Distractions Will Do You In

Chapter 2: Divorce Court

December 2019

My heels clicked on the floor as I walked into the courtroom for the last time this year. Exactly a year ago I had caught my husband in bed with another woman. After those events, I distracted myself with my work. I swam deeper into the black ocean full of nothing. A couple of months after that Christmas I sent divorce papers to Jin's job downtown. The mail was handed to him by his secretary, turns out she was fucking him too. He opened them and apparently rumor has it he cried. His boss told him to take the rest of the day off.

Jin tried to drag out the divorce for as long as he could. He called for mediation just to make sure he could string me along. Long enough to convince me he was the man I needed him to be. After the first couple of random appearances at my front door and then 'coincidences' that took place in my daily life I decided to file for a restraining order against him. I truly wanted him out of my life and I'll be honest, it hurt. It hurt more than anything to kick him out of my life. We had done everything together. We got married, traveled, and even mentioned having kids together someday. I guess I was stuck in the honeymoon phase of our relationship to realize we were already growing apart. I still don't know how we grew apart or why he did what he did and, to be honest, I think this is one of those cases where I'm better off not knowing, I think the reasoning would just make me more upset.

I was good at hiding my emotions outside of my apartment. People at work knew I was divorced. They also knew Namra was partly to blame for the reason why. However, being that I am the boss no one questioned me. In fear of pissing me off, they walked on eggshells around me. I wasn't upset though, the moment had passed. I cried once when it happened, the night I caught him in bed with Namra. Since that day I hadn't shed a single tear. I didn't talk about Jin to anyone, not even my family. It would be turned into stupid and unnecessary gossip and I had no time for drama. What I'm doing now, my job was more important to me than anything else. Many people around the world depended on me to make sure that everything always ran smoothly, and that the next day they'd all wake up and have a job. When people depend on you like that there is no room for error. Wasting my time mourning the end of my and Jin's marriage was not ideal in my line of work.

"Ms.Y/L being that you paid for the apartment you don't have to give anything to Jin" my lawyer whispered to me. "It's in your name so you call the shots here, otherwise since you filed for a restraining order against him the court is moving in your favor. All Jin needs to do is sign the papers and we're done here" She said. I nodded understanding every word.
My leg shook from under the table in anticipation as the same white piece of paper that had been untouched by Jin for months sat across from him. He held the pen in his hand for the first time since arriving here in March.

Hope filled my chest, it found its way into my heart and head. I only had hope on my side now. Hope that he'd sign the papers this time. Every month the papers were sent to his house and every month, he left them to rot in his mailbox. Jin clicked the black pen. My lawyer reached and touched my hand. For the last ten months, she had been my only friend. The only one who knew how I felt and what happened. I had chosen to tell her. If telling her the sorry meant this would end faster, I'd tell it to her again.

Jin cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes. A few silent beats passed before he let out a sigh and signed the papers.

Every time I came here he'd always give some big speech about how much he loved me. How much he needed me in his life. How I saved him from a life of loneliness and being lost. He talked as if I rescued him like a person would rescue a stray cat. I had given him a home, food, and clothes. I had taken care of him as his friend, girlfriend, and wife. I made my home our home and I'd like to think that my home was still our home, but it wasn't anymore. The apartment looked different from when I first got it. Originally it was more modern looking. The exterior was white and dark, boring but I never got around to decorating it.