My Body Calls BS On My Husband

During the New Year holidays, I'm hooked to an IV in an ER ward because of my Pathological Lie Aversion, which is a condition that makes me vomit whenever someone lies to me.

Meanwhile, Landon Yale shows up at a public event with his female best friend, Eunice Parker, in a high-profile manner.

Clad in the Ice Queen championship costume that I've worn during the time I won my championship, Eunice whines to Landon cutely that she wants to ride on his shoulders.

With a doting smile on his face, Landon replies, "Alright, alright. You're my queen tonight. If only that figure-skating numbskull is as sweet and understanding as you…"

Thanks to my Pathological Lie Aversion, I keep vomiting the whole time.

After taking off the IV needle, I rush toward the venue in the sports car that I've planned on giving to Landon.

In the stark silence that follows, I hurl the divorce agreement in Landon's face.

"Happy New Year, Landon Yale. By the way, here's an announcement. From now on, I'll be retiring as a figure skater. On top of that, I will be retracting all sponsorships that I've bestowed upon Yale Group."

I want Landon to know that he can never afford to pay the price of offending me.

I shoved the car door open. Under my feet lay the twisted wreck of a supercar, glass shattered everywhere.

On the back of my hand, where I had yanked the IV needle out, beads of blood slid between my fingers and dripped to the ground, one drop at a time.

Eunice Parker, Landon Yale's so-called best friend, was still wearing my Ice Queen championship costume, the one I had worn when I claimed the title. Now, she clung to him, pale and shaken, hiding in his arms.

Landon finally snapped out of his shock. When he looked at me, there wasn't a trace of concern in his eyes, only fury. "What the hell is wrong with you, Olivia?"

That was the first thing he said—not a word about my injured hand, but only condemnation.

"You scared Eunice!" he added.

My heart jerked hard, like missing a landing on a jump. Then, the nausea surged again, rising in waves from my stomach.

This was it. All the affection he had ever shown me had never been real.

Eunice peeked out from his arms. Her eyes were red like a rabbit's, her voice soft and syrupy, her neediness for attention oozing.

"Liv, you took this wrongly. We were just playing Truth or Dare. Landon lost, so he had to… Anyway, it's my fault. I shouldn't have egged him on. Please don't blame him."

Landon jumped to her defense. "Yeah, exactly. It's just friends messing around! What the hell were you thinking, ramming the car in here? You're being way too petty! Can you not ruin the mood?"

Friends? Messing around?

I couldn't hold it in anymore. Right there in front of everyone, I doubled over and retched. Landon froze, then instinctively stepped forward, reaching out to steady me.

"Don't touch me!" I screamed, shoving his hand away with everything I had.

My nails raked across the back of his hand, leaving thin streaks of blood. They mirrored the drops still falling from my hand. What a ridiculous yet bitter kind of symmetry.

I straightened up, pulled out the papers I had prepared, and walked straight up to him. With a smack, the divorce agreement hit him square in the face.

Landon was stunned. He stared at the papers scattered all over the floor, disbelief written all over his face. "Are you for real, Olivia? Over something this trivial?"

I looked at him and laughed, even as tears kept spilling over. "Something trivial?"

I pointed at the wrecked supercar, my voice as cold as ice, each word landing clean. "That car was supposed to be the last gift I ever gave you, Landon. Now, it's nothing but scrap metal, just like your existence in my life."

Without another word, I turned and walked away, ignoring his flustered expression.