Part 1No Breeze Crosses for the Loveless One

After I found out my husband, Finn, was cheating on me.

To get back at him.

I went out with no less than 10 different men in six months.

The night I broke up with number 10, a sweet college kid.

I asked Finn for a divorce.

“Oh, darling.”

“How many times have we been here?”

Finn finally looked up from his phone.

“What’s the matter? Not happy with the latest boyfriend?”

He smirked, a cruel little twist of his lips. “Did he disappoint you so much that my usually placid wife has to come bother me with her little tantrums?”

He laughed and reached for his jacket. “I’m afraid I don’t have time for this, darling. I have plans tonight.”

I stared at him, still trying to understand. How could a man separate love and sex so completely, as if they were two different countries with a hard border between them?

“Finn,” I said, stepping in his way and holding out the divorce papers. My voice was calm. “I’m serious.”

“Let’s just let each other go.”

* * *

“Darling.” Finn’s expression was still infuriatingly casual. “I really don’t have time to play these games with you.”

He held up his phone, showing me his open messaging app. “The kid’s going to get upset.”

He smiled, but the warmth didn’t reach his eyes. “And you know how it is. She’s not easy to placate.”

The screen showed a profile picture. It was one half of a matching set. His was the other half.

The girl was complaining, sending an angry emoji.

[How much longer do you have to spend with that old hag?]

[You said she had a boyfriend now anyway. Or have you decided you prefer older women after all? Are you trying to patch things up with her?]

She was shamelessly mocking my age.

Finn just thought it was cute. He typed back: [Don’t be jealous.]

Suddenly, a video call notification popped up on his screen. The jarring ringtone shattered the tense silence between us. Finn gestured to his phone. “See, darling? I’m a very busy man.”

He answered the call, right there in front of me.

The girl’s voice was a playful pout. “Finn. I’m already at your gate.”

“I’ll give you three seconds.”

“If you don’t come out.”

“We’re breaking up!”

I listened to her confident, demanding tone and watched the flicker of annoyance on Finn’s face melt back into a fond smile.

“You little troublemaker.”

His voice was a low murmur, meant only for her. “My wife’s home, you know. Aren’t you afraid she’ll come after you with a kitchen knife?”

“And if she does, don’t you dare come crying to me.”

He was flirting with her, right in front of me, as if I wasn’t even there. The girl on the phone just laughed.

“You wouldn’t let her.”

“You promised you’d protect me!”

I knew what I was supposed to do. I was supposed to stay silent. I was supposed to let him leave, to give him his space. Everyone told me the same thing: as long as I was Mrs. Thorne, I would have a life of unimaginable luxury. I would want for nothing. My mother, who was seriously ill in the hospital, would continue to receive the best possible care.

But I just couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t stand it for one more second.

I snatched the phone from his hand. His eyes widened in shock as I spoke into the receiver.

“You’re right. The wife is very mean. If you dare set foot inside this house, I’ll make sure you’re carried out.”

I ignored the girl’s shrieks on the other end, her accusations that I was shameless. I smashed the phone on the ground, strode to the front door, and threw it open. The girl stood there, her face red with fury. I raised my hand and slapped her, hard.

“Do you know what you are?” My voice was sharp, but my face was a mask of cold calm.

“As long as I am in this house, as long as I hold the title of Mrs. Thorne, you are nothing but a cheap little homewrecker.”

I grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head against the door. The loud thud was followed by her terrified scream.

“You’re crazy!”

“Finn!”

“Finn! Are you just going to stand there and let her do this to me?!”

“Finn!”

I raised my hand to strike her again.

A hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. From behind me, I heard Finn’s voice, a lazy drawl that was somehow both amused and threatening.

“Darling. Don’t you think you’re being a little… undignified?”