Cooper must be around three. I ruffled his hair and quietly left the room. Just as I closed the door, I turned around and saw Zach standing right in front of me. We were so close that if I looked up, I could bump into his chin. My back pressed against the door, and Zach didn’t seem to realize—or care—that he was invading my personal space. My heart raced so fast, I thought it might leap out of my chest any second. “Are you done?” “Yeah.” The air was thick with awkwardness. I had no idea what to say next. “So… are you going to bed now?” Zach didn’t respond or make a move. I tightened the robe around me, making sure he couldn’t see the revealing pajamas underneath. “Okay, I’ll go to sleep first, then.” I stepped aside and practically bolted to the master bedroom. Without a second thought, I jumped into bed, pulled the covers over me, and lay still. Moments later, the bedroom door opened, and Zach walked in. He paused when he saw me lying in bed, seeming a little surprised. He stood there, just staring at me. His gaze made my scalp tingle. “Honey, which side do you usually sleep on?” No answer. Has Zach always been this strange? He’s so quiet, always just staring coldly, without saying a word. Frustrated, I got out of bed and stood by the side. “You pick first.” Zach finally moved. He walked to the other side, lay down, and shut off the bedside lamp with a loud click. … Now we were in total darkness. Great. Thankfully, I don’t have night blindness, or I’d really be angry right now! I fumbled in the dark, trying to get comfortable under the covers, but I couldn’t sleep. My mind was a chaotic mess, and to make matters worse, my arm, which was still sore from the accident, started to hurt again because of the way my robe was pressing against it. I shifted slightly, but Zach didn’t react, so I sat up and tried to remove my robe. As I finally managed to shrug it off, rubbing my sore arm, Zach suddenly opened his eyes. Before I could react, he rolled over and pinned me beneath him. I gasped, my breathing instantly becoming erratic. In the dark, I couldn’t see him clearly, but I could feel how close he was—so close that our breaths were mingling. “Jenny, what are you doing?” Zach asked, his voice low. “What do you mean?” “You wanted to get married, you went through so much trouble to get a divorce, and now you’re lying next to me, trying to seduce me. Jennifer, I don’t have time for your games. What do you want?” “Seduce you?” I stared at him, completely stunned, when suddenly I felt a chill across my chest. Looking down, I realized that my pajamas were way more revealing than I thought. No wonder Zach thought I was trying to seduce him. “I… I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry.” I reached for the robe I had tossed onto the floor, but Zach had already had enough. He got up from the bed, clearly done with the conversation. “Jennifer, I don’t care what you’re thinking. I don’t have any feelings for you anymore. I hope you understand that. Whether you’re faking amnesia or trying to seduce me, it doesn’t matter to me.” “I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight. Do whatever you want.” Zach left. And now, I was alone in this big room, with nothing but my sadness.