Whispers of Destiny: His Belated Love novel Chapter 14

Maxwell agreeing to a divorce out of the blue really caught Rosemary off guard. But it was something she'd been dying for, right?

With a victorious grin, she said, "Thanks for giving me the green light, Mr. Templeton."

Then she spun on her heel and left that vibe-killing place behind.

Back home that evening, Rosemary tossed all the documents she'd need in the morning into her bag. But when she caught sight of their photo, she zoned out for a second.

This was their only pic together in three years of marriage. She stared at the expressionless dude in the photo, a pang of hurt starting to creep up on her.

At least it was finally curtains for this soul-sucking marriage. No more sitting in an echoey living room every night, eyeballing the clock on the wall, wondering if her hubby would come home, or getting all fluttery over his accidental touches, only to realize she'd been foolishly sentimental.

Rosemary took one last look at the photo, and then nonchalantly slid the certificate into her bag.

The next day, she was up at the crack of dawn, after a night of tossing and turning in a half-sleep daze.

Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, she faced her pale, haggard reflection, with two telltale dark circles under her eyes. To look a bit more alive, Rosemary dolled herself up with a heavier makeup job.

Fearing traffic, she left early, but the roads were clear, and she barely hit any red lights before reaching the place.

Checking the time, she was an hour early. It seemed even God thought their divorce was the right move, letting her breeze through rush hour to her destination.

In the peak of summer, the 8 a.m. sun was scorching. Rosemary found a shady spot to wait in. That was when she got a message from Yolanda, "Rosemary, need me to tag along?"

She cracked a smile and replied, "Nah, it's not like I'm heading to a brawl. I can handle a divorce solo."

No sooner had she sent the message than a call came in from the Templeton villa. Only Wendy would call from that number, and it had to be about Pearl.

Rosemary frowned, not really in the mood to answer. With the divorce just around the corner, she didn't want any last-minute curveballs.

As she hesitated, the call dropped. She breathed a sigh of relief, but then Wendy was on the line again.

Rosemary's frown deepened. A repeat call? Must be something urgent. A wave of anxiety hit her, and without overthinking, she answered, "Wendy, what's up?"

"Mrs. Rosemary Templeton, Mrs. Pearl Templeton just passed out while eating breakfast! Hurry over to the hospital; the doc needs a family member to sign off!" Wendy sounded close to tears.

Rosemary's face tensed up as she bolted to hail a cab, replying, "Got it. Keep cool; I'm on my way!"

Half an hour later, the car parked outside the hospital. She dashed into the emergency room, a familiar route by now.

Upon seeing her, Wendy rushed over, clutching Pearl's shawl, "Mrs. Pearl Templeton fell asleep in the tub last night, probably caught a chill, and that's what kicked off the fever."

Ever since Pearl had Maxwell, she'd been so delicate, getting sick at the drop of a hat, and always in a big, unexpected way. Even a fever could send her knocking on death's door.