When Apologies Die

On my birthday, my husband, Adrian Grant, suddenly showed up with my adoptive younger sister, Bella Reed, and her child, Tia Reed.

When it was time to head out, he naturally arranged for Bella to sit in the front passenger seat. Then he turned to me and said calmly, Tia gets carsick easily. The back seat is full of stuff. Since you're healthy, just take the bus.

Our friends immediately chimed in, one after another, "You're the older sister. Taking care of your niece is only right."

Four cars were heading out, yet not one seat was left for me, the supposed main character of the day.

I sat on the bus, swallowing my grievance, and saw Adrian and Bella interacting ambiguously in the group chat. They were even talking about topics I knew nothing about.

When I opened the newly sent video, nothing except leftovers remained on the table prepared for me.

Adrian even treated the birthday cake I had carefully prepared as dessert, spoon-feeding it to Bella and her daughter.

Someone finally couldnt stand it anymore and asked whether this was appropriate.

Adrian, who was carefully wiping Bellas mouth, didnt even look up. "Were all family. Julia wont be angry."

At that point, our seven-year marriage came to its end.

Chapter 1

Julia's POV

The moment Adrian Grant attentively settled Bella Reed and her daughter, Tia Reed, into the front passenger seat, I knew I was no longer the main character of this gathering.

Bella rolled down the window and gave me a sweet smile. "Julia, Adrian said today is your birthday. He specially invited us to come."

Then she added apologetically, "Sorry, Tia gets carsick easily. You dont mind us sitting in front, right?"

I caught the faint provocation hidden in her eyes and said nothing.

Adrian placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke gently, as if soothing her. "Bella, dont overthink it. Were all family. How could Julia mind?"

After saying that, he opened the car door and got out, clearly intending to clear the items piled in the back seat to make space for me.

My eyes burned red. Disappointment and sadness pressed heavily against my chest.

He knew perfectly well that I didnt like Bella, yet he still used the excuse of celebrating my birthday to bring her along.

Bella watched Adrian moving things around in the back and cast a pleading look toward the friends gathered nearby.

They understood immediately and spoke up without hesitation.

"Those are all Tias snacks and toys. If you take them out, the kid will be upset!"

Before the words even finished, Tia cooperated by bursting into loud tears.

Bella softly scolded her daughter, lowered her head slightly, and spoke in a tone filled with helplessness, "Im sorry, Julia. This is all our fault for causing trouble between you and Adrian. Then we just wont go."

She reluctantly got out of the car with the child. The little girl clung pitifully to her mothers shoulder.

"Mom, are we really not going? Ive been looking forward to this picnic for a long time."

Seeing the disappointment written all over that small face, Adrians brows drew tightly together. He decisively pulled Bella and her daughter back into the car, then dragged me aside.

"Julia, youre healthy. Just take the bus. I have to drive, so I cant go with you. When you get off, Ill pick you up at the bus stop."

Cold crept into my fingers. Waves of pain mixed with grievance surged through my chest.

I slowly lowered my head. At that moment, I couldnt tell what I was feeling. I also didnt know whether Adrian noticed the sadness on my face.

The friends standing nearby all said this arrangement was perfect and cheerfully drove off.

There wasnt the slightest trace of guilt or apology on Adrians face. Everything seemed completely justified to him.

I held back the tears about to spill over and let out a self-mocking smile. Whether I went or not didnt matter anymore.

The car slowly pulled away. Bella wore a satisfied expression and urged me to hurry and set off as well.

I watched Adrian lean over to fasten Bellas seat belt. In his refined, handsome eyes, there was only the reflection of that mother and daughter.

I touched the wedding ring on my ring finger and felt that my marriage was utterly, completely ruined.

Chapter 2

At that moment, the bus pulled up beside me.

Under Adrians watchful gaze, I didnt want to argue. I boarded the bus calmly.

They were driving a supercar and reached the destination quickly.

In contrast, the bus I was on was old and sluggish, swaying along the road. It would take at least four hours to get there.

My phone vibrated.

I saw Adrian and Bella Reed interacting intimately in the outing group chat.

Adrian sent an animated boy blowing a flying kiss. Bella immediately replied with a blushing, shy rabbit. He sent a heart-stealing thief. She answered with a little figure holding hands, captioned "locked by you".

Every frame was bubbling with sickly sweetness, an unspoken intimacy.

My eyes skimmed past their earlier conversation about a newly opened bar, Harborline Lounge. It was the secret spot they had gone to together last night.

I tried to catch the tail end of the conversation. "Is that the one where you can see the whole river view? Its really popular, right?"

My message hung there, alone and unanswered.

Adrians next sticker popped up almost immediately. It was a little dog circling around a kitten, captioned "spinning around you".

Bella replied with a hand-over-mouth laughing emoji.

They started talking again about the cocktail Bella had mixed yesterday, about how Adrian had almost knocked it over in embarrassment.

They even shared inside jokes.

I loosened my grip on the phone, which had grown hot in my hand. My eagerness to fit in cooled completely.

As his wife, I was like a drop of oil in water. No matter how hard I tried, I could never blend into Adrians life.

I looked out the window. Tears slid down, soaking the corners of my eyes.

After I got off the bus, Adrian called me. He told me to stay at the bus stop and not wander around. He said he would come pick me up soon.

The scorching sun overhead made it hard to keep my eyes open. I could only tell him to hurry. Otherwise, I might get heatstroke.

I was gambling.

Gambling on whether he would put Bella aside and come for me.

This was the last effort I was making for my marriage.

Adrian agreed readily and hung up.

I stood under a tree, yet the sunlight still pierced through the gaps like poisoned needles, stabbing into my skin.

The second hand on my watch went around again and again.

Adrian never appeared.

My skin burned with pain. My throat was so dry it felt torn open. All the food was in Adrians car. I didnt even have a bottle of water with me.

Dizziness washed over me. I reached for my phone to urge him again.

Instead, his friend, Evan Brooks, sent a flood of photos into the group chat. They were all pictures of Adrian and Bella being physically close.

My fingers trembled uncontrollably as I tapped open the video.

Laughter filled the screen. The table was left with nothing but scraps and leftovers.

The birthday cake I had queued for a full month to reserve was being handed out as dessert to Bella and her daughter.

Suddenly, Ryan Mitchell asked, "Adrian, Julia has been waiting for you at the station for hours. Are you really not going to pick her up? If she comes and sees that weve devoured everything, shell probably get angry."

Adrian froze. His hand that was feeding Tia cake stopped midair. Tension flickered clearly across his face.

Unable to get more cake, the little girl pouted and started crying loudly. No matter how Bella coaxed her, it didnt work.

Adrian immediately took Tia into his arms, his expression returning to normal. "Its normal for a kid to eat something first when shes hungry. Ill go pick her up after I calm Tia down. Julia is always understanding. She wont be mad."

Watching Adrian skillfully wipe Tias hands and mouth, I let out a self-mocking smile and exited the video.

Behind his limitless indulgence toward Tia was Bellas firmly rooted place in his heart.

There was no need to think further. He wasnt coming to pick me up.

I blinked my aching eyes and slowly stood up. My vision suddenly went black, and I collapsed.

When I woke up again, I was lying on a hospital bed. I took out my phone. In the hours I had been out of contact, there wasnt a single message from Adrian.

I lowered my head and forced the bitterness down.

At that moment, I accepted reality. Adrian no longer loved me. The promises made at our wedding seven years ago shattered into bubbles in the blink of an eye.

I cried hard and freely, treating it as a final farewell to my love.

I silently removed the wedding ring from my finger. The diamond had long since lost its original brilliance, looking dull and lifeless under the dim light.

I took a deep breath and hurled it out the window.

Then I called the hotel manager and told him to cancel the birthday dinner that night and the reserved room. Since Adrian wanted to give Bella and her daughter a happy trip, they shouldnt enjoy the romance I had painstakingly prepared.

After doing all of that, I pulled open the hospital room curtains. The ache and reluctance in my heart eased somewhat beneath the wide, open view.

I told myself that a relationship that had gone bad was nothing but trash and should be thrown away in time.

Time would heal all my wounds.

Just then, my screen lit up with incoming calls. Adrians messages flooded in one after another.

"Julia, pick up the phone!"

I smiled faintly and tapped decline.

Chapter 3

Third-person POV

Adrian enjoyed the entire day with his friends. It wasnt until they arrived at the hotel that they were informed the birthday dinner and the reserved room had been fully canceled.

Everyone was exhausted and hungry, and complaints immediately broke out.

Still, deep down, they all understood. Being ignored so completely on her own birthday, Julia was bound to feel wronged.

Bellas nose reddened. Tears slowly slid down her face. "Im sorry. Julia must be angry at me, so shes throwing a tantrum. Its all my fault for dragging everyone down. I should just leave."

After saying that, she picked up Tia and walked out of the hotel.

Adrian stood frozen in place, a wave of inexplicable guilt rising in his chest. It wasnt Bella's fault. It was because he had completely forgotten about picking up Julia.

He hurriedly tried to think of a way to make things right, yet when he saw Bella walking away, his heart softened anyway. He chased after them and pulled them back.

"Bella, this is the only hotel around here. You and Tia should stay here tonight so I can take you back tomorrow."

The front desk looked troubled. With the recent surge of tourists, there were no vacant rooms left.

Adrian thought for a moment, then issued a forceful command. "Julia has kept a presidential suite here year-round. Give me the room key."

The front desk hesitated, then quickly shook their head. "Im sorry, sir. Without our clients consent, we cant hand over the key."

Anger surfaced on Adrians face. He pulled up a photo of their marriage certificate from his phone and slammed it onto the counter. "Im Julia's husband. I have the right to use that room."

The front desk examined the certificate repeatedly, then called Julia.

Naturally, the call went unanswered. The front desk shook their head again.

Adrian immediately raised his voice, "If you refuse, Ill call your headquarters and file a complaint. All it takes is one word from me, and Julia wont renew her contract with you next year."

Bella sniffled softly. "Forget it, Adrian. Julia has never liked me. How would she ever let me use her room? I dont mind, but what about Tia?"

That sentence instantly ignited Adrians anger. He sent message after message to Julia.

"Julia, youve really gone too far this time!"

"If youre upset, take it out on me. Why are you dragging Bella into this?"

"Ill apologize for my mistake. Now, hurry and tell the front desk to open the room for Bella!"

What answered him was a long, suffocating silence. Unease crept into Adrians heart. In the past, no matter how angry Julia was, she had never ignored him like this.

Just then, Tia reached out her small hands at the perfect moment. "Uncle Adrian, hug."

Bella looked apologetic. "Im sorry, Adrian. Tia grew up without a father. Its her first time traveling far, and shes scared"

Adrians heart settled. Even if he needed to apologize to Julia, one more night wouldnt make a difference.

Besides, she was clearly furious right now. If he went to her, it would probably only make things worse. It was better to let Julia cool down properly. Tomorrow, he could bring Bella along and explain everything.

Without Julias permission, they had no choice but to leave the hotel.

To make things worse, the car ran out of gas, and the nearest hotel was three kilometers away.

Tia couldnt walk that far. Naturally, Adrian let her sit on his shoulders.

Bella walked a few steps in her high heels, then twisted her ankle and stumbled. She cried while pounding her leg. "Im so useless. I always hold everyone back. Adrian, you take Tia and go ahead. Dont worry about me!"

Seeing her mother hurt, Tia burst into heart-wrenching sobs, her mouth stretched wide as she cried.

Adrian gently comforted the two of them, "Bella, how could I leave you here alone?"

With that, he scooped her up in a princess carry. His friends whistled and teased from the side.

Bellas face flushed shyly. "Adrian, this isnt appropriate. Im afraid Julia will be angry if she finds out."

Adrian smiled. "Im the one who chose to carry you. If shes angry, it's me shell be angry at."

Evan recorded the scene and sent it to the group chat, and that sentence was delivered, word for word, straight to Julia.

Evan spoke mockingly, "Adrian looks so handsome. As long as he is around, Bella doesnt have to be afraid of anything!

"Bella is kind. Of course, everyone likes her! Unlike some people who are petty and get angry over everything!"

The group immediately chimed in.

"Thats true. What a warm and romantic scene. Makes people envious!"

"A handsome man and a beautiful woman. Adrian, Bella, and Tia really look like a happy family."

Adrian panicked for a brief moment after hearing those words, but he quickly calmed down. She had been so ruthless, abandoning him and Bella at the hotel. He'd let her suffer a bit inside. Consider it a punishment.

Once everything was explained tomorrow, she would understand him.

So he allowed his friends to joke freely in the group chat, the atmosphere growing wildly heated.

Suddenly, the laughter stopped short.

Ryan abruptly shoved a phone in front of him, stammering, "Adrian, you you need to look Julia said something in the group."

The tension hanging in Adrians chest finally eased. He knew it. Julia couldnt let him go.

However, the moment he saw what she had sent, it felt as if the sky collapsed. She posted a photo of a divorce agreement along with three words.

"Lets get divorced."