Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband?

Chapter 5

Early in the morning, Mila was jolted awake by the shrill sound of her phone alarm, her head throbbing with a dull ache.

She suspected that last night's escapade in the snow had left her chilled to the bone, and she was likely coming down with a cold. Rubbing her temples to ease the pressure, she rifled through her suitcase for clothes. As she did, she accidentally dislodged a small red object, which rolled across the floor before coming to a stop.

It was a small robot, about the size of a fist, wearing a bright red top hat. The little iron robot was chubby and unpolished, with a distinctly rough-hewn look, save for its striking hat.

This robot was the sole token of her marriage to Lysander. They had only signed the papers back then-no ceremony, no witnesses from their circle, not even a public announcement. To the outside world, all that was revealed was that the newly appointed young Chairman of Montgomery Holdings was married, but the identity of his wife remained a closely guarded secret, known only to Lysander's closest friends and family.

On the night they signed the papers, Mila had asked Lysander if he ever had feelings for her. His eyes, filled with disdain, were answer enough as he hurled the crude little robot at her and left without a word.

Later, Mila examined the robot closely and discovered that despite its rough exterior, it contained an Al chat assistant. Once connected to her phone, it could receive messages and reply with a mechanical voice.

Back then, she had been filled with hope, thinking that because Lysander was passionate about computers and Al, he might have crafted this robot himself, including the program inside. He had made it with his own hands, for her.

corresponding program on her phone. She sent the same message she had sent on the night of their marriage, "Do you

with the same cold, emotionless voice as it had seven years ago,

laugh. The answer had been clear from the start; it had just taken her seven years to

to the trouble of creating a robot and writing a program just to

tossed the robot carelessly onto her suitcase, where it landed

finger. She had worn it so long it had become a part of her. This wedding ring was something Lysander

they were at Montgomery

his mother, Lysander never wore his

been a one-woman show for

ring and tossed

they met again to sign the divorce papers,

awakened by

mom hadn't been home the previous night to tell him a bedtime story and tuck him in, so he had