After My Husband Wished He Met Her First

Corbin sent me a message, standing out among the flood of email notifications on my phone. The black text on the glowing screen couldn't be missed, signaling that Corbin had removed me from his block list. I couldn't help but think, somewhat sarcastically.

Corbin wanted me to come to his office the next day, Monday. He mentioned that the lawyers would finalize the agreement terms, and once both parties were satisfied, we would sign and then wait for the mandatory cooling-off period before the divorce was completed.

[Okay.]

On Monday, I arrived at Corbin's company as planned. I didn't have an appointment, so the receptionist made a call to confirm my arrival.

"A woman named West," she said.

After hanging up, she directed me to the CEO's floor, adding that a secretary would be ready to meet me. I thanked her and headed up to Corbin's office floor.

A young woman I didn't recognize greeted me. That was no surprise; I hadn't visited the office in over six months, not since Corbin and I separated. She must be new.

"Ms. West, please wait here. Mr. Murray is currently in a meeting," she informed me.

She clearly didn't know me, calling me Ms. West, and led me to a nearby reception area. In the past, I would have waited right in Corbin's office. His meetings often lasted at least an hour, and he knew I hated waiting, so he'd always make sure there were plenty of books and DVDs available for me.

"You can read or watch a movie, and if you're tired, you can rest in the lounge," he used to say.

But the last time I visited, everything of mine in Corbin's office had been replaced. Someone else now had access to his private lounge. Now, I found myself waiting in a generic reception room. At this point, I didn't have the energy or the inclination to fuss over such petty matters. So I waited patiently.

I had plenty of time, after all.

What caught me off guard was waiting for two hours without anyone letting me know when I could see Corbin.

"Excuse me, is Mr. Murray still in his meeting?" I finally asked the young woman who had initially led me to the reception area.

She hesitated, seemingly unsure, "Mr. Murray is still in the meeting..."

I frowned and was about to say something when I overheard laughter and conversation nearby.

"Let's hit that café for lunch."

"Sounds good."