The Quiet End of Us

Henley kissed Joanna's forehead gently before sending her off at the medical school gate.

"Be careful on your way home," he reminded her gently.

A few passing students cast envious glances their way.

"You're the university's famous heartthrob professor." Joanna shyly pushed him back, discreetly ending the kiss. "This kind of public display isn't ideal."

"I don't care," Henley said firmly. "I just want the whole world to know you're the one I love most."

Though Joanna's demeanor remained as composed as ever, Henley couldn't shake the gnawing unease that crept into his heart. It was this persistent feeling that made him express his affection so frequently, as though doing so could ease the turbulence in his heart.

At his insistence, Joanna agreed to have lunch with him.

Late-stage pancreatic cancer had nearly stolen her appetite, but she forced herself to eat so Henley wouldn't suspect anything was wrong.

During lunch, he brought up her missing wedding ring again.

In less than a day, the telltale mark on Joanna's ring finger had vanished, as though the ring had never existed. The absence only deepened Henley's growing anxiety.

"I made that ring with my own hands," he said quietly. "If it's broken, let me fix it."

"That's not necessary," Joanna replied, dabbing her lips with a napkin.

Her tone remained calm, almost indifferent. "You're already swamped, juggling responsibilities at the university and surgeries at the hospital. Don't add more to your plate."

She paused, then added casually, "Besides, isn't the research project's final report due next week? Without your help, Addison won't be able to finish it on her own."

Her gaze flickered toward Henley, watching his reaction closely.

As she expected, the mention of Addison made his composed expression falter, betraying a flicker of agitation.

Seizing the moment, Joanna added lightly, "You shouldn't be so hard on your students all the time. As a mentor, it's only right to help when they're struggling."

Henley's gaze turned evasive. He stopped pressing the issue and merely reminded her, "Just remember to retrieve the ring once it's repaired."

After finally seeing Henley off, Joanna went to a shopping mall alone. She spent the afternoon in the electronics section before settling on a video recorder and a memory card.

As she got into the car, her phone buzzed with an incoming call. It was Addison.

She hesitated for a moment before answering.

There was no immediate response on the other end—just muffled, indistinguishable sounds.

Assuming it was a bad connection, Joanna turned up the volume, accidentally routing the call through her car's Bluetooth system.

Suddenly, the strange sounds amplified, filling the car with unmistakable noises—frantic gasps, the rhythmic thud of bodies colliding, and a woman's moans of ecstasy.

Then Addison's voice followed, sultry and demanding."Henley, honey... tell me I'm the one you love the most! If you don't, I won't let you finish!"

Henley's strained, hoarse voice followed, as though he were struggling to suppress his desire. "No! The one I love most is Joanna! I can never lose her!"

Addison's tone turned petulant, tinged with tears. "Then why are you with me? If you love her so much, go be with her! Stop coming to me!"

There was a shuffling sound before Henley let out a deep, weary sigh. "Don't be like this, babe. You know I care about you too. It's just... every time I look at Joanna, I can't help thinking about the past. It's suffocating. Only with you can I feel truly relaxed and free."

He then said, his voice almost breaking, "I love Joanna, but I'll never be able to live without you."