When She Ended It With Divorce (Chiara and Titus) novel Chapter 41

**Silent Roads Remember by Sawyer**
**Chapter 41**

A shadow crossed Titus’s features, darkening his expression. “What do you mean by that?” he asked, his voice low and edged with confusion.

Chiara’s brow furrowed, irritation flaring in her eyes. “Can you just leave me alone?” she shot back, her tone sharp.

“Leave you alone?” Titus echoed, disbelief lacing his words.

As he tightened his grip around her wrist, an icy chuckle slipped from his lips, a sound that sent a chill through the air. “You were always wishing for my return, and now that I’m finally here, you want me to just vanish?”

Caught off guard, Chiara’s gaze lingered on his face, searching for something—understanding, perhaps?

Gradually, she noticed how her unwavering stare seemed to chip away at the anger that had taken root in Titus’s chest.

“So you always knew I wanted you to spend more time at home, didn’t you?” Chiara probed, her voice softer now, almost contemplative.

Titus’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at her words, a flicker of realization crossing his features.

“But it never really mattered to you, did it?” Chiara pressed, her tone growing more insistent.

“I…” Titus began, a struggle evident on his face as he wrestled with his thoughts, but the words failed to form.

Then, unexpectedly, Chiara offered him a faint, almost sad smile. The sight of it left Titus momentarily speechless, his mind racing as he tried to decipher the message behind her expression.

With a gentle motion, Chiara freed her wrist from his grasp. “I won’t deny it. We’re married, which means you should be the one closest to me after my family. But that’s not how it feels anymore.”

“You can keep staying out late or not coming home. Honestly, I don’t care. I never did before, and I certainly won’t now.”

She concluded her thoughts with a sense of finality, her indifference evident as she turned and made her way upstairs, leaving Titus in a whirlwind of emotions.

Titus stood there, watching her retreating figure with a growing sense of darkness clouding his thoughts. His lips pressed together tightly, and he clenched his jaw, feeling the weight of her words settle heavily on his chest.

Once Chiara was out of view, he let out a frustrated click of his tongue, the sound echoing in the silence of the room.

In her room, Chiara took a moment to collect her thoughts, feeling the tension in her body ease slightly as she changed into her pajamas. Having already washed up at the Murphy residence, she felt ready for bed, yet her mind was far from calm.

About ten minutes later, Titus finally entered the room. Chiara felt a brief surge of tension ripple through her, only to let it dissipate as she focused on the data in her hands, trying to ignore his presence.

Titus shot her a sidelong glance before heading straight for the bathroom, the door clicking shut behind him.

As the sound of running water filled the air, Chiara felt an unsettling knot form in her stomach. She switched off her tablet and dimmed the overhead lights, leaving only the soft glow of the bedside lamp before curling up in bed, preparing for sleep.

When Titus emerged from the bathroom and noticed Chiara already lying down, he hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by the distance she maintained. He grabbed his phone and a pack of cigarettes, slipping quietly out to the balcony.

“I’m not feeling so great today,” Chiara confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

At first, Titus brushed it off. “Just relax, okay?” he replied, his tone casual, not fully registering the weight of her words.

Chiara slowly opened her eyes, but her gaze remained unfocused, drifting into nothingness as she lay there, empty and still.

Titus’s brow furrowed as he looked at her. “What’s wrong?” he asked, concern creeping into his voice.

Chiara turned her head away from him, a barrier forming between them. “Nothing,” she replied, her voice flat.

Titus stood at the foot of the bed, his expression somber as he inquired, “Need some ointment or something?”

Chiara paused, contemplating, then simply lay back down. “No, it’ll be fine in a couple of days. I just want to rest.”

Seeing her distant demeanor, Titus chose not to push further. Instead, he moved to the other side of the bed, lying down and instinctively reaching out to pull her back into his embrace.

“Don’t move. Just focus on falling asleep,” he instructed softly, trying to bridge the emotional chasm that had formed between them.

Chiara kept her eyes open, staring blankly at a random spot in the darkness, her mind racing through a myriad of thoughts. It felt like an eternity before exhaustion finally claimed her, and she surrendered to the darkness, allowing her eyes to close.