The Distance Between Us was His Closeness with His Sister

“You want to divorce Tucker?” Hearing me bring up divorce again, my best friend laughed. “So how long do you think you’ll last this time before you start talking to him again, huh?” I tugged at the corner of my mouth. “This time, I mean it.” I’d been married to Tucker Afton for three long years. I’d loved him with all my stupid heart for ten. Twice abandoned by his family, he’d learned early on to keep his guard up around anyone who tried to get close. Knowing his past, I felt sorry for him. I wanted him to believe that someone could truly love him and never leave. And so I gave him more love than anyone should, trying to melt a heart that had been frozen for years. And that’s why everyone assumed I could never, ever leave him. But just three days ago, I watched it with my own eyes—without even looking at the documents, he signed our divorce papers. Now, just one more week, and finally, I will be free. I’ll be leaving for Canada for further studies. And I swear to God that I will never allow myself to get close to that asshole again. Little did my best friend know, three days ago, my grandma was critically ill. Tucker was driving me to the hospital when his phone rang. Just one goddamn call and that motherfucker made a U-turn, leaving me alone on the highway! In a panic to find someone to get me to the hospital, I slipped and lost the baby I was carrying. By the time I woke up in the hospital, my grandma… She was already gone. That news shattered me completely. The first thing that came to mind was to find Tucker, but instead, a photo of him popped up on my screen. In the photo, he was carrying a woman on his back. The man who had always hated being affectionate with me in public was tilting his face to the side, pressing a tender kiss to her cheek, as if she were something precious. “My brother hasn’t changed at all. If I act cute and say I wanna see him, no matter what he’s doing, he’ll immediately drop everything and come get me.” “Tell me, my dear sister, what should I do with him?” That homewrecker was Kelsey Butch—Tucker’s former foster sister. And just my luck, a month ago, her mom married my dad. She’s my fucking stepsister now. And Tucker had always been incredibly fond of her. I used to convince myself that whatever was going on between them was nothing more than family affection. Even when it was killing me inside, I swallowed my bitterness. But at this moment, I could no longer lie to myself. I stared at their photo for a long time until my heart felt empty. So the truth was, Tucker wasn’t actually cold by nature. He wasn’t incapable of love, either. That asshole just never meant to love me like that. Well then, I’m letting him go. Speaking of the devil, a car horn blared outside the café. He had come to pick me up. Inside the car, his voice was as detached as always. “Have you handled the contract you asked me to sign last time? Why haven’t I heard any updates back?” 1 Verity’s POV I looked at Tucker’s face—that very face that had made my heart flutter countless times and let me down just as many. And all of a sudden, I really wanted to tell him something. What he’d casually signed back then wasn’t some business contract at all. It was a divorce agreement. “That was—” Suddenly, a ringtone cut me in. I was just about to speak when Tucker’s phone rang first. The moment that special ringtone sounded, I already knew who it was. As soon as he picked up, Kelsey’s soft voice drifted into the car. “Tucker… my stomach hurts again.” “I don’t want to eat Delia’s cooking. She only makes dishes that my sister likes… Could you make something for me yourself?” I saw it clearly—Tucker’s expression softened instantly, even his voice turning gentler. “If your stomach hurts, don’t force yourself to eat things you don’t like.” “I’ll go buy groceries now and cook something good for you. Okay? Be good and wait at home.” After hanging up, he finally seemed to remember that I was still sitting in the passenger seat. He turned to me, his tone settling back into calm neutrality. “Honey, just take a cab back to your place later. I need to go buy some groceries.” It felt like a huge hand clenched tightly around my heart, squeezing the air right out of me. All the things I wanted to say jammed in my throat and, in the end, turned into a weak, bitter smile. I stared at Tucker for a long time, genuinely shocked that a man who’d never lifted a finger at home actually knew how to cook. He must’ve sensed something because he reached over and rubbed my head, explaining. “Honey, don’t be jealous over nothing. Kelsey just sees me as her brother. She just moved to San Antonio and doesn’t know anyone else, so she relies on me out of habit. Give her time, and it’ll pass.” “You know—her parents took me in for fourteen years. I owe them.” If this were before, I might’ve even felt a little happy that the usually quiet, distant Tucker was explaining himself, worried I’d be upset. But whether he was explaining out of guilt or something else entirely, I couldn’t tell anymore. I tugged at the corner of my mouth, said nothing, pushed the door open, and got out of his car. Standing by the roadside, I waved down a cab and gave my home address. As the car slowly pulled away, memories flooded back—to the first time I met Tucker years ago at my family’s auto shop. That day, his hands were covered in grease, his head lowered as he worked on a car, barely speaking to anyone. But even among all the mechanics, that sharp, striking face of his still stood out—handsome to the point it almost hurt to look at. I almost fell for him at first glance. Later, it was me who begged my dad to pull him out of the repair shop and onto the racetrack. It was me who stayed up late with him studying theory, modifying cars, doing test runs. And it was me who slowly pushed every opportunity I could give right into his hands. I pitied where he came from. I felt sorry for him for what he’d been through. I admired his talent. At first, I was attracted by his looks. Later, his abilities completely won me over. I always felt that if the world had ever been unfair to him, then I was willing to make it right on the world’s behalf. Eventually, Tucker stood on the podium and became a wildly popular race car driver. He started his own team, opened a company, and was chased after by countless people. And three years ago, Dad arranged for me to marry Tucker. He didn’t refuse. At our wedding, he promised to treat me well for the rest of his life. For the three years after we got married, I genuinely believed I was happy—because my long, one-sided waiting finally seemed to be paying off. I waited until the look he gave me no longer felt distant. I waited until he smiled at me more and more. I waited until, in bed, he stopped treating intimacy like a silent obligation and would occasionally call my name in a low voice. I waited until, standing on the podium, he thanked me publicly for my support for the first time, instead of dodging questions about what our relationship was. Back then, I even naively thought the impossible had happened. That I had finally made my way into Tucker’s heart. When I found out I was pregnant, I was so happy I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to surprise him. Then Kelsey came into the picture. And only then did I realize—Tucker wasn’t incapable of loving someone. When he loves someone, he’s just as humble as I am, just as willing to give everything. When I got sick, he was always calm and efficient. He’d quickly arrange doctors and handle everything that needed to be done… but he rarely showed much emotion. But when Kelsey got sick, he was visibly panicked, even irrational—rushing to the hospital overnight, standing in the hallway, quietly begging the doctors. When I was picky about food, he’d just tell the maid to make another dish. But when Kelsey didn’t like carrots, he’d sit beside her at the table and patiently pick them out one by one, his movements gentle to the point of tenderness. When I stayed up late working overtime, Tucker would read beside me and wait to sleep together. But when Kelsey was upset, he’d video call her, breaking things down bit by bit, staying with her until her emotions completely settled. Before, without anything to compare to, I thought I was happy. Now, I finally understood that the happiness I once felt so smug about was nothing more than stray sparks that spilled out unintentionally from Tucker’s overwhelming love for Kelsey. Moments later, the car stopped in front of my house. I wiped the tears off my face and got out. But the moment I pushed the door open, I froze. The living room was brightly lit. A delicate birthday cake sat in the center of the dining table. My eldest and second brothers stood nearby, smiling as they gently teased Kelsey. Their voices were relaxed and indulgent—a kind of warmth I hadn’t heard from them in months. “To our family’s best little sister, happy birthday!” “If only we’d become siblings with you earlier. Instead, we spent all these years doting on the murderer’s daughter. Damn, just thinking about it makes me sick.”