Chapter 4

I didn’t go to the hospital. Instead, I took a cab home.

The apartment Alex and I rented was a small one–bedroom. By the entrance stood a bookshelf with

several textbooks.

They were remnants from when I’d pushed him to complete his bachelor’s degree through online cour at a state university.

My mother was right – his education was limited. When we met, he said he only had a community college degree.

We were both young then. I just thought he was smart, with his whole life ahead of him. He shouldn’t

stay stuck at that level.

Even entry–level positions required bachelor’s degrees these days, with higher starting salaries.

I would work during the day, then stay up late helping him study.

While brushing our teeth side by side in the morning, I’d play French lessons on my phone, helping him review yesterday’s vocabulary. He said learning French would help his career prospects.

For months of practice GRE tests, I reviewed every question he worked through.

With time against us, we managed to complete his online degree in just eighteen months.

To celebrate, we scoured every platform for restaurant coupons just to afford a nice steakhouse dinner.

But now, reading Victoria Bennett’s messages, it all seemed absurd.

isn’t even Alex. I can’t

then Oxford. He’s incredibly

my palm against my forehead, leaning on

to see Alex, disheveled

showed countless missed calls from him. He leaned against the doorframe, slightly out of

breath.

as he approached, took my face in his hands, examining it. His tense

softened.

06:34

of Love. Seven Minutes

20.5%

Chapter 4

didn’t mind, just played with my fingers and smiled. “Let me put some medicine on it, before the

quiet in that moment, for him to

He’d always been this composed, never losing his cool over any challenge.

his impoverished youth that had forged this unflappable character, this ability to remain unmoved even as

never considered that such composure might instead come

mom’s pressing me to go

movements froze, the smile not quite faded from his stern face.

smiling through tears, with my usual loving gaze, “I told her I’d only marry

hadn’t meant to cry, but

said we bought a small house, that we’d move in after marriage. Then we’d have a child – your parents would love them. Boy or girl, doesn’t matter. A

my bag, head down. “Look,

these

every step down is beneath

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