Chapter 37: Chapter 37



Joelle swallowed nervously and walked toward the door the woman had indicated. It was adorned with cheerful, childlike decorations. She knocked lightly on the door, which was opened by a little girl around eight years old. “Hi, I’m your new violin teacher, Joelle Miller.” Joelle introduced herself with a warm smile.

The girl avoided eye contact and moved to let her in. “Please come in.” Joelle felt a twinge of unease. She couldn’t remember ever being that obedient as a child. Nevertheless, the violin lesson proceeded smoothly as the girl displayed a solid grasp of the basics.

During the break, the girl remained seated quietly at her desk, drawing. Joelle’s eyes landed on a photo frame on the desk. It showed the girl holding her mother’s hand, but the woman in the picture was not the same one Joelle had seen watching TV outside. Not wanting to upset the girl, Joelle kept her thoughts to herself and acted as though she hadn’t seen the photo.

Later in the afternoon, as the lesson was nearing its end, the man of the house returned. The girl’s demeanor instantly brightened, and she sprinted towards him with a beaming smile. “Daddy!” The woman, now clad in an apron and preparing dinner, seemed a far cry from the detached figure Joelle had met earlier.

For a fleeting moment, Joelle saw a glimpse of her own past life as a full-time housewife. The man scooped his daughter into his arms. “So what did you do today?” The girl wrapped her arms around her father’s neck. “The new violin teacher came, and I played the violin today.”

“The new violin teacher?” The man glanced in Joelle’s direction and looked at her from head to toe. “She’s the only student of Sloane Moore, the renowned violin master,” the woman explained. Joelle glanced at her in surprise. Just that afternoon, the woman had deemed her skills mediocre.

The man nodded, impressed. “You really went to great lengths.” With a graceful smile, the woman replied, “It’s nothing. You said we should give only the best for our little girl.”

Clearly pleased by her response, the man put his daughter down and gestured for Joelle to follow him to the study. As Joelle trailed behind, the woman knelt beside the girl and asked softly, “How about we have your favorite chicken wings tonight?”

Now she seemed to care about the girl? Joelle mused. The woman had not once checked in on the lesson, nor had she offered the girl a glass of water. Joelle set these thoughts aside and stepped into the study with the man.

“Miley’s mother taught her how to play the violin, but she passed away last year due to illness,” the man revealed, catching Joelle’s surprised look. Although surprised, Joelle sensed there was more to the story. The man placed his briefcase on the floor and sat down at his desk. Then, he looked at her with an earnest gaze. “For the past year, Miley hasn’t wanted to touch the violin. Recently, she decided she wanted to start again. I think it’s because she misses her mother. I don’t expect her to play exceptionally well, but I do hope you can make the lessons enjoyable for her.” He paused for a brief moment and continued, his voice heavy with emotion, “I’ve rarely seen her smile in the past year.” Joelle nodded. “I understand.”

It was already dark by the time Joelle left Miley’s home. Leah had sent her a message ten minutes before, asking what time she would be home. As Joelle stepped into her rental, she was greeted by the rich aroma of food. Leah was an exceptional cook, a fact even Adrian acknowledged, despite his picky taste.

After washing her hands, Joelle invited Leah to join her for dinner. “You must be tired today, ma’am,” Leah remarked as she served a large chicken drumstick onto Joelle’s plate. Joelle thought that if Adrian were half as thoughtful as Leah, things might have been different between them. Adrian was indeed a heartless jerk.

Halfway through the meal, Leah said, “Ma’am, I heard that Rebecca has made a mess of the house and complained about the strong smell of formaldehyde. She even asked Mr. Miller to repaint the place. I find it strange, though. How could there still be formaldehyde after three years?”

Joelle remained calm and continued to eat. She appeared indifferent to what Leah was saying. “Also, I heard Rebecca even snuck into Mr. Miller’s bedroom. When she was caught, she said she had walked into the wrong room. What a ridiculous excuse!” Joelle remained silent.

“What’s more, I also heard that Mr. Miller has been staying at a friend’s place in the past few days. It seems he doesn’t care much for that bitch either!” At last, Joelle looked up. “Leah, you don’t have to defend him. We’re getting divorced. Where he stays is none of my concern.”

“But ma’am, you’re still Mrs. Miller. If you don’t do something, your mother-in-law will be upset with you!” Leah’s words seemed intended to push Joelle to confront Rebecca. However, Joelle remained resolute. “Once the divorce is finalized, I won’t be.”

After dinner, Leah urged Joelle to take a rest while she cleaned up. Joelle declined. Leah was employed by the Miller family, not her, and Joelle felt uncomfortable being served by her. She took it upon herself to clean the kitchen. After that, they both retired to their respective rooms.

Leah sighed deeply. “Mr. Miller is such a fool! He doesn’t know how to cherish you.” Joelle lay awake, unable to sleep. Leah’s words resonated with her. She knew she couldn’t delay the divorce any longer. With that, she picked up her phone to call Adrian but hesitated. Why was it always her who had to initiate the call? Why?

Joelle’s frustration simmered. She was always the one reaching out to Adrian and anxiously waiting for him to respond. It had been this way since the beginning of their marriage. And now, even as they were on the brink of divorce, nothing had changed.

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