When Calvin emerged from his meeting, I had already finished my meal, tidied up the kitchen, and was sitting in the living room streaming a show. It felt as if nothing had changed.

He turned away to take a shower and halfway through realized there were no towels. I heard him call out from the bathroom, “Babe, where’s my towel?”

Without turning, I replied, “They’re packed away in the boxes. Just use mine for now, and I’ll wash it later.”

The silence that followed was palpable.

When Calvin finally emerged, he noticed the three boxes by the entryway. He sat across from me and slid the divorce papers over with his fingertips.

"I can start with $1.5 million in child support, and the rest will be monthly payments..."

I interrupted, “No need. Let’s settle this in one lump sum. I think she wouldn’t want us to have any lingering ties either.”

Calvin’s eyes showed a hint of confusion. “The child isn’t just yours; I have a right to be part of his life. I know this is my fault, and I’m willing to make amends, but there’s no need to use our child as a bargaining chip.”

I paused the show and looked at Calvin intently. “Cheating was your mistake. Offering compensation and support is only fair. Compared to your assets, a house and a car aren’t much. I’ve raised Noah since he was little. He’s a sensitive kid with special needs. How much energy do you have for him amidst your whirlwind lifestyle? Being present isn’t just about money, it’s about time and attention.”

Calvin was at a loss for words, and after a moment, he replied, “In any case, I won’t pay $2 million to sever my ties with my son.”

I opened the divorce agreement and glanced through it. “The $2 million is for compensation and child support. If you have additional emotional needs, you can contribute to Noah’s separate account.”

Calvin suddenly laughed. “Amaia, I never realized how much you love money. You never stop talking about it.”

“Well, what else is there? Loving you didn’t seem to work out.”

Calvin was speechless again. With a sullen face, he quickly signed his name on the divorce papers. He also arranged for us to go to the courthouse tomorrow to file for divorce. After that, he called his driver.

I finished watching my show and then went to bed. When I got up in the morning, Calvin was already gone.

Noah came running out of his room, hugging me tight, eager to share that he’d had a delightful dream the night before. As I listened to him, I gently mentioned that his dad’s company had been really busy recently and he might be on trips for a while.

Noah, surprisingly, didn’t ask when his dad would be back or insist on calling him. “Oh,” he said softly, pressing his little lips together. “It’s okay, as long as I have you with me.”

I couldn’t hold back any longer. Tears welled up and spilled over, and I excused myself to the bathroom to gather my emotions. Agreeing to divorce Calvin filled me with sadness, but mostly, I felt the weight of guilt for Noah—not being able to raise him in a complete family. Yet I knew this burden wasn’t mine to bear.

After dropping Noah off at school, Calvin and I headed to the courthouse to file for divorce. There’s a 30-day waiting period before we can finalize it.

Back in the car, I circled today’s date on my calendar, marking it as the start of my 30-day countdown.

I was torn about whether to tell my parents about the divorce right away. I grew up here, surrounded by family and friends. My parents, both retired teachers, only have me as their daughter. They've always been progressive, despite my father's declining health over the past couple of years. I initially thought I would wait a bit.

Just a few days later, Calvin called out of the blue. He usually texted me because he knew I'd respond quickly, which he found convenient. Last night, I deleted him from my contacts.

I picked up the phone, and Calvin’s voice was exactly the same. "Amaia, your mom just called. She said she made a lot of food and invited us over for dinner tonight. I know your dad’s not feeling well, so maybe we should wait until he’s better before we tell them about the divorce. What time do we go over? Plus, next Sunday is your dad's birthday, and I think I should come with you."

Hearing Calvin's suggestion, I realized it was time to break the news to my parents. I replied, "No need."

Calvin persisted, "There's no need to be stubborn. Your parents' health is important."

I calmly shot back, "If you really cared, you wouldn’t have cheated and ended things like this. Dad may be physically weak, but he’s mentally sharp. He’d want me out of a toxic relationship."

"Calvin."

"Yes?"

"Don’t call again. If you want to see Noah, stick to the agreement, once a week."

Calvin’s conciliatory tone evaporated. "Amaia, Noah is my son, my family..."

"But you walked away from the family he had, didn’t you?"

I heard Calvin slam the phone down. I hung up, trying to steady my unraveling emotions. I decided to head to the mall. I planned to swap out the bedding, sofas, and all the furniture Calvin liked. Everything had to be available immediately. Once I finished redecorating, I cleaned the house from top to bottom and went to my mom’s place.

When she saw me alone, she thought Calvin was tied up with work. I stayed quiet, nervously saying, "Mom." She instantly picked up on my vibe, put aside what she was doing, and pulled me into a gentle hug. I didn’t say anything, but a mother’s intuition sensed my pain and distress.

Trying to stay composed, I told her everything. My mom handed me a tissue to wipe my tears. She spoke softly, "It's okay. Divorce is pretty common these days. If he wasn’t honest, it's better to end it sooner rather than later. Once it’s done, it’s done."

She held my hand, her eyes a bit misty. "Amaia, I have just one request for you."

I nodded through my tears. "Okay."

After dinner, my parents talked in their room for a long time. When they came out, my dad handed me a large envelope. He said today was a fresh start, something to celebrate. "I hope my darling daughter will always find happiness."

Leaving my parents' house, I sat in my car and cried for what felt like forever. Before coming, I worried I’d let them down. They’ve lived a peaceful life, rarely clashing. When I married Calvin, despite some skepticism, they respected my decision. Now, as Calvin gained success and people envied them for their judgment, they quietly backed my choice to divorce.

I wiped away my tears and checked the calendar. Twenty-eight days until the divorce is finalized.

When I picked up Noah from school, he told me that Grandpa Raymond had called him, saying how much he missed him and asking if he could stay at their house for a week. He wanted me to take him over.

I hesitated for a moment before taking Noah home to pack a small suitcase. He was thrilled, chatting excitedly about how Grandpa had promised they'd fly his remote-controlled helicopter together.

After dropping Noah off, my mom, Helen, walked me to the car. "Amaia, cheer up. Go out and have some fun."

As I got into the car, I glanced back to see her standing there, watching me, not going back inside for quite a while.

I flipped down the car's visor mirror and noticed how pale and worn out I looked. I freshened up my makeup, applying a bold shade of lipstick.

After sorting things out, I went on a week-long trip. I rushed through charming European towns, meeting a variety of people and hearing countless stories along the way.

When I returned, I felt much more reinvigorated.

I glanced at the calendar. The countdown to the divorce was at 21 days.