Chapter 21:

"How are you?" Ethan asked his wife sadly.

His tone surprised her, but she replied softly all the same:

"Good and you?"

"As I can."

Julia winced as Ethan approached her.

"Julia I…" he hesitated. "I heard about your position at Station 4. Can you explain?"

"Well, I work for them… I always dreamed of being a doctor and… I need a stable income to have joint custody of the children."

"Shared custody? Do you want to divorce?"

Julia frowned at her husband's surprised gaze.

"Of course, I want a divorce… Ethan, I can't live like this anymore. I want to work; I want to live a life that I enjoy. For 17 years, I was an exemplary woman and I lost sight of myself a little bit."

"But what are you saying?! And me in all this? Would you like me to let you live with that asshole?!" Ethan snapped. "You want me to quietly sign the divorce papers so he can fuck you whenever he wants?!"

"You have no right to talk to me like that, Ethan." Julia took a step back at the harshness of Ethan's words.

Ethan turned around, huffing in annoyance, one hand over his mouth. He no longer recognized himself. He did not want to be so violent with her. He knew he would not get her back like that… He turned back to her and looked at the shock on her face.

"I love you Julia…"

"Ethan…please…"

"That asshole…" he muttered.

"Who are you talking about?" Julia pretended not to understand who he was talking about.

"Don't pretend! I'm talking about William Murdoch!"

The young woman tried to pull out her best acting skills and looked him in the eye.

"What are you talking about?"

"Stop your little game. It doesn't work with me!" he snapped, raising a finger at her.

"Look, all I want is for you to sign the divorce papers. I want joint custody of the girls and…"

"And me?! You don't ask me what I want? I can't live without you…I can't…" he cut off with a trembling voice.

Julia looked at the one who had been her husband for 17 years and felt her heart sink more and more.

"It's unfair, Julia…"

He was right. It was unfair. She felt so selfish to put him through all this and ask him to do such a thing. She felt like she was tearing her family apart which had been so perfect until now. But today was different, she was happy. She was in love, and she was finally a doctor. That was what she wanted.

Finally, she pulled herself together. It was hard to explain, but she had always done what she was told. She had become pregnant, and she had given birth. She quit school and got married. She had raised her children and remained a housewife. She had gone to society parties on her husband's arm, and she had pretended to be happy. She had done everything… On the one hand she felt selfish, but on the other hand she found that for the 17 years of perfect life and perfect appearance that she had given, she had the right to be a little happy for once.

"I'm sorry Ethan… Really…" the young woman said sadly before approaching him. "I beg of you…don't make things more complicated than they are."

Ethan remained silent looking her in the eye.

"You never understood me, Ethan. My dream was to be a doctor. All my life I had worked for this and when we got married, I begged you to let me exercise, but you didn't let me..."

"If that's why, I'll let you work. I promise you." he cut her off.

"It's too late Ethan. It is when I leave you that you accept. I've been waiting for you to say that sentence for 17 years... It was so important to me..." the young woman looked down.

Ethan nodded slowly understanding for the first time what his wife had felt and endured. How would he have lived if he had been prevented from working? To become a doctor when it had been his dream too.

Julia looked at her husband for a few more seconds and considered slipping away and letting him think when he spoke:

"You love him? Whether it's Murdoch or someone else?"

Julia hesitated. Although the night of their argument she had claimed that she was with a man, it could have been mistaken for a lie due to anger. So confessed that she loved "this man" was confessed that she had an extramarital relationship.

"I beg you Julia… You owe me the truth."

"Yes…" she whispered; her eyes lowered.

She did not see her husband's eyes on the verge of tears. He simply turned and slowly walked back up the stairs. Julia looked up and watched Ethan walking up the stairs. He turned around slightly so that Julia could hardly see his face and he spoke in a whisper:

"I will sign the divorce papers, Julia…"

Note: I would like to remind that this is only a story and that I do not express any opinion. You have the right to think what you want about Julia and William's actions here.

Thank you for continuing to read my story which I hope you still like as much.