Where Did You Get the Money? I Thought You’d Be Lost Without Me… 😒🤷 Oksana Didn’t Even Recognise Him at First—Just a Slouched, Restless Figure on the Front Garden Bench She Only Saw His Face When She Stepped Out of the Car, Adjusted Her Coat, and Picked Up an Enormous Bouquet of Roses — Kostya? — Her Voice Was Colder Than an English November Her Ex-Husband Rose and, Without Hiding His Irritation, Demanded: — I Need the Documents. Where Have You Been? I’ve Been Waiting an Hour! Oksana Glanced Lazily at Her Roses, Then at Him: — I Told You on the Phone I Wasn’t Home. You Chose to Sit Out in the Cold — Who Are the Flowers From? — Kostya Sneered — None of Your Business Oksana Swept Past Him Without Inviting Him In, Her Calmness Making Him Even More Agitated — I’ll Come In Anyway. I Need My Documents — Only for Your Papers, — She Cut Him Off Once Inside, Kostya Stopped Dead—Her Flat Was Radiant: Designer Furniture, Fresh Curtains, Warm Soft Light — What Is This Place? — He Demanded, Almost Threatening. — Where Did You Get the Money? — Did You Get Your Documents? — Oksana Asked Quietly — Don’t Avoid the Question. I Want to Know Who Pays for All This! — It’s Not Your Concern—And It’s Not Mine Anymore She Literally Pushed Him Out the Door. Kostya Blinked, Stunned, As If He’d Been Winded When the Door Slammed Behind Him, He Hissed: — Who’d Want You Now… At Your Age… But Deep Down He Felt a Flicker of Fear He’d Never Admit—She Suddenly Interested Him All Over Again Oksana Remembered the Day Her Life Fell Apart—And Freed Her She’d Come Home Early—Felt Faint, Dizzy. As She Opened the Door, She Heard Laughter—A Man’s, and a Young Woman’s. From the Bedroom Her Heart Hammered as She Listened— — Kristina, Stop… She Could Come Back, — A Muffled Man’s Voice And Then—Moans Oksana Pushed Open the Door. There In Front of Her Was Her Husband, Barely Stirring From His Young Third-Year Lover — Well, There You Go, Oksana, Now You Know Everything — He Smirked — If You Want, File for Divorce. I’m Fine With It — Mr Pavlov, We… — The Student Stammered — Quiet. It’s Fine, — He Snapped Then He Turned to His Wife and Said: — You Knew For Ages Things Between Us Were… Well, Whatever. Let’s Do This Civilised Oksana Didn’t Argue. She Just Began Throwing His Clothes Onto The Floor, Said One Word: — Get Out He Acted Like He’d Won — You’ll Fall Apart Without Me! — I’ll Take Our Daughter! — I’ll Tell Everyone You Cheated! Now, Three Months Later, He Was At Her Door With Another Bouquet and Eyes Like a Lost Dog — Oksana, Have You Heard What He’s Saying About You? — Her Best Friend Olesya Was Indignant — I’ve Heard, — Oksana Smiled, Pouring Tea — He Says You Cheated! That He Left You Because You’re a Loose Drunk! Oksana Laughed So Sincerely Her Friend Fell Silent — Let Him Say What He Wants. People Who Know Me Won’t Believe It. The Rest Don’t Matter — But He’s Bad-Mouthing You Everywhere! At Work, To Friends… — Olesya, — She Met Her Friend’s Eyes, — It Doesn’t Hurt Me Anymore. He’s My Past. I’m Finally Living Well — You’ve Changed. You Look Younger… Happier… Like You’re Breathing Again — Know Why? — Oksana Grinned — Because No-One’s Here Telling Me Every Day I’m Useless Kostya Sat At a Mate’s Kitchen Table, Dunking His Teabag — Flowers From Some Lad! — He Complained — And She’s Renovated. And Going on Dates! — But You’re Divorced, — Shrugged His Mate — That’s Not the Point! — Kostya Barked — She’s… Well… My Ex-Wife. What Does That Look Like? — Like a Woman Living Her Own Life — But She Never… She Couldn’t… — He Fell Silent His Friend Smiled Slightly: — So You Thought She’d Be Lost Without You? Kostya Slammed His Palm on the Table — She Should Have Stayed Alone! She’s Got a Kid, Her Age… Who’d Want Her?! — Apparently Someone Does, — Smirked His Friend Kostya Felt His World Collapse. He Thought of Kristina—Beautiful But Useless. Fun for a Bit, But to Live With? She Couldn’t Even Fry an Egg But Oksana Had Been Dependable. Homely. Quiet. Really, She’d Truly Loved Him. He Just Never Valued It Next Day Kostya Turned Up At Her Door Again—In a Clean Shirt, Hair Gelled, Bouquet in Hand Like He Was Off to a First Date He Rang Oksana Opened Calm, Collected, Confident — What Do You Want? — These Are For You, — He Offered the Bouquet — Take Them. I’m Allergic To Drama — I Came To… Well… Make Up — With Whom? — You! — But We’re Divorced — So What? We Could Start Over She Laughed, Not Bitter Any More, Almost Kindly — Konstantin, You Threw Me Out Three Months Ago, Shouted I Was Worthless — Well… — He Swallowed — I Overreacted — You Cheated For Years — That Wasn’t Serious — You Undermined Me — I Was Wrong — Said My Daughter and I’d Fall Apart — Well, Then I… — Kostya. Are You Saying You Understand Now? — Yeah He Moved Closer, Trying To Look Sincere — Let’s Try Again. I’ll Be Different. Honestly — No, Kostya, You Don’t Understand. I’m The One Who’s Different He Wanted To Argue, But a Man’s Voice Came From the Next Room: — Oksana, Who’s At the Door? Kostya Froze A Tall, Broad-Shouldered Man in a Dressing Gown Appeared — Problem? — He Asked, Calmly Looking At Kostya — Who… Is That? — The Ex Whispered — My Man, — Oksana Said Quietly. — And You… Are History Kostya Felt Everything Slip Away. The Bouquet Dropped—The Roses Like Severed Heads — Going On Your Own? — The Man Asked — Or Should I Help? Kostya Backed Off Instinctively — And Take Your Twigs With You! — Oksana Called As He Fled Down the Stairs He Didn’t Stop Outside He Sat On The Same Bench, Crumpled Rose Stems In Hand “How Could She?..” He Wondered But the Truth Was He’d Destroyed Everything Himself He’d Brought Her to Tears, Despair—and Finally a Decision That Changed Her Life for the Better He Thought About the Names He’d Used For Her: — Dead Weight — Drama Queen — Worthless — Hideous Woman — The Woman No-One Would Go For Now Beside Her Was a Man Who Looked at Her the Way He Never Had “How Sad…” He Whispered But Regret Came Far Too Late Oksana Stood at Her Window, Watching Him Go. No Anger, No Gloating—Just a Touch of Sadness — So Many Years Wasted, — She Whispered But As She Closed the Window, She Smiled Because For the First Time in Years, She Felt Free, Desired, and Truly Alive…..🙏😌💞👩

Where did you get the money from? I thought you wouldnt last a week without me

Emma doesnt immediately realise its him. At first, she only glimpses a hunched figure on the bench near her flats entrancea restless, irritable silhouette, as grey as a raincloud. But when the taxi shes taking home rolls gently up to her building, the figure jumps up and starts waving his hand, as if trying to shoo away flies.

She steps out, adjusts her coat, gathers the enormous bouquet of roses in her arms, and only then does she recognise his face.

Daniel? Her voice is chillier than a November morning.

Her ex-husband stands up, visibly uncomfortable, and says, I need my paperwork. Where have you been? Ive been waiting for an hour!

Emma glances indifferently at her flowers, then back at him. I told you on the phone I wouldnt be in. If you decided to sit out here in the cold, thats on you.

Who gave you the flowers? Daniel grimaces as though the roses offend him.

None of your business.

Emma glides past him, not even offering him in. Her calmness makes his irritation worse, and he snaps, Im coming in anyway. I need those documents.

Fine. But just for your paperwork, she replies, curt.

They head upstairs, and Daniel abruptly freezes on the threshold. The flat gleamsstylish furniture, new curtains, a glow of warm, welcoming light.

Whats all this then? How can you afford it? he asks in a tone thats almost threatening.

Have you got your paperwork? Emma asks blandly.

Dont dodge the question. I want to know whos paying for all this!

Its none of your concern anymore. And even less yours.

She practically pushes him back out the door. Daniel blinks in confusion, like someone has just knocked the wind out of him.

When the door slams shut, he hisses, Whod want you at your age

But underneath it all, a strange feeling creeps ina curiosity about her, one he tries not to admit.

Emma recalls the day her world fell apartand at the same time, set her free. Shed come home for lunch, feeling faint. She unlocks the door and hears laughtermale and then a womans, light and ringing.

She moves towards the bedroom, her heart pounding as though its been tossed into a tumble dryer.

Christina, stop she might come back, she hears Daniels muffled voice. Just make it quick

Thenmoans.

Emma opens the door. Standing before her is a young woman, barely dressed, and Daniel, who doesnt even try to cover up.

Well, there you go, Emma Williams. Now you know the truth, he smirks. If you want a divorce, I wont stand in your way.

Mr. Miller we mumbles the student, nervously.

Quiet. Itll be fine, he snaps.

Turning to his wife, he says, Youve known for ages that things between us well, arent great. Lets be civil.

Emma says nothing. She simply walks to the wardrobe, starts dragging his things out and tossing them on the floor.

Get out.

Back then, he acted like hed won. Youll be lost without me! Ill get custody of our daughter! Ill tell everyone you cheated on me!

Now, three months later, he stands at her door with a big bouquet and the eyes of a battered dog.

Emma, have you heard what hes saying about you? fumes her best friend Charlotte.

Ive heard, Emma smiles, pouring herself a cup of tea.

Hes telling everyone you cheated! That he left you because youre a drunken tart!

Emma laughs so genuinely that Charlotte is stunned into silence.

Let him say what he wants. The people who truly know me will never believe it. The rest dont matter.

But hes badmouthing you everywhere! At work, to mutual friends

Charlotte, she says, looking her friend in the eye, it doesnt bother me anymore. Hes the past. Im finally living my life.

Youve changed, Charlotte sighs. You look younger, brighter its like youre breathing again.

Do you know why? Emma grins. Because hes no longer here reminding me every day that Im worthless.

Daniel sits at his mates kitchen table, dunking a tea bag into his mug, his nerves fraying.

Some tosser gave her flowers! he complains.

And shes done up the place. Going on dates, too!

Whats it to you? Youre divorced, mate, shrugs his friend.

Thats not the point! Daniel snaps. Shes still my ex-wife. How does it look?

Like a woman living her own life.

Shes never been like that she couldnt survive without me his voice trails off.

His friend smirks, So, you thought shed fall apart without you?

Daniel slaps the table in frustration. She should be alone! Shes got a kid, shes who could want her?!

Apparently someone does, his friend shrugs.

Daniel feels his world crashing down. He thinks of Christinafun for a few months, but useless otherwise. She couldnt even cook scrambled eggs.

Emma was always reliable. Homely. Quiet. And, deep down, he realises shes the only person who ever truly loved him.

Only, he never valued it.

The next day, Daniel shows up at her door againclean shirt, hair gelled, bouquet of lavish roses, trying to look like its their first date.

He rings the bell.

Emma answers after a minutecalm, collected, confident.

What do you want?

These are for you, he tries to hand over the bouquet.

Take them back. Im allergic to circuses.

I came to well make peace, he stammers.

With whom?

With you!

But were divorced.

So? We could start again.

She laughsnot bitterly, but almost kindly.

Daniel, three months ago you threw me out, shouting I was good for nothing.

Well he swallows, I got carried away.

You cheated on me for years.

That that wasnt serious.

You humiliated me.

I was wrong.

You said our daughter and I would be lost without you.

Well, I

Daniel. Are you saying you understand now?

Yes.

He takes a step closer, trying to seem sincere. Lets try again. Ill be different. I mean it.

No, Daniel. Im not the same person anymore.

He wants to reply, but at that moment, a male voice calls from the lounge, Em, who’s at the door?

Daniel freezes.

A tall, broad-shouldered man appears, tightening the belt on his dressing gown.

Is there a problem? he says lightly, eyeing Daniel.

Who is that? Daniel whispers.

Thats my partner, Emma says evenly. And you youre history.

Daniel feels crushed. He drops the bouquetroses tumbling to the floor, like fallen heads.

You going to leave, or do you need some help? the man asks.

Daniel retreats instinctively.

And take your broom! Emma calls after him as he rushes down the stairs.

He doesnt stop.

Outside, Daniel sits on the same bench where he waited an hour ago, clutching a crumpled rose stem.

How could she? he thinks.

But the truth is clearhe destroyed everything he had. He brought Emma to tears, then to despair and finally drove her to the choice that changed everything for the better.

He remembers calling her:
a chicken;
a drama queen;
useless;
ugly;
a woman no one would ever want.

Now, beside her stands a man who looks at her in a way Daniel never did.

What a shame he murmurs.

But regret came far too late.

Emma stands at her window, watching him go. Theres no anger or satisfaction on her facejust a touch of sadness.

So many wasted years, she whispers.

But when she closes the window, she smiles.

Because for the first time in years, she feels free, desired, and genuinely alive.