The Ignored Accident

When the metal crunched and I was lying on the pavement, unable to move, Stella Vance didn't even look back.

She led Silas Reed away as if I were invisible.

I already called the ambulance for him, she said, her voice cold. Come on, let's go celebrate your birthday.

The hospital needed a family signature for my surgery. I called her dozen of times, but my phone just rang into the void.

After I got out of the OR, I saw Silas's post on social media.

"Stella is the best person in the world. My birthday gift is a trip to Fashion Week in Paris..."

The photo showed Stella flashing a peace sign at the camera, her eyes full of affection for him.

I didn't call to confront her. I just turned off my phone and focused on getting better.

By the time she realized what she'd lost, it was too late.

1.

The day I was discharged, I finally got a call from Stella.

She sounded like she was still my boss. "Jace Sterling, grab the car and pick me and Silas up at the airport right now."

I looked down at my leg, encased in heavy white plaster. "I can't," I said calmly.

Stella's voice turned into a sharp reprimand. "Jace, don't start with the excuses. When we got married, you promisedD"

I didn't want to hear it. "I'm at the hospital. I don't have time for you."

She didn't even skip a beat. "At the hospital? Could you pick a more pathetic lie? Jace, youD"

She stopped mid-sentence, probably remembering the car crash.

I didn't ask her anything. I just asked if there was anything else she needed.

"Were you really in the hospital that long?" she asked, sounding a bit hesitant. "I thought it was just a scratch."

I was busy trying to pack my things with one hand. "Yeah, whatever. It's fine."

"If that's all, I'm hanging up. I have packing to do."

I ended the call before she could react.

I struggled to get my things downstairs and waited thirty minutes for an Uber to get home.

When I pushed the door open, the first thing I saw was Stella holding Silas's leg.

She was blowing on a tiny scrape like it was a life-threatening wound.

Even with my perfect 20/20 vision, I couldn't even see the damn injury.

Silas saw me and scrambled to his feet, looking like a kicked puppy.

"Jace, I... I just fell. I'll leave soon, please don't be mad."

Stella glared at me for making him move, then cooed at Silas.

"Your leg is bleeding! I'm not letting you stay somewhere else where I can't keep an eye on you."

"You promised me you'd stay. Don't be a little brat and change your mind now."

Silas blushed but looked at me with fake anxiety.

"But Jace is hurt too. You can't take care of everyone, Stella."

Stella didn't even glance at my cast.

"He's not like you. He's tough. You're delicate, Silas. Even a small wound could be dangerous."

Silas pretended to consider this.

Stella turned to me, her voice full of blame.

"Jace, don't be petty. Silas is just staying here for a couple of days because he's hurt."

I hadn't said a single word, yet Silas had already managed to make me the villain.

But I wasn't the jealous husband anymore. I didn't care enough to be a psycho.

"He can stay as long as he wants," I said. "I don't care."

Silas looked shocked. He was probably disappointed he couldn't start a fight between us.

He didn't realize that since I stopped caring about Stella, I stopped caring about who she slept with.

This house used to be our sanctuary. Now, it was just a place to sleep until my leg healed.

I walked into the bedroom and shut the door before Silas could start his next act.

2.

Stella came into the bedroom later that night after getting Silas settled.

I was already in bed, staring at the ceiling.

As she climbed under the covers, I caught a glimpse of her neck.

There was a bright red mark right there. It was like Silas was laughing at me through her skin.

If this were last month, I would have blown up. I would have screamed until my lungs hurt.

I used to hurt myself just to hurt them back.

But now, I just looked back at my phone.

Stella seemed surprised by my coldness.

She opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes finally landed on the heavy cast on my leg.

A flash of panic crossed her face.

"Jace, is that... is that from the accident?"

I was reading some work documents and didn't answer right away.

She repeated herself, sounding more patient than usual.

I finally looked at her. The irony was almost funny.

She could see a microscopic scratch on Silas, but she hadn't noticed my broken leg for hours.

I let out a short, dry laugh. "Yeah. It is."

Stella looked guilty. She looked at me with a hint of pity.

It was surprising, but that was all.

I went back to my phone.

Suddenly, she started explaining herself.

"I didn't realize it was that bad. When you called me that day, I thought you were just trying to start drama. I didn't mean to ignore you..."

This was the first time in two years she had ever explained herself to me.

But I didn't care. I didn't even hear the rest of what she said.

My silence made her feel awkward. Her pride was starting to sting.

"When is your next doctor's appointment? I'll go with you."

I was trying to think of a way to say no when her phone buzzed.

Silas's shaky voice came through the speaker.

"Stella? I... I can't sleep. The bed feels weird. Can you come stay with me?"

"If Jace is busy, then just forget it..."

Stella was out of bed in a heartbeat. Her voice was pure honey.

"It's okay, Silas. I didn't realize you had trouble sleeping in new places. I'm coming."

She didn't even look back as she left the room.

Can't sleep in a new bed?

I laughed out loud.

Silas had sent me dozens of photos of them in different hotel rooms.

He slept just fine in those beds.

Only Stella would believe such a pathetic lie.

But they deserved each other. I was actually glad she was gone so I could sleep.

I didn't lie awake wondering what they were doing. I slept like a baby.

When I woke up, I found a photo from Silas sent at 3 AM.

It was a close-up of Stella's skin, covered in marks from their night together.

I felt a sting of pain, but I suppressed it. I saved the photo as evidence for the divorce.

I checked the time and realized I was late for my meeting with the lawyer.

I struggled into my clothes, trying to be quick.

Stella walked out of the kitchen and stopped me.

"Jace, where are you going so early? Come have breakfast first."

I stared at her in shock.

In five years of marriage, she had never made me breakfast.

The only time she cooked was years ago when I was sick.

After that, she refused to step foot in the kitchen for me.

But she would cook anything Silas wanted.

Silas walked out behind her, looking smug.

"Come eat, Jace! Stella's cooking is amazing. I love it."

"I'm so lucky she does whatever I ask."

Stella looked unusually embarrassed.

I looked at the plates on the table and smiled.

"No thanks. You guys enjoy."

Stella frowned. "You used to beg me to cook for you. Why the change of heart?"

I gave her a polite, cold smile.

"Stella, I'm allergic to eggs."

The table was covered in omelets and French toast soaked in egg batter.

I grabbed my keys and walked out before she could say another word.

3.

When I met the lawyer, he asked if I wanted to try a settlement first.

I thought about everything that happened this week and shook my head.

"No. File the lawsuit. Just get it done."

I handed everything over to him.

Afterward, I went to the cemetery. I needed to move my parents' urns back to our old hometown.

When they passed away in that accident, I was a wreck.

Stella had handled all the funeral arrangements.

The cemetery staff told me I needed her signature to move them since she was the one who signed the original papers.

I took the forms back home and put them in front of her.

She narrowed her eyes, confused. "Why are you doing this?"

I blinked. "I had a dream about them. They said they wanted to go home."

Stella didn't like the idea.

"Won't it be a pain to visit them if they're that far away?"

My parents had treated her like their own daughter.

Every year on their anniversary, she used to be so dedicated to visiting them.

But since Silas showed up, she hadn't gone once.

The anniversary of their death was the same day she met Silas. Now, she spent that day celebrating with him.

I remembered trying to talk to her about it once.

She had just snapped at me.

"They're gone, Jace. They wouldn't want me to miss a date with a friend for something that doesn't matter anymore. They aren't petty like you."

Recalling that, I used her own words. "They're gone, Stella. They won't mind."

Hearing her own logic thrown back at her made her go quiet.

"Just sign it," I said, pushing the paper closer.

Before she could argue, Silas let out a loud cry from the bathroom.

She swallowed her words instantly. She grabbed the pen, signed the form, and ran toward the bathroom.

I looked at the signature. For the first time, I was grateful for Silas and his perfect timing.

It saved me from having to explain myself further. It was exhausting.

I was heading out to the cemetery again when Stella shouted from the bathroom.

"Jace! Get in here!"

I ignored her, but she kept screaming like the world was ending.

I hopped over to the door and asked what she wanted.

Stella looked frantic. "Silas twisted his ankle. Help me get him to the car. We need to go to the ER."

I looked at Silas, who was faking a look of agony. I smiled.

"Sorry. I can't help."

Stella exploded.

"Jace, this isn't the time to be a jealous prick! He's hurt! Can't you stop being so petty for once?"

"You're supposed to be a man..."

I cut her off. "My leg is broken, Stella. If you can't carry him, I'll call an ambulance for you."

Stella opened and closed her mouth, speechless.

But the disgust on her face was clear.

She was annoyed that her husband was useless and couldn't help her precious Silas.

Since I didn't move, she found something else to scream about.

"Then call the damn ambulance! Why are you just standing there? You're such a jinx!"

"I don't know why I ever married a guy like you!"

I slowly hopped back to the bedroom, called 911, and shut the door.

After the ambulance took him away, I got a text from her.

"Since you hate Silas so much, I'm moving into his place for a few days."

"We both need to cool down. You should think about your behavior."

I stared at the screen and laughed.

Stella was an expert at shifting the blame.

If this were the old me, I would have apologized and hobbled to the hospital to help her.

I would have done anything to keep them from being alone.

But now? I felt lighter than air.

Being alone was actually pretty great.

4.

For the next few days, I worked like a slow-moving ant.

I packed up my life and shipped it back to Vermont.

Finally, I looked at all the couple-themed junk we had. I tossed it all in the dumpster.

By the time I got my cast off, Stella still hadn't come home.

I saw her on Silas's feed, playing the devoted nurse.

I ran into Silas outside the clinic on my last check-up.

He saw me and smirked, dropping the innocent act.

"Hey Jace, leg all better? How does it feel to have your wife stolen right out from under you?"

"I wouldn't be able to handle being cuckolded like that. It's embarrassing."

I didn't care about his games anymore. I tried to walk past him.

Suddenly, Silas dropped to his knees, crying loudly.

"Jace, please don't kick me out! Stella is the only family I have left!"

I frowned at him.

In the next second, Stella appeared, looking like a vengeful demon.

She slapped me across the face so hard my head spun.

"Jace! How could you be so cruel? Forcing him to kneel to you!"

I rubbed my cheek and laughed.

"Yeah, I'm the villain. I'm the bad guy."

"Fine, Stella. Let's just get a divorce."

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