Seven Years Waiting for a Fake Marriage

Before Zoe Sanders leaves for a long-term research assignment based in a desert in the Southwest, she says to me, "Jared, life out there is rough. Family members aren't allowed to visit, and you need to take care of things back home. Wait for me for three years. I'll be back before you know it." Three years become six. Six years become seven. I spend seven whole years waiting for Zoe to come home, but she never does. We speak on the phone once every five days, and video call once a month. The only time I see her in person is during the handful of vacation days she manages to take each year. Even then, I never complain. I'm afraid if I do, I'll become a burden to her career. One day, I'm diagnosed with a stomach tumor. Only then, my urgent request for a special visit finally gets approved. I travel thousands of miles, enduring the exhaustion of my weakened body, and arrive at the dormitory where Zoe lives. The person who greets me is a little boy. "Mom, someone's here! I don't know him!" For a second, I think I'm at the wrong place. But then, Zoe's gentle and affectionate voice rings out. "Benny, I'm busy right now. Dad will go see who it is." Her research assistant, Liam Parker, walks to the door. When he sees me, he freezes in shock, unable to speak for a moment. "Jared, what are you doing here…" I clutch my aching stomach. The last piece of hope I've been holding onto for seven years finally dies. As it turns out, it's not that Zoe doesn't care about her family. The problem is that the family she cares about isn't ours. Chapter 1 Seeing that there was no movement at the front door for a long time, Zoe Sanders finally put down the documents in her hands and stepped out of the study. The moment she saw me, she reacted exactly the same way Liam Parker had. Stunned, she stammered, "Jared, what are you doing here all of a sudden…" I sighed quietly and cut her off. "I'm tired. I'd like to sit down first. Do I need to take my shoes off?" Liam finally snapped out of his shock. He hurried to the shoe cabinet and pulled out a pair of men's house slippers. They were half a size too large—his size. I said nothing. I slipped them on and walked into the living room to sit on the couch. Liam took Benjamin Parker's hand and forced a smile. "Jared, you and Zoe should talk." Then, turning to the boy, he said, "Come on, Benny. I'll take you back to your room. Let's not interrupt Mom while she's talking to her guest." I lifted my eyes and glanced at him. He froze. Only then did he seem to realize there was something wrong with what he'd just said. "Jared, don't misunderstand. Benny is—" Zoe jumped to her feet, positioning herself in front of Liam and Benjamin. She looked at me cautiously and explained, "Jared, Benny is Liam's son from his previous marriage. We were worried he'd get picked on at school because he didn't have a mother, so we had him call me 'Mom.' Liam and I are really just coworkers." I didn't respond. Instead, I reached over and gently ruffled Benjamin's hair. Then, I looked at Liam and said, "Don't bother offering anything. Get the child settled, then come back. My conversation with Zoe inevitably involves you too." Liam clearly hadn't expected that reaction from me. I sat back down on the couch. Zoe took the seat across from me. Neither of us spoke for a while. She simply stared at me, puzzled. Perhaps she was surprised by how calm I was. Truthfully, there was nothing surprising about it. Seven years was more than enough time to completely drain a person. All my grievance, anger, and resentment had long since been worn away. The male voice that often appeared in our phone calls. The men's pajamas I'd occasionally catch hanging in the background during video chats. The annual vacations that were suddenly cut short because of "emergencies". I wasn't stupid. The only reason I'd kept pretending not to notice was that I wanted closure for these seven years of marriage. Eventually, Liam returned. He plopped down right beside Zoe naturally. Watching that, I knew that I was the outsider in this home. Zoe spoke first. "I'm sorry, Jared. I overreacted earlier. Please don't take it personally. I was just surprised. If you were coming, why didn't you tell me? I would've picked you up from the station." As she spoke, she reached for my hand. I pulled away. Lowering my gaze, I let out a bitter laugh. Then, I took a stack of documents out of my bag. On the very top was a thick file of every request I'd submitted over the past seven years. Every single one had been stamped "Denied" in bright red ink. The reason listed read, "Rejected by Zoe Sanders." "If I hadn't gone directly to your supervisors myself, I never would've known that you were the one rejecting all my requests. If I'd told you I was coming, would you have let me?" Zoe glanced at the papers and immediately looked away. Guilt flashed across her face. "Jared, back then, we were in critical phases of the project. I couldn't afford distractions. That was why—" "You've been busy for seven years. Yet somehow, you had time to attend your coworker's son's sports day and summer camp. But you didn't have time to let your own husband come see you?" Zoe froze. I pointed toward a framed photograph beneath the television. "The date on that photograph says March 7th of this year. I remember that day. I called you. I told you I'd been in a car accident a few days earlier. I almost died in the ICU. "And you told me that you were too busy with a project and couldn't leave. You told me to stay strong and handle it myself. So, that project was actually your coworker's son's sports day?" Zoe lowered her hand, her fingers clenching unconsciously. Beside her, Liam hurried to defend her. "Jared, you've got it all wrong. It really was a critical period of our project. Zoe only took a little time off to accompany Benny." I hummed in response. I looked at the two of them sitting close together, staring at me like I was a threat, as though I were some villain trying to destroy their family. I found it absurd. I asked myself, "Jared York, is this the home you've waited seven years for?" I couldn't answer. I removed the stack of rejected applications. I took out two documents from beneath them and laid them side by side. One was a medical report of my stomach tumor diagnosis. The other was a divorce agreement. "Relax. I'm not here to accuse anyone. At this point, arguing about the past is meaningless. Zoe, I've been diagnosed with a stomach tumor. You, as my… Forget it. None of that matters anymore. I'm not here to beg for sympathy. I'm here to divorce you." Chapter 2 Zoe was stunned by the series of unexpected events. She sat there, frozen in place, unable to come back to her senses for a while. I slung my bag over my shoulder and stood, pressing a hand against my stomach. "I've said everything I came here to say. I won't bother you any longer. I've booked a room at a hotel. Sign the papers when you're ready. Let me know, and I'll come pick them up." With that, I turned and left. I was nearly out of the dormitory building when I heard hurried footsteps behind me. "Jared! Jared!" I kept walking. Zoe rushed ahead and directly blocked my path. She grabbed my wrist, refusing to let go. Her eyes were red, and her voice trembled. "No! We can't get divorced. Don't you love me anymore? Why does it have to come to this? And… your condition is urgent. You can't put off treatment. I'll stay with you and look after you. I'll be there for your surgery." Looking at her, my chest tightened painfully. I sniffled. "Then, submit your transfer request and come home right away. Zoe, you've already been absent for seven years. I can't spend the rest of my life alone in an empty house. My hospital room can't have only me in it." Zoe fell silent. I already knew what was on her mind. She couldn't let go of Liam and Benjamin. I gently pried her fingers off and continued walking forward. I said, "If you can't do that, then let's get divorced." The word "divorce" seemed to hit Zoe like a physical blow. She hurried in front of me again. This time, her voice was earnest. "I can do it! I love you. I want our family. Come on. Let's go to HR right now. My three-year service contract has already ended. I can submit a transfer request immediately and apply to go home." She started pulling me forward as she spoke. Then, her phone rang. I glanced at the screen and saw the words "Liam My Love" flash across it. I didn't stop her. Years ago, I had tried. But she would just shove me aside and scold me. "Jared, stop being so immature. This could be work-related. Can you stop being so petty?" she'd said. Then, she'd answer the call and speak to Liam in a soft, gentle tone. So, now, I simply watched as Zoe instinctively moved to pick up the call. But after meeting my cold gaze, she laughed awkwardly and declined it. Then, she held my hand again. "Let's go, Jared. I promise from now on, nothing matters more than us." It had been so long since I felt the warmth of her hand. My heart couldn't help but soften. I smiled and allowed her to lead me away. We had barely taken a few steps when the phone rang again. It was Liam again. Zoe's expression changed. Still, she declined the call. But her pace slowed. Then, it rang a third time. Finally, she stopped walking altogether. Turning to me, she forced a smile and said, "Liam keeps calling. It seems urgent. What if something happened? I'll just quickly answer it." Without even waiting for my response, she pulled her hand from mine and answered the phone. I could faintly hear the panic in Liam's voice over the phone. And in the background, there was the sound of a child crying. "Zoe! Benny burned himself! I really don't know what to do. Please, come quickly!" There was no explanation. There was no reassurance. I simply watched as Zoe turned and ran without even a second glance at me. The faint smile that had appeared on my face when she held my hand remained there, frozen. Then, it slowly widened, growing bigger and bigger until it looked almost grotesque and insane. Finally, I covered my face and began to sob uncontrollably. Zoe Sanders, I had given our marriage one last chance. But you still chose to leave. At that moment, whatever hope that remained inside me died completely. I turned and continued toward the hotel. Back in my room, I purchased a train ticket home for three days later. The moment I clicked "Confirm Purchase" and the booking confirmation appeared on the screen, a text message from Zoe popped up. "Where are you?" Chapter 3 "Hotel." My reply was brief. Shortly after, Zoe called. "Jared, Benny got burned. He's in the hospital now. Go back to the house and pack some clothes for Liam and me. And cook a few simple dishes. Liam's been busy all day and hasn't had the time to eat. He doesn't like the hospital's food and can't eat it." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I rubbed my throbbing temples and calmly reminded her, "Zoe, I have a stomach tumor. The smell of cooking oil makes me sick." There was a brief silence on the line. Then, I heard Liam's voice in the background, trembling with tears. "Zoe, maybe we shouldn't trouble Jared. I'll hang in there. I'll rest for a while and go home to cook something myself…" "As long as I'm here, you don't need to force yourself!" Then, she hung up. A moment later, a text message arrived. "Please bear with it. The door code is 0718. We're in Hospital Room 1456. Bring Liam a blanket. The air conditioning in the hospital is cold. I'm worried he'll get chilly." I stared at the familiar numbers of the door code. It was the date of our wedding anniversary. Looking at it now felt like a cruel joke. I entered the code and let myself into Zoe's house. On the fridge was a sticky note with Zoe's handwriting that read, "Liam, I made lunch and left it in the fridge. You and Benny can heat it up later. I'm heading out. Make sure you get a good rest." So, Zoe knew how to cook. A sharp pain spread through my chest. I forced myself not to dwell on it. Suppressing the nausea rolling through my stomach, I tied on an apron and turned on the stove. Halfway through cooking, I couldn't hold it in any longer. I bent over the sink, vomiting so violently that my vision went dark and there was nothing left in my stomach but bitter bile. After splashing cold water on my pale face, I packed the food into containers. Then, I forced myself toward Liam's wardrobe. When I opened the door, I saw that the bottom shelves were filled with gifts from Zoe. Each one was even labeled and organized by date. The gift boxes had been carefully preserved. The oldest gift dated back seven years, on Zoe's second day after arriving here. The newest one was from the day before. A handwritten note was attached to it. It read, "I saw this and thought it was perfect for you, so I bought it without asking." I shut my eyes, carefully searching my memory. In the end, all I could do was laugh at myself bitterly. After our wedding, Zoe had never given me a single gift. All I ever got from her was a phone call every five days, a video call once a month, and a week together each year if I was lucky. A gift? That was a luxury I couldn't afford. I packed the clothes and closed the wardrobe door. Before leaving, I picked up the divorce papers from the coffee table. I wanted the papers signed today. Seven years was already too long. I didn't want to drag this out any further. When I arrived at the hospital room, holding all the requested items, Liam was asleep against Zoe's shoulder. I glanced at the empty bed beside them that had been provided for visitors, then lowered my eyes. I set the things down on the table, trying to make as little noise as possible. But Liam still woke up. He shot upright and hurried to explain, "Jared, don't misunderstand. I was just scared and exhausted. That's why I leaned on Zoe's shoulder to rest for a little while." I didn't answer him immediately. Instead, I turned toward Benjamin who was lying asleep in the hospital bed. Thick bandages covered his shoulder. He looked uncomfortable even in his sleep. Only then did I reply, "It's fine. How's the kid doing?" "The burn on his shoulder is severe. He may need skin grafts later. The doctor says he'll most likely be scarred for life. Jared, can I ask you a favor? Can you lend Zoe to us for a while? Otherwise, I really can't do this alone." As he spoke, he began crying again. Zoe pulled him into her arms and softly comforted him. Then, frowning, she turned to me, her expression conflicted. "Jared, given Benny's condition, I can't just turn a blind eye. Just think of it as doing a good deed. Let me stay here with them for a while." Chapter 4 I looked at Zoe, then quietly nodded. I reached into my bag, pulled out the divorce papers and a pen, and held them out to her. "Sign it. You can stay with them for as long as you want. From now on, it won't be any of my business." Zoe glanced at the documents and fumed. She glared at me, her voice low. "Are you using a divorce to threaten me?" I couldn't understand what she was talking about. When she refused to take the papers, I shoved them into her hands. "It's not a threat. I just can't be with you anymore." My words struck a nerve. Zoe released Liam from her embrace. Frowning deeply, she snapped at me, "What do you mean you can't be with me anymore? We've been fine for the last seven years, and all of a sudden, you can't be with me anymore?" I wanted to finally say the things I'd kept silent about for years. But Liam suddenly cut in. "Jared, you haven't met someone else, have you? Sure, Zoe hasn't been home much, but she's always cared about you. You didn't start seeing another woman, did you? That would be cheating. And who's to say the tumor diagnosis is even real? Maybe it's an STD..." The moment Zoe heard this, she completely panicked. Grabbing my wrist, she demanded, "Is that true? You cheated? Who was it? Was even your illness fake?" Hearing Liam slander my condition like that, I couldn't stop myself from punching him. "Aren't you two the ones having an affair here? Don't fucking pin this on me!" Liam clutched his face, apparently stunned by the punch. He hadn't expected me to lash out. Then, she feigned weakness and pretended to faint again. "Zoe, I feel so dizzy after getting hit…" As he spoke, he went limp and collapsed into Zoe's arms. Seeing this, Zoe violently shoved me away and caught Liam. I staggered backward, my abdomen slamming into the edge of the couch. Pain overwhelmed me. My vision darkened. Instinctively clutching my stomach, I felt wave after wave of dull pain shoot up my spine. I reached out and grabbed Zoe's sleeve, my voice hoarse. "It hurts! It hurts so bad! Zoe, please help me call a doctor…" Zoe looked down at me, then sneered. She yanked her sleeve out of my grasp. "Now, you know what pain feels like? Did you think about that when you hit Liam? Jared, stop pretending. That trick doesn't work on me. I don't have to play house with you here." With that, Zoe helped Liam out of the room, shouting toward the hallway, "Doctor! Doctor, someone fainted over here!" But the cramping pain in my stomach was growing more intense. I wanted to call for someone else, but I no longer had the strength. All I could do was watch helplessly as Zoe walked away. The fluorescent lights above me began to sway. Then, I started vomiting blood uncontrollably. More and more blood poured out. Then, everything went black. The doctor said there was nothing seriously wrong with Liam and that he had likely fainted from low blood sugar. Zoe had just breathed a sigh of relief when she suddenly heard a commotion coming from the direction of the hospital room. She felt an inexplicable sense of panic. She shot to her feet and started to leave. Liam tugged at her sleeve and called after her softly. But this time, Zoe didn't stop. She hurried back toward the hospital room. By the time she arrived, the room was packed with people. Zoe's heart jolted. She desperately pushed through the crowd and rushed inside. A doctor was performing CPR while shouting, "Clear the way! Everyone, move! The patient fell and suffered a gastric hemorrhage followed by shock! Get him to the emergency room immediately. He's in critical condition!"