When She Ended It With Divorce (Chiara and Titus) novel Chapter 72

**TITLE: Silent Roads Remember by Sawyer**
**Chapter 72**

Chiara had been enjoying a surprisingly calm and laid-back existence in recent days, free from the usual chaos that seemed to follow her like a shadow.

“Chiara, are you feeling a bit lonely without Mr. Goodman around on his business trip? I mean, why didn’t you just tag along? Poor Lena is left to fend for herself,” Queenie chimed in, her voice laced with playful curiosity.

Chiara halted mid-sip, the question hanging in the air, and caught the glimmer of intrigue in Queenie’s eyes. She took a moment to gather her thoughts before responding, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret.

“Queenie, it’s really not what you think between me and him,” Chiara replied, her tone soft and contemplative.

Queenie blinked in surprise, her brow furrowing. “Not what you think? What exactly do you mean by that?” she pressed, leaning in closer, eager for clarity.

Chiara shook her head, feeling a bit lost for words. How could she possibly articulate the complexities of her feelings?

In her mind, Chiara reflected, ‘Did I miss Titus? That’s a tough one.

There was a time when I would miss him intensely, staring at my phone each day, wrestling with the urge to call him. But the fear of interrupting his important work held me back.

He had told me before to reach out to Paul if I ever needed anything, which only made me retreat further. I would only contact Titus in emergencies, and even then, it felt like a chore.

“I don’t think about him much these days,” Chiara confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Queenie nearly choked on her rib, her mind racing. That simple admission opened a floodgate of potential narratives in her imagination.

“Wait, so you used to miss him, but now you don’t?” Queenie asked, her eyes wide with intrigue.

Chiara offered a faint smile and nodded, feeling a mix of relief and sadness wash over her.

The gossip queen within Queenie sprang to life. “Chiara, you have to spill! Just the quick version, I promise I won’t tell a soul!” she urged, practically bouncing in her seat.

Seeing the fire of curiosity burning in Queenie’s eyes, Chiara felt a twinge of willingness to share.

“Honestly, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. You probably remember that my parents passed away unexpectedly about three years ago,” Chiara began, her voice steady but tinged with nostalgia.

Queenie’s expression softened with sympathy. “That’s so tough. I’m really sorry,” she said, her tone sincere.

Chiara shook her head gently, a small gesture of acceptance. She had once struggled deeply with the weight of that loss, but now, after three years, she found herself confronting it with a newfound sense of peace.

“Back then, the Lynch Group was on the brink of collapse, and in a moment of desperation, I asked Titus to marry me. I think he agreed mainly for business reasons. We’ve been married for three years now, and honestly, there’s not much between us. I doubt we’ll last,” Chiara revealed, her words flowing out like a dam breaking.

With those few sentences, she laid bare the entirety of her relationship with Titus.

For Queenie, who had devoured countless romance novels, her mind began weaving an elaborate tapestry of dramatic scenarios.

“So you and Mr. Goodman are just in a marriage of convenience? No feelings at all?” Queenie exclaimed, her voice rising with disbelief.

Chiara nodded, her expression serious. “Yeah, that’s the truth. It’s not like what you might have imagined between us.”

Queenie couldn’t help but recall that night when Chiara was tipsy, and Titus had displayed an unmistakable jealous streak, not to mention the time he had pulled her into his office.

Clearing her throat, Queenie leaned in conspiratorially. “But do you think there’s a chance you two could develop feelings for each other if you spent enough time together?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Honestly, Queenie found it hard to believe that Titus was the type to be indifferent.

Chiara regarded her thoughtfully for a moment before shaking her head firmly. “Nope.”

Once, she had harbored the same hope; even if love hadn’t been there at the start, perhaps over time, their hearts would warm to one another.

However, as the days turned into weeks, no feelings blossomed; if anything, her heart felt increasingly cold.

“No way,” Queenie said, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Chiara noticed the shocked expression on Queenie’s face and, almost impulsively, asked, “You know Elaine, right?”

Queenie straightened up, nodding eagerly. “Of course, I do!”

Chiara managed a half-smile before probing further. “Then you probably know what I’m hinting at, don’t you?”

Queenie’s eyes widened in realization, and she swallowed hard. “I do know her, and I’ve met her a couple of times, but I don’t think Mr. Goodman and Ms. Jensen are like that, you know?” she replied, her voice uncertain.

Chiara simply smiled and shook her head slowly. “Not every guy-girl relationship means they’re hooking up.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Queenie asked, her confusion evident.

“Let’s just eat,” Chiara suggested, brushing the topic aside.

Queenie recognized that Chiara wasn’t keen on discussing it further, so she dropped the subject.

Chiara could sense something else; Queenie wasn’t particularly close to Elaine at all. It seemed Paul was the only one privy to the entire story.

Titus paused, his expression turning icy as he silently demanded to know how this had happened.

Paul could only offer a strained response. “Ms. Jensen insists on meeting you. She said if you won’t see her, she’ll just show up at the office. But with Ms. Lynch there, I honestly didn’t know what else to do.”

As Titus’s expression grew even colder, Paul braced himself, forcing the words out. “Honestly, maybe it’s best if you clear things up with Ms. Jensen this time, just to put an end to it.”

Titus rubbed his temples, trying to suppress his irritation. “Where is she?” he asked, his voice low.

“She’s right here,” Paul replied, his tone cautious.

Ten minutes later, Elaine finally entered the room to face Titus. The bruises on her face had nearly healed, but the emotional scars remained fresh.

“Why have you refused to see me?” Elaine demanded, her voice trembling with accusation and heartbreak.

Titus maintained his composure, his response cool and detached. “Elaine, I told you last time; I’m married.”

Elaine’s expression shifted dramatically, her eyes wide with disbelief. “So you’re really not going to divorce Chiara? Are you actually planning to spend your entire life with her?”

Titus remained silent, his gaze fixed on her, but he didn’t deny her assertion either.

Elaine’s face turned ashen in an instant. “You can’t, Titus. You just can’t. How could you do this to me?” she pleaded, her voice heavy with sorrow.

Titus held her gaze, his stare as frigid as ice, his silence a weighty presence that filled the room.

Elaine bit down hard on her lip, tears cascading down her cheeks. “What about me, Titus? What am I supposed to do?” she asked, her voice cracking.

With a flick of his lighter, Titus sparked a cigarette, his eyes drifting to his phone.

Not a single notification had come through since his plane had landed.

He vaguely recalled that when they first got married, Chiara would message him regularly, even though he never replied to any of her texts.

Elaine watched him, noticing how he fixated on his phone, but she had no clue about the storm brewing in his mind.

“I’m talking to you here,” Elaine insisted, her frustration rising.

Titus took a drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling around him like a ghost. His voice emerged, low and steady.

“I told you I’d take care of you, ensure your life runs smoothly. What more do you want from me?” he stated, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.