For the two years we lived together in Seaview City, Nigel threw himself into his career. He swore he'd make something of himself, prove my parents wrong.
But no matter how late he worked, he never forgot that I was home waiting for him.
He'd pick up flowers on his way back. A small cake from the bakery down the street.
We cooked dinner together, side by side, and those were the best two years of my life.
Those two years were what made me certain I wanted to marry him.
"I'm telling you right now, if you marry that man, your father and I won't give you a single cent."
"Lorraine, we gave you a comfortable life so you could thrive, not so you could throw it all away and go backwards!"
"Use your head for once!"
The day I told my mother I wanted to marry Nigel, she jabbed her finger at my forehead and screamed until she was hoarse.
But in the end, they couldn't talk me out of it.
That year, Nigel's father got sick, and Nigel had been running back and forth between the two cities.
I felt sorry for him, so I decided to follow Nigel back to his hometown, a small city barely on the map.
"I know your parents have been pushing you to come home, and you've been holding out in Seaview City for my sake without telling me."
"I'm willing to go back with you, Nigel."
Just like that, we got our marriage license.
I was pregnant the same year. The baby came the next.
Life felt like someone had hit fast-forward, and somewhere along the way, the marriage started dying too.
Only now did it dawn on me.
If Nigel had truly kept his parents' pressure a secret, I never would have found out.
"Fine, what happened today was my fault. I apologize."
"Stop making a fuss. I'm really tired."
Nigel tossed out the apology like he was swatting a fly.
And I couldn't hear a shred of sincerity in it.
"Nigel, I'm not bringing up divorce because I'm throwing a tantrum."
"I genuinely want a divorce."
I said it again, clearly and firmly.
Nigel snapped.
"Lorraine, is something wrong with your head?"
"I work myself to the bone every single day for this family, and you want a divorce because you didn't get a seat at the dinner table?"
"Eight years together, and you're throwing it all away over one meal? Don't you think you're blowing this way out of proportion?"
His brows knotted tight, every word laced with something cruel.
"Have you worked a single day since college?"