When She Ended It With Divorce (Chiara and Titus) novel Chapter 68

**TITLE: Silent Roads Remember by Sawyer**

**Chapter 68**

Chiara lingered in the bathroom, taking her sweet time as she gathered her thoughts. When she finally emerged, the sight that greeted her was Titus, who sat on the couch, his gaze fixed on a point in the distance. He was staring blankly at the wall where their wedding photo had once proudly hung, a symbol of their love now reduced to a painful memory. The day she had torn it down in a fit of rage played vividly in her mind, the anger still simmering beneath the surface. She knew he must have noticed its absence, yet he chose to remain silent about it, a decision that weighed heavily in the room.

“All done?” Titus’s voice broke the silence, a casual inquiry that felt anything but light.

Chiara nodded, her movements slow and deliberate as she shuffled toward the bed. “Yeah,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

A half-smile flickered across Titus’s face. “I thought you were planning to crash in there all night,” he teased lightly, though the undertone of concern was unmistakable.

Chiara pressed her lips together, choosing not to respond. Instead, she flipped back the covers and slipped into bed, the cool sheets contrasting sharply with the warmth of her skin.

Titus raised an eyebrow, a glimmer of amusement dancing in his eyes. ‘Looks like she’s finally realized there’s no escape and decided to play nice,’ he thought to himself, a mix of relief and frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

Determined to bridge the gap between them, he stood up, peeled off his shirt, and strode purposefully toward the bathroom, his mind set on making the most of the moment.

As the sound of rushing water filled the air, Chiara seized the opportunity to grab her phone. Her heart raced as she quickly typed a message to Lindsay, seeking a connection outside of the tension that enveloped her. After hitting send, she tucked her phone beneath her pillow and closed her eyes, hoping to find solace in sleep.

When Titus finally emerged from the bathroom, Chiara felt a flutter in her eyelids, a sign that she was still aware of her surroundings despite her attempts to appear asleep.

Just as she sensed his footsteps approaching the bed, a series of knocks echoed through the room. Titus glanced toward Chiara before calling out in a low voice, “Come in.”

Lindsay poked her head through the door, a steaming bowl cradled in her hands. “Mr. Goodman, is Mrs. Goodman asleep?” she asked, her voice gentle yet curious.

Titus looked back at Chiara, uncertainty creeping into his thoughts. ‘Is she really asleep?’ he pondered, the tension in the room palpable.

Chiara blinked her eyes open, her voice soft as she replied, “I’m not asleep yet, Lindsay.”

“Mrs. Goodman, I’ve made you some ginger soup. Would you like to have a bowl before bed?” Lindsay offered, her tone filled with warmth and concern.

Chiara sat up against the headboard, a sense of gratitude washing over her as she nodded. “Sure.”

Lindsay carefully placed the bowl beside her, her motherly instincts kicking in. “Make sure to keep warm these days, alright?” she reminded her, her eyes filled with genuine care.

As Chiara picked up the bowl, she stirred the steaming soup slowly, blowing gently on it to cool it down. “Sure. Thank you, Lindsay,” she murmured, her heart warmed by the gesture.

“You know,” Lindsay continued, her voice lightening the atmosphere, “back home, there’s this folk doctor with all sorts of remedies for period cramps. Want me to ask him to come take a look at you?”

Chiara shook her head, a faint smile breaking through her earlier tension. “No need, Lindsay. I’m used to it. I’ll survive.”

“Alright then, I’ll leave you two to get some rest,” Lindsay said, her voice fading as she stepped back toward the door.

“Goodnight, Lindsay,” Chiara called softly, her heart feeling a little lighter.

“Goodnight,” Lindsay replied, her voice echoing in the quiet room.

Titus lingered by the window, his gaze fixed on Chiara as she cradled the warm bowl of soup. “Are you on your period?” he asked, his tone casual but his eyes betraying a deeper concern.

Chiara kept her head down, avoiding his penetrating gaze. Lying was not something she did easily, and not wanting to slip up, she took a cautious sip of the soup before mumbling, “Yeah, just found out.”

Titus studied her in silence, his expression sharpening as he finally spoke again. “Didn’t you even bother to get ready for this?”

Chiara took another sip, her voice barely audible. “No, it’s never really on schedule.”

His brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of frustration crossing his features. He clicked his tongue, the sound casual but the atmosphere charged with unspoken tension.

Chiara felt the weight of his disappointment pressing down on her. She kept her head lowered, focusing on the soup as she sipped, each spoonful a small comfort amidst the growing unease.

Titus’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he grabbed his cigarettes and lighter from the coffee table, stepping out onto the balcony for a moment of solitude.

As she watched his tall figure retreat, Chiara let out a quiet sigh of relief. She continued to sip her soup until the bowl was empty, feeling a slight sheen of sweat break out on her skin, her cheeks flushed with warmth.

Titus remained silent, his mind racing. Lindsay shot him a quick glance before heading into the kitchen.

It struck her as odd that in all three years of their marriage, Titus had never once caught Chiara during her period. Tonight was the first time.

When Lindsay reemerged from the kitchen, she found Titus still standing there, lost in thought. Unable to resist, she asked, “Mr. Goodman, aren’t you going to bed yet?”

At that moment, another maid approached. “Lindsay, the painkillers are on the coffee table.”

“Alright, you can go and sleep now,” Lindsay replied, her eyes darting between the two.

The maid nodded and bid them both goodnight.

Titus’s brow furrowed. “Painkillers?”

Lindsay nodded, her expression serious. “Yeah, I set them out for Chiara. She’ll probably need some tomorrow.”

Titus’s concern deepened. “You’ve never taken her to see a doctor for this?”

“No,” Lindsay replied, her tone steady. “She said she had a checkup ages ago, and the doctors didn’t find anything wrong. A lot of women experience cramps—some barely feel them, while for others, it’s quite rough. Mrs. Goodman is definitely in the second group; she always has to take painkillers for a couple of days every time.” She noticed the look on his face—not happy, that was for sure.

Inwardly, she thought, ‘Seriously? You don’t even know your own wife’s situation, and you’re asking me?’

“I asked the doctor about it,” Lindsay continued, her voice steady. “He said it’s fine to take a couple of pills if the pain gets bad, so Mrs. Goodman takes them on the second and third days. By the fourth day, the pain’s usually easing up, so she doesn’t need them anymore.”

She paused, her thoughts drifting. “I’ve heard acupuncture can help with cramps. Mrs. Goodman tried it but said it didn’t really do much for her. But there is this one method I’ve heard is crazy effective—I actually tried it myself once, and honestly, it really worked for me…”

Lindsay suddenly fell silent, noticing that Titus still hadn’t responded. Feeling a bit awkward, she added, “If you don’t need anything else, Mr. Goodman, I’ll head to my room.”

Finally, Titus glanced her way, curiosity piquing in his eyes. “So what’s this miracle method?”

Surprised but willing to share, Lindsay explained, “You know, once a woman has a baby, her period cramps usually just vanish. I was just like Mrs. Goodman when I was younger, but after I had kids, the pain was totally gone. Same thing happened with my sisters-in-law, too.”