Too Late for Her Regrets

of twisted metal, and a high-pitched ringing in my ears. I tried to mo

y wife. She was already out of the driver's side, scra

open and kne

. Her as

a tone I hadn't heard directed at me in years. "Liam

le that wasn't natural. Blood was soak

gasped, my

urn. Her focus wa

, Liam. Just

my chest. It was a terrible, quiet clarity. In thi

g wildly until they landed on me. There

e. Call an ambula

ot the plea of a terrified wife, but the order

was a wreck. And her first thought was for him.

ow ache that opened up inside me. It was a feeling

one as I gave the operator our location. I watched as Olivia gently wipe

when

e to be the supportive husband she needed, it was over. The realization didn't

ered tibia, a fractured fibula. "You're going to need sur

mind was somewhere else, replaying the scene at the cra

private room hours later, h

any idea what this costs? The insu

r said. She looked at my heavily casted leg with disdain, a

the small room. "Liam is out with a concussion

hing. The man who had loved her for more than a dec

ce to you, Olivia," I said, and the

yes, as if noticing me for the first

rstand my place,

e sighed, pulling out her phone. "I have to get back

s of me cheering her on, editing her presentations at 2 a.m., managing our entire

the weekends I spent alone because she was on a "business trip" with Liam. All the times she

mething "more important" came up at work. Our dream of a family, a dream I held ont

rse brought in a small thermos. "Your wife dropped thi

hope returned. Maybe she did care.

st Instagram story. A picture of the exact same thermos. The caption read: "Best boss in the w

st dropped it off on her way to h

sultation from the bedside table. It was for next week. A da

nto quarters. Then into tiny, meaningless piece

s. "The house is a mess, Ethan. You'll need to call the cleaning ser

car. She didn't check if I was comfor

uch, my leg elevated on a mountain of pillows,

rst years together. "Yes, of course I'll be there, Liam. Don't you worry

pa

s no trouble at all. I l

friend. I was just the household manager, a piece of furniture she had gr

she had designed. It was her house, her suc

not with a dramatic scene. I was just going to disappear f