A white square box with a maroon ribbon sat before her. It made the gift package even prettier, prompting Isvara to open it with both hands.
"Wow, a luxury watch." Isvara examined it closely. "Am I really worthy of wearing this?" she asked herself.
After admiring the watch to her heart's content, Isvara placed it back in the box and put it away. As time passed, she began to feel terribly unwell that night. She suddenly felt dizzy, so she spent the entire day lying around.
By late afternoon, Isvara had fallen asleep on the living room sofa. When Ezra came home from work, he was surprised. His wife never usually fell asleep in the living room.
Ezra immediately approached and set his briefcase on the sofa. He tried to wake Isvara, but seconds passed and the woman didn't open her eyes. He decided to move her to her bedroom.
However, the moment his hand touched Isvara's skin, Ezra was startled.
"Her body is hot?" Ezra pressed the back of his hand to Isvara's forehead.
"She has a fever," Ezra murmured softly.
He carried Isvara to her room, then immediately applied a cold compress to his wife's forehead. He gave her medicine and fed her rice porridge. Isvara remained silent and obediently let her husband do everything for her.
After taking the medicine, Isvara fell asleep again. Ezra, meanwhile, stared at his wife's pale face for a long time. Every so often, he wiped the sweat dampening the woman's forehead. Then he pressed the back of his hand to her forehead to check her temperature.
Eventually, Ezra fell asleep in Isvara's room. He sat on the floor beside the bed, his head resting against it. When midnight came, Isvara woke and blinked slowly. Her headache no longer felt as bad as it had before.
Then she caught a masculine scent nearby. She knew exactly whose perfume it was. Isvara looked down and found her husband asleep in an uncomfortable position.
Isvara said nothing as she gazed at his peaceful-looking face. He didn't look as stiff as usual, making the beautiful woman smile faintly in secret.
‘Since my mother passed away, no one has ever truly been kind to me. And now you've come into my life, giving me a sense of safety and comfort.’
‘I even started to think all of this was real. Once again, I have to wake up from the dream. You're not my real husband.’
‘We were only destined to be together on paper. I have to keep reminding my heart not to develop feelings for you.’
Isvara spoke silently to herself. She slowly reached out, wanting to touch Ezra's handsome face, but stopped herself. She let him rest because he had to go to work the next day.
"Crash!"
The sound of something breaking jolted Ezra awake, and he ran toward it. In the kitchen, he saw his wife clutching her bleeding elbow.
Their eyes met. Ezra looked worried, while Isvara gazed at him anxiously.
"What happened?" Ezra asked as he turned on the light. Then he moved closer to Isvara.
"I was thirsty and wanted a drink, but I accidentally bumped the table and knocked the glass off."
"Are you okay?" Ezra asked when he saw Isvara's injured, bleeding elbow.
Isvara shook her head in response. Her elbow stung, but the pain was nothing serious.
Ezra pulled Isvara away from the broken glass. Then he led his wife to the sofa and treated her wound.
"Next time, turn on the light so you don't hurt yourself like this!" Ezra spoke as he tended to the wound on Isvara's elbow.
"Mmm, I'm sorry for disturbing your sleep!"
They looked at each other, and Ezra slowly shook his head. The next morning, Ezra deliberately bought several pieces of protective padding for the furniture's sharp edges.
He carefully attached them one by one. Isvara was amazed.
"Why are you doing all this?" Isvara asked.
"So you won't get hurt if you bump into them!" Ezra replied, looking at her beautiful face.
Then he turned his focus back to his work. Isvara almost cheered with happiness when she heard her husband's answer. But then she remembered that it was all only a duty, without love.
And for three years, Isvara would remember that. Everything Ezra did came not from love, but from responsibility.
Her memories of the past vanished when a baritone voice called her name.
"Isvara ..."
The woman flinched slightly in surprise, then answered, "Yes!"
Several hours later, Isvara and Ezra stood facing each other in the parking lot. Each of them held their divorce papers.
"Where are you going after this? I'll take you."
Meanwhile, Ezra's personal assistant opened the door of the black luxury vehicle.
A faint smile appeared on Isvara's lips. "No need. I can take a taxi."
"From now on, I hope you take good care of yourself, Mr. Ezra." She spoke sincerely, accompanied by a sweet smile.
Yes, Isvara hoped and prayed for the best for her ex-husband. Ezra's expressionless gaze remained fixed on the long-haired woman.
"I'm also grateful that my grandfather passed away peacefully. It was all thanks to your help, Miss Isvara."
"Since you refused all that money and property, I promise that if you ever need my help someday, please come find me. I'll help you however I can," Ezra said in a calm voice that nevertheless sounded caring.
Isvara looked at Ezra in disbelief. After several seconds passed, she gave her ex-husband a sincere smile.
"You really didn't have to say that, Mr. Ezra. I feel that everything you've done and given me is already more than enough."
"I'll take good care of myself. I hope we'll still be able to remain friends in the future."
Isvara immediately lowered her head and turned away. She felt like crying after saying that. The faint smile still lingered on her lips, but her heart ached.
"You're my ex-wife, so never hurt yourself. You have to live happily, too," Ezra said.
Ezra's gaze remained fixed on his ex-wife. He didn't know why, but his heart couldn't accept the separation he had brought about himself. Several seconds passed without a word between them.
Finally, Ezra walked toward his car. Before the door closed, the man was still looking at Isvara. But a few seconds later, the door shut and the vehicle drove away, leaving Isvara alone.
The woman stared blankly at the vehicle disappearing into the distance before her. The tears she'd been holding back finally spilled down her cheeks. Isvara gripped her suitcase tightly. With her other hand, she wiped the tears from her face.
She hadn't expected their separation to leave her chest feeling so tight. The unwillingness to let go continued to haunt her, but she had no right to ask Ezra to stay by her side.
Their marriage had continued because of an agreement. And no one had been harmed by it. It would be far too presumptuous of Isvara to ask for more than their agreement allowed.
As she stared at the divorce papers still clutched in her hand, Isvara said, "Starting today, you're my best ex-husband."
Isvara walked away from the religious court grounds, dragging her suitcase behind her.
"Ezra, you'll never know what those three years with you meant to me. I was so happy when I found a light in the darkness of my life."
"But now you're leaving, and you've left me with a light so faint that I can barely survive by it."
"Can I survive on my own?" Tears flowed down Isvara's cheeks again.