Gone With the Mist

Elias Marque was known for being the most handsome and wealthy man in the research institute. After countless efforts, I managed to win him over and claim him as mine. After being with him, I realized he was extremely scrupulous about order and would not tolerate anyone breaking the rules he established. One time, when I simply took a single sip of milk from his glass, he swept the glass into the trash. "That milk was mine. Why did you touch it?" Later, he explained to me that he had a strict compulsion for order and was prone to severe anxiety whenever it was disrupted. Though he insisted it was not personal, I was still deeply hurt for a long time. On our fifth wedding anniversary, I went to the institute to surprise Elias. To my horror, I saw a young woman bringing a half-finished latte to his lips. Instead of getting upset, all he did was let out an indulgent sigh while remarking, "You're still the same as before you went overseas. You should know I don't like sweet drinks." Despite what he said, he leaned in and took a sip. Meanwhile, I watched the entire thing play out while I was standing in the pouring rain. I could feel my blood turn cold. As it turned out, Elias could make exceptions. Instead of confronting him, I just tossed my ring into a puddle. Then, I opened my umbrella and walked away into the rain. I decided to walk away for good. Chapter 1 Upon getting home, I changed out of my wet clothes into a set of clean pajamas. The candlelight dinner I had prepared for our fifth anniversary had already gone cold on the table. At around ten o'clock, someone opened the door. A gust of wind swept into the house when my husband, Elias Marque, stepped inside. As usual, he hung his coat on the third hook mounted to the wall of the entrance before slipping into his gray slippers. When he swept a glance over the uneaten food on the table, he frowned. “Didn't I tell you I don’t like the house getting greasy after cooking?” I watched him quietly from the couch. “Today is our fifth anniversary. You told me you’d be coming home for dinner.“ I noticed the way he paused briefly while untying his tie. A trace of annoyance flickered in his eyes. “Sorry, an important project came up today, so I forgot.” “An important project?” “Yeah. Don’t be upset.” He candidly undid his cufflinks before brushing me off in a perfunctory manner. “I’ll make it up to you. We can go to a nice restaurant next time.” Next time. It was always next time. My request for an international transfer had been authorized by the HQ. There was not going to be a “next time.” Elias approached the table to pour himself some water. Moments before touching the cup, he stopped. He noticed that the cup handle wasn’t positioned at exactly a forty-five-degree angle, pointing southeast as his rules required. He immediately became angry. “Alyssa, did you touch my cup?” Rather than explaining, I looked at a long strand of hair clinging to the collar of his shirt. “Jade Leigh came back to the country.” I presented it as a simple fact rather than a question. Elias froze. He turned to me as a startled and confused look appeared in his eyes. “How did you know?” I fixed a look at him. My mind wouldn't stop replaying the image of him leaning in as Jade gave him a sip of her latte while I stood under the pouring rain. “How was the latte she gave you? Was it sweet?” “Were you following me?” “I just happened to see you.” His frown tightened. His irritation and confusion were clear as day. “Jade just came back and bought the wrong drink. “I only helped her finish it because it would be a waste to throw it away. Quit being dramatic.” I smiled dryly while a sick, gross feeling came over me. “Last year, when I was running a fever of 103°F, I tried to take a sip of water from your cup because my throat was dry. “You smashed the cup right in front of me and shouted at me to scram.” Elias’ expression twisted slightly. However, there was no hint of guilt. “Alyssa, this isn’t the time to bring up something from the past. “You should know that I have severe OCD about things like that. You’re my wife, you should’ve gotten used to it over the last five years! “Jade spent five years overseas and just got back. There was no way she could’ve known. “As her senior at work, it’s my responsibility to look after her.” When I looked at the way he explained so self-righteously, I couldn’t help but find the situation absurd. “You sure are selective about this so-called OCD of yours, aren’t you?” His face turned white. “I told you I didn’t even think much of it. Quit being pedantic about it. “Haven’t I already explained the situation? Why are you being so weird about it?” Weird, he said. I closed my eyes as my stomach cramped and spasmed several times. For five years, I had forced myself to abide by Elias’ rules. I had to give up on my dream of being a documentary director for his sake. All I got in return for my sacrifice was to be called dramatic, pedantic, and weird. Then, his phone rang. He answered immediately. “Yeah, sure. I’ll edit the report for you. “No need to rush, take your time. I’m here for you.” He spoke in a low, gentle manner. I had never seen his eyes look so gentle before. After the call, he turned back to me. “There’s going to be a party to welcome Jade to the institute. Come with me.” I was just about to refuse when Elias sighed exasperatedly. “Spouses are expected to be present. Even if you want to throw a tantrum, can you at least wait until after the party?” “Fine.” With that, his frown finally eased. “Alright, go ahead and get some rest.” With that, he walked into his study and shut the door behind him, feeling satisfied. As soon as the door shut, I cut off the final thread of longing I had for him. I immediately reached for my phone. There was a new message from the HQ that read: [Director Alyssa, we have sorted out your paperwork. Please report to us after three days.] I replied promptly: [Understood. I’ll be there on time.] Chapter 2 The welcome party hosted by the research institute was held at the city's largest hotel. Elias sent me the location and instructed me to arrive punctually. When my best friend, Gabrielle Carlsen, found out about what happened, she insisted on tagging along at the expense of cancelling one of her meetings. “Alyssa, you’re a softie! If I don’t go with you, they’re going to eat you alive!” Since I knew I could not possibly dissuade her, I let her come along. The atmosphere was very lively when we arrived. Elias was seated at the head of the table and was exchanging hushed whispers with Jade. “Elias, look at the statistics! These fluctuating lines are shaped like that kitten we used to feed back when we were in school!” Elias’ expression was soft as he chuckled. “You have such a quirky imagination.” “Oh, come on. It looks just like it, doesn’t it?” “It does.” In the five years we’d been together, I had never seen him smiling so genuinely. Turned out he did have an animated side to him after all. “Your wife is here!” Jade was the first to get up. She greeted me with a beaming smile. “You're so punctual! If it wasn’t for Elias coming to pick me up, I would’ve been late.” I smiled and made no reply. Meanwhile, Gabrielle’s face darkened. Just when it looked like she was about to start something, I held her wrist firmly to stop her. Then, I led her to a seat near the door. Jade did not seem perturbed by my ignoring her. She proceeded to take a sip from a thermos that looked oddly familiar. “Elias says I have a sensitive stomach. I can’t drink the water here, so he insisted I drink from his thermos instead. “Alyssa, you don’t mind, do you? I’m sure you’re open-minded.” I noticed a hint of what seemed like a taunt in her eyes before the same innocent smile came over her again. Gabrielle could not take it anymore and spoke up, “Say, Elias, aren’t you very touchy about your belongings? “I’m surprised you let Jade touch your thermos when you wouldn’t let Alyssa touch it. “What happened to your rules?” A stiff silence fell over the room. All of the colleagues exchanged awkward glances. It was hard to ignore how awkward the mood had become. Elias’ expression darkened instantly. His first instinct was to step forward to defend Jade. He even put a hand over her stiffened shoulders. Then, he turned toward me with a sharp frown. “Alyssa, if you want to bring someone without telling me, fine. “But shouldn’t you at least make sure your friend has some basic sense of decency? “Besides, Jade is an exception. She just returned from overseas and needs some time to adjust.” Gabrielle let out a laugh from sheer disbelief. “Decency? You sure are a hypocrite! Who are you to lecture me about decency?!” Jade’s eyes had reddened by this point. She clutched the hem of Elias’ shirt like a frightened creature. “Please don’t be angry at Elias, it was my fault. Let me wash this.” Elias continued to defend her as if she was the dearest thing in the world. Just as he was about to say something, the waiter arrived with a plate of bone-in steak. The other colleagues tried to clear the awkwardness. “Alright everyone, let’s eat before the food gets cold! The rest can wait!” Elias gave me a look before leading Jade back to her seat. Based on the look in his eyes, I could see he still had something to say. I silently observed their interaction throughout the meal. Elias had always been very particular about his cutlery and personal space when eating. For the past five years, I had to keep away from him when he was eating. He did not want any obstruction in a half-meter radius around him. The moment anyone dared to touch his plate at all, he would erupt with rage. However, Jade was now allowed to sit beside him. When she complained that the steak was too hard to cut, Elias took her plate without a word. He hardly frowned when he cut into the steak with his own fork and knife. Then, after he had cut it into uniform pieces, he slid the plate back to her. Gabrielle was shaking with rage. It looked like she was going to flip the table then and there. I had to stop her by holding her hands down. I thought I was over Elias. When I watched the way he willingly forsook all the tyrannical rules he had established over the years for Jade, I couldn’t help but feel like a clown. At one point, I got up to go to the restroom. I had just turned on the tap when Jade entered the restroom as well. She closed the door behind her, then went up to the mirror to reapply her lipstick. When she spoke, her voice no longer had the soft cadence, but was sharp and audacious. “Did you see that, Alyssa? “The rules Elias set were meant for outsiders. When it comes to someone he loves, he has no need for them.” Jade’s face was filled with scorn when she turned to me. “He never cared for you. “If you knew any better, you would leave him.” I calmly washed my hands, then reached for a piece of tissue to dry them. I didn’t react dramatically as she’d hoped. There was hardly any change in my demeanor. “If you want him so badly, you can have him.” Chapter 3 On Monday, the production team informed me that the final evaluation for the documentary was scheduled for Wednesday. The review panel required all the referenced research material to be signed by the research institute to attest to its legitimacy. The person in charge was none other than Elias. I rarely, if ever, asked him for any favors. Over the past five years, I knew better than to disrupt his routine. This time, I knew I had to ask him. After taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door of his study. “Elias, I need your signature for some documents. They need to be signed by two o'clock tomorrow. “All the data is inside this flash drive. Could you sign it once you verify the data?” Elias continued flipping through an academic paper without bothering to look up at me. “Is this about that documentary of yours? “You're still working on it?” At last, he looked up at me. There was nothing but scorn in his eyes. “Alyssa, you need to be a professional to film a proper documentary. “Nobody is going to give an amateur like you, who barely knows anything about this field, the time of day!” I dug my fingernails into my palms. “You just need to verify the data, then sign it.” Upon noting my persistence, Elias frowned again impatiently. He gestured dismissively at the edge of the table. “Leave it there. I'll take a look at them tonight and sign them if everything looks good.” “Thanks.” With that, I placed the flash drive and the approval form on the desk, then I left the study. At twelve-thirty the following day, Elias still hadn't signed the documents. Just as I was about to head into the study to remind him, his phone suddenly rang. When he answered, the first thing he heard was Jade sobbing and whimpering. “Elias… There’s a mistake in my thesis, and my supervisor is threatening to cancel my research…” His expression shifted dramatically as he shot up from his seat, reached for his car keys, then stormed out of the room. I immediately cut off his path. “Elias, you haven't signed my document yet! It's almost one o'clock, and the deadline is in an hour!” He flung my hand out of the way and retorted irritably, “Jade’s research is going to get cancelled! This is her PhD we’re talking about! “It’s just a documentary, it can wait another day!” I glared at him, then insisted, “It cannot wait another day. “It has to be approved today. We’re talking about three years of my effort down the drain if it’s not signed.” Elias hesitated for half a second. In the end, he still sidestepped me and walked past me without a shred of sympathy. “Alyssa, don’t try to emotionally blackmail me with your amateur work. “Jade’s future is ten thousand times more important than your little project!” He slammed his shoulder against me. It was such a strong blow that I stumbled backward and slammed into a shoe cabinet, which made the pain worse. He barely looked back when he slammed the door shut. It was one-forty by then. I clenched my teeth through the pain and rushed into the study. I wanted to look for the approval form so I could have it signed at the administrative office myself. When I opened the folder, I froze. The approval form was untouched. Instead, there were countless sheets of paper detailing the project outline he had prepared for Jade. I went through a couple more pages. Revised drafts of Jade’s thesis, data verification, the outline for her presentation... His handwriting was all over the papers. Meanwhile, my approval form was completely untouched. The signature section was blank—just like what the last five years of my efforts turned out to be. A blank slate. I closed the folder without shedding a single tear. One fifty-two. I called the administrative office of the research institute. “The designated official is unable to sign my document at the moment. May I request another researcher of the same seniority to sign the approval form instead?” The person on the other end hesitated for a moment before answering, “Yes, we can do that.” I dialed a number that I haven’t contacted in five whole years. It was the number of Lucas Carlsen, who was Gabrielle’s husband. He was the head researcher of the national research center and a direct superior of Elias. Three minutes later, a document bearing his signature was emailed to the administrative office. The approval was successfully granted only two minutes before the deadline. I sat on the floor and slumped against the bookshelf. My body ached from the impact earlier, but I was smiling. Soon, I received a call from Gabrielle. “Hey Alyssa, my husband told me you asked for his help to sign a document? “Where was Elias? Why didn’t he sign it for you?” My voice was eerily calm when I answered. “He’s helping Jade with her PhD.” Gabrielle was furious. Her voice was shaking when she screamed. “What’s his problem? Couldn't he spare two minutes just to sign a document for you? “You had to deal with his ridiculous rules for five whole years, and he couldn’t do something so simple for you?! And he just left you there?! “Alyssa, why are you still pinning your hopes on him? How much longer are you going to put up with this?” I steadied myself against the bookshelf and slowly pulled myself to my feet, then answered, “No more.” I tore the blank approval form to shreds before tossing it into the trash. “The documentary was approved. “Gabrielle, could you contact a moving company for me?” I took off my wedding band and tossed it onto the coffee table. “I’m done dealing with his rules.” After I hung up, I returned to the bedroom and grabbed my luggage from the wardrobe. Chapter 4 The moving crew was very efficient. They managed to empty out the house where I’d lived for five years within an hour. I had pitifully few belongings. Everything fit into two pieces of luggage. There were clothes, books, and an old laptop I had used for years. I walked into the study one last time. The safe on the top row of the shelf contained a glass display case with built-in humidity control. It contained a specimen of the Helena morpho, a rare butterfly with blue wings that glittered with an ethereal appearance. It was the first and the only gift Elias had ever given me. It dated back to the time when I was just starting to court him. He told me it was the representation of perfect symmetry and color in nature. I took the display case out of the safe, and set it on the coffee table in the living room. The wedding ring I had tossed away last time could no longer be recovered. I neatly placed the display case containing the butterfly specimen next to the wedding band on the table. The mover carried the last box downstairs. “Miss Bourne, would you like to check if you missed anything?” “All good, thank you.” Meanwhile, Gabrielle was waiting for me downstairs with tears in her eyes. “Alyssa, are you sure about this?” I nodded expressionlessly. “Let's go.” I stepped into the car. Just as we drove out of the area, I received a phone call from Elias. I answered, but did not speak. After a long, uncomfortable silence, he finally spoke. I could feel the seething rage suppressed underneath his voice. “Alyssa, if you’re done with your childish tantrum, you better come back. “Don't make me have to drag you back myself.” I was about to hang up when the mover called. I put Elias’ call on hold to answer the mover, then I put the mover’s call on speaker. “Hello, Miss Bourne, sorry to bother you again. “You left so quickly that we didn’t have time to ask you about something we found on the coffee table when we were cleaning out the place. “It’s a display case with a blue butterfly inside. There’s also a ring next to it. “Do you still want them? They don’t look very valuable. “If you don’t want them, shall we throw them into the trash for you?” I could hear Elias drawing a sharp breath. I could imagine the alarmed look in his eyes. I answered the mover in a composed, stoic voice. “I don’t want it, you can go ahead and throw it. “It’s just some useless old thing anyway.” “Alyssa!” For the first time, I could hear panic in Elias’ voice. “That was our…” “Elias.” I gently cut him off. “Let’s get divorced.” With that, I hung up on him. Gabrielle glanced at me and looked as if she wanted to say something, but ended up hesitating and staying silent. I rolled down the window to feel the evening breeze rushing into the car. All the heavy feelings dispersed with the wind. “Gabrielle, could you drive faster? “I want to get out of here.” I had barely finished my sentence when she suddenly cried out. “Oh my God!” In the rearview mirror, we could see a black Bentley barreling toward us.