Without You
Prologue
As she absently moved her left hand forward, reaching for some papers on the corner of her desk, her eyes were suddenly drawn to the sunlight reflecting boldly off the ring sitting comfortably on her ring finger. The ring was taunting her, beckoning her to think about a man who was still technically her husband. The urge to think of him was especially strong on a day like today, a day that should have meant something.
Today was their fourth anniversary. She felt the sadness wash through her as she took in each scratch and nick that covered the surface of her ring. It didn't feel like a special day. It felt like all the rest: lonely and empty. But, then again, that was how she like her life now. Tommy was still her husband on paper. But it had been a long time since their relationship had been anything more than that.
She hadn't even seen him for two years. Every day she expected divorce papers in the mail. Everyday she expected him to finally want to end their legal connection. But the papers never came. She had pondered sending some herself. She had even had the official document drawn up by her lawyer, but for some reason she had never sent it. It was silly. Stupid, really.
One day, maybe soon, she'd finally do it.
"Jude?" Her head shot up as she heard her voice being called from the door of her office.
"Hi Mike. What's up?" She asked the blonde-haired man who was smiling at her as he leaned on the doorframe.
"John Griggs is here to see you. Said you two had a song to finish."
"Right, thanks," she said, glancing back down at her ring as Mike disappear from the doorway.
Every time someone mentioned working on a song, a chill ran down her back. It used to be her singing the songs. But since her move to LA two years ago she was now focused on writing the songs for others to sing. She didn't even use her real name to claim the work she'd been doing. She'd taken on the pseudonym Noelle Harris to throw anyone off from finding out where she was. She enjoyed the anonymity Los Angeles provided her. There was always someone more famous or important and she was rarely noticed by any one. And her job as a professional songwriter allowed her to slink into the shadows where no one really knew her or cared that she was there.
She felt the jagged pain rip through her heart, like it did every time she thought of the past and all the hope it had held. That was over now. She needed to forget about it.
Taking on a role as a songwriter was better for her now. She wasn't the star anymore. She was a nobody. And that's exactly what she wanted to be.
She just wanted to be left alone.