Old Love Falls Apart

"What's wrong with you now?" Irina's face was full of impatience. "I shouldn't have brought you along. You're just an embarrassing freeloader who's never seen the world!"

Chris glanced at me and then tugged on Irina's hand, whining about wanting to play tennis.

I frowned and refused. Every time I joined Irina for group activities, it left me with bad memories.

Chris said coldly, "You're such a buzz-kill. No wonder Irina doesn't like you. You should learn to engage with the outside world. You're a grown man. You can't spend your whole life at home doing nothing, living off a woman."

I took a napkin and wiped my mouth and said, "I was young once too. At your age, I was out running the market, bringing in clients and building my own company. Unlike you, who spends your time clinging to someone else's wife."

As soon as I finished speaking, a glass of water was splashed in my face.

Irina quickly stood in front of Chris, shielding him, her finger angrily pointing at me and shouted, "Adrien, don't you dare push your luck. Look at yourself! What right do you have to compare yourself to Chris?"

"He graduated from a prestigious school. And you? You're a worthless parasite! What gives you the right to speak to him that way?"

I picked up my coffee, ready to throw it back at her when my phone buzzed.

It was a message from the lawyer, confirming that they had gathered enough evidence of Irina's infidelity, which could help me get a larger share of the assets.

"Aren't you listening to me? What are you looking at now?" Irina tried to grab my phone, but I spoke first, "Let's go play tennis."

Irina looked at Chris and when he nodded, she didn't ask any further questions.

On the way, Chris glanced at me disdainfully, "You sure know how to endure. Do you think this will save your marriage? Her heart hasn't been with you for a long time!"

Seeing his smug expression, I calmly replied, "You've got lipstick smudged on your face."

They had been fine during dinner, but after a trip to the bathroom, one of them had an open button on their shirt and the other had lipstick smeared on their face. Such a childish and clumsy trick.

I couldn't be bothered to argue. Once we reached the tennis court, I grabbed a racket and sat off to the side. I didn't know how to play tennis and frankly, I wasn't in the mood.

I kept my head down, chatting with the lawyer about the divorce. Irina never cared about how I felt, nor did she pay attention to what I was doing.

She and Chris played enthusiastically, wiping each other's sweat and handing each other water like a couple deeply in love. I looked up and snapped a few pictures of them, capturing their 'happiness.'

Just as I was starting to feel drowsy, a tennis ball flew straight toward me, hitting me square on the back of my head.

The world spun and I collapsed from my seat, landing on my knees.

"Adrien!" Irina dropped her racket and ran toward me.

When she saw her hands covered in my blood, her eyes were filled with panic, "I'll take you to the hospital."

"Irina, are you going to leave me behind again?" Chris looked at Irina pitifully.

I could already imagine it. Year after year, on birthdays, Valentine's Day, anniversaries, Chris had always managed to take Irina away from me, over and over again.

Seeing her hesitate, I pushed her away, "You two keep playing. I'm fine."

In the ten years we had been together, Irina had never once chosen me with certainty.

So this time, I wouldn't be the one left behind or ignored anymore. I made my own choice, to leave this humiliating marriage. To let go of this worthless woman.