Leonelâs fingers paled as he clenched the phone tightly.
Leonelâs grip on the phone tightened, his voice carrying a bitter edge.
âYou donât get it, do you? You act like youâre not to blame for any of this.
Donât you dare deny that you still think about Calvin.
And my actions-are they really so unforgivable?â
There was a bitter edge to Alexisâ voice as she responded, her tone detached.
âYes, I am to blame.
I regret bringing you home that year.
Yes, I wonât deny it.
I still miss Calvin.
And yes, what youâve done are unforgivable.
â
She shook her head, a sad smile playing on her lips.
âLeonel, youâre missing the point entirely.
If you donât love me anymore and want out, just say it.
But belittle the love I once had for you by doing what youâve done? That crossed the line.
Our time together meant something, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not.
â
Leonel felt the words caught in his throat, unable to speak.
Alexisâ smile vanished.
âItâs over, Leonel.
â
With that, she ended the call.
Alone in the car, Leonel reached for a cigarette, only to find the pack empty.
His phone buzzed.
It was Noreen.
âMr.
Douglas, the meetingâs starting soon.
â
âOkay.
â
Leonel ended the call and started the engine.
Over the next two months, Leonelâs company faced numerous challenges, but he managed to navigate through them all.
Truth be told, Leonel hadnât cared much about power lately.
Perhaps he simply feared Alexis would see him as weak and useless.
Or maybe he buried himself in work to numb the pain her felt.
Alexis remained away.
The kids stayed with her.
Leonel only caught glimpses of them during lunches and dinners outside the school.
Daniel grew quieter, while Evelyn became overly polite, rarely calling him âdadâ.
Then, his company narrowly averted disaster.
He tried reaching out to Alexis, but she refused to meet.
Instead, she insisted on a divorce, scheduled for the following week.
Leonelâs response was blunt.
âIâm not divorcing.
â
He turned to alcohol.
What used to be moderate drinking turned into frequent socializing.
Despite the attention from various women in those parties, Leonel remained uninterested.
Sometimes, waking up early, heâd realize how long it had been since his last intimate encounter.
Come Friday night, he drowned himself in drink once more.
Jason, his driver, had to help him into the car.
Eyes shut, Leonel mumbled, âJust take me home.
â