My Blind Wife Wants Divorced

Chloe’s smile didn’t want to fade from her face, not even a bit. It was no longer just her feeling. What her eyes captured now were familiar colors in her imagination. Her heart was filled with joy knowing about this progress. Just this morning, there was nothing different from her vision, which only contained dots of light. A sense of emotion slipped into her heart, overwhelming her.

“Hi,” Adrianna greeted cheerfully. Since Peni gave her the news two hours ago, Adrianna couldn’t wait to meet Chloe. Although she still had to be patient because her responsibilities at work couldn’t be abandoned just like that. Adrianna couldn’t simply ignore the children she taught. When her working hours were over, she immediately drove her car to her friend’s white-painted house.

“Adrianna.” Chloe reached out, trying to grasp Adrianna’s hand even though she couldn’t see her approaching figure. Holding Chloe tightly. “I’m so happy.” Chloe was sure that Peni had informed Adrianna about her condition.

“Me too, Chloe. Me too.” Adrianna’s eyes teared up. “I’m so happy, Chloe. Oh my God.” Adrianna held Chloe’s hand even tighter. “Tomorrow is the therapy session. But I can’t accompany you. What should we do?”

Chloe smiled understandingly. “Don’t worry about that. I don’t mind being accompanied by Peni.”

Adrianna pouted slightly but then erased the disappointment from her face. She reassured herself that there would still be Chloe’s therapy schedule next week where she could accompany her. “Let me know the results of the further examination, okay?”

Chloe nodded quickly. “How are the kids?”

“Well… so far, there haven’t been any problems.” Adrianna chuckled. “I wouldn’t call them naughty. They’re all smart. They need guidance. It’s not because they’re just little children; they need guidance to channel their endless energy.”

The woman in the violet dress smiled. “Your world seems so much fun.”

“Sometimes I get tired too. I want to be at home without hearing the screams and cries of the children. Silence. Solitude. Listening to music like your favorite.”

Chloe fell silent, then smiled while gently patting her friend’s back. “Sometimes, our envy for others shouldn’t happen, right?” Chloe took a short pause before continuing. “But I believe we’re doing our best to live our chosen lives according to our own version. Right, Adrianna?”

“You’re right.” Adrianna felt genuinely grateful to have her friend back. She had hoped for this day to come. And God granted it quickly how that person was devastated to find herself powerless. How she reacted to all the changes in her friend’s behavior and attitude with sadness, knowing how Chloe had been living. Especially since she got married.

Chloe shed so many tears while telling Adrianna her story. And how furious Adrianna was with her husband, despite Chloe’s confession that her friend had fallen deeply in love with Leonel Grisham Djaya. What was so great about Chloe’s husband? In Adrianna’s eyes, nothing at all. A husband who neglected his wife? Choosing another woman to hold and give affection to? What did their marriage even mean?

Insane!

That was the perfect curse Adrianna had for Leonel.

“Maybe, in the next six months, I’ll be able to regain my vision?” Chloe sighed softly. “Don’t push yourself too hard. Most importantly, your therapy schedule is regular, and the changes are significant.”

“I have my target, Adrianna.”

Those words surprised Adrianna. “Target?” As Chloe nodded, Adrianna added, “Are you working?” Her question might have sounded silly, but she voiced it anyway. She needed clarification about what ‘target’ Chloe meant. She had never heard her friend say something like this during their conversations.

“I’m asking for a divorce from Leonel.”

Adrianna’s eyes widened. She felt like she had stopped breathing momentarily after Chloe’s words. “Are… are you serious?”

“I even asked Ester to come into this house.”

“Are you crazy?”

Chloe shook her head quickly. “Why would you say I’m crazy? I’m doing what I should have done long ago, right?”

Adrianna couldn’t find any other words to express all the questions in her mind.

“I’m sick of their affair, Adrianna.” She spoke about her heart for the first time since the accident six months ago. What she truly felt. She shared her foolishness regarding forgiveness and tolerance for Leonel’s behavior with Adrianna. But there was one aspect that she couldn’t bury forever.

It was too painful to share. It was too torturous that it numbed certain parts of her heart.

“Where have you been all this time?” Adrianna asked softly. “I’ve warned you many times. You’ve seen how your husband and that cheap woman behave, right? But you didn’t take any action.” Adrianna spoke with concern. “Why now, Chloe?”

While Chloe smiled. “I don’t even know, Ly. This incident made me think a lot.” She sighed softly. “There’s nothing else I can do because Leonel never sees me. It’s all in vain; everything I’ve done without being appreciated, right?”

Adrianna fell silent.

“I have exerted all my efforts to make Leonel turn towards me, but until now, nothing has affected him. Even my current condition only evokes pity in his heart.”

“I know that,” Adrianna chuckled, not to mock but to recall her friend’s lengthy venting in recent years. “You know, I even gave him a nickname, right?”

“It does feel fitting,” Chloe finally joined in the laughter. “I’m tired of doing that again, Adrianna.”

They fell silent for a while, letting the sounds of chirping birds and the gentle breeze accompany their conversation.

Adrianna became increasingly concerned with the words she had just heard from Chloe. “So… are you sure?” Although Chloe’s decision to get a divorce received full support from Adrianna. “Whatever decision you make regarding the divorce, I support you.”

“But, well… it’s not that easy,” Chloe grinned. She lightly clapped and released their interlocked hands. “Before my vision returns, I want the two of them to experience what it’s like to be ‘blind.'”

“What do you mean?” Adrianna furrowed her brows, confused.

“Divorce, asking Leonel to remarry before I completely leave this house, and…” Chloe couldn’t bring herself to say the part she was waiting for. A questioning smile remained on her face, confident that Adrianna was puzzled.

“What?” Adrianna urged Chloe to say it immediately.

“I will leave, leaving a disturbing feeling in Leonel’s heart. I have planned it all, and I have pushed them out one by one.”

Adrianna still couldn’t understand Chloe’s thought process now. Her friend sobbed or smiled bitterly whenever she talked about her husband’s behavior. Although Chloe cried until her eyes swelled, she forgave him the next day. That’s how Chloe always handled Leonel’s actions. It left Adrianna puzzled and questioning the nature of love.

And now?

“Oh, by the way, Leonel wanted to talk to me last night.”

“Yes?” Adrianna became even more bewildered. “About what?”

“A lot of things. Some of them were about our relationship,” Chloe slowly pulled the corner of her lips. She closed her eyes, recalling her conversation with Leonel last night. If she could see her husband’s face, she would find it laughable how that face looked at her in bewilderment.

“I don’t understand, Chloe,” Adrianna said resignedly. “Is that something joyful for you? I’ve noticed your face is no longer gloomy whenever you talk about Leonel.”

“I think so,” Chloe shrugged. “I don’t know. I just felt lighter last night compared to the previous night.”

“Do you want to talk about it with me?”

***

Leonel stirred slowly and found Ester in his embrace. He smiled slightly as he pulled back the blanket, aimlessly picking up the scattered clothes. The clock in Ester’s room showed precisely two o’clock. His stomach started protesting for food, but Leonel didn’t need much effort. He knew Ester’s assistant must have prepared everything.

There was something he wanted to discuss with Ester. That’s why he diverted his car, initially following New York City’s traffic congestion, towards his lover’s apartment. Occasionally, he glanced at Ester, who was still asleep. Her condition was much better now; he assumed she might have had a slight fever earlier. How could he call it an illness when Ester and Leonel engaged passionately?

The woman never disappointed him whenever their skins touched, without any barriers.

“You can do whatever you want, Leonel. I don’t care.”

Suddenly, Leonel fell silent. His movements of fastening his trousers’ belt came to a halt. Chloe’s voice echoed loudly in his head.

“In this relationship, you benefit the most, Leonel.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Chloe’s room was spacious, almost the same as his room facing it, but the room’s owner wanted Leonel to come in only a short distance. Even sitting on the nearby sofa, Chloe didn’t invite him. Leonel also didn’t want to insist last night. He only wanted to talk.

About the divorce matter.

“Me? Benefiting?” Leonel scoffed. “I have arranged everything so that many of my possessions would end up in your hands, Sa.”

The woman only chuckled. Her hands folded over her chest, which made Leonel feel annoyed in the end.

“Everything I have done for you during this insane marriage is not equivalent to what you left behind. There’s resentment in my heart, Leonel. A heart that has been shattered and broken. One that has never heard a word coming out of your mouth to apologize. But no, I won’t accept it, and I don’t want to hear that apology anymore. It’s already too late.”

Leonel fell silent.

“You can do whatever you want now. I’ll prove it. I’ll permit Ester to enter. Even if she returns to this house now, stays here, or enters your room every night, I allow it.”

Leonel clenched his fist tightly.

“For me… both of you are the same. Equally useless.”

His phone rang loudly, shattering the bubble of Leonel’s memories of the conversation that had stirred up his emotions. He hurried to pick it up. Once it was in his hand, Deborah’s name appeared on the screen. Thankful for increasing the volume on his phone to wake him up, he still had responsibilities.

“Yes?” Leonel replied curtly. He walked towards the kitchen to see if Sofi had done what he instructed.

“Sir, the teleconference will start in thirty minutes,” Deborah informed. “I’ve sent an email with the meeting materials, Sir.”

Leonel nodded silently. “Is anyone looking for me?”

“No, Sir. But I’m sorry, your presence is required for this afternoon’s call. The final decision is in your hands.”

Leonel nodded quietly, a cheerful smile appearing as he saw two paper bags from one of his favorite restaurants on the table. “Alright. I’ll review them first.”

“Very well, Sir. Oh, by the way, Mr. Robby is on his way to the office. He said he wanted to meet with the marketing division. Originally, he wanted to meet with you, but since you’re not feeling well, he decided to meet with Mr. Yohanes instead.”

Just as the phone call ended, the phone rang again. His father’s name appeared on the screen, making Leonel hesitate about answering the call.