Ex-husband Neuvillette

Neuvillette approaches the landing and sees his daughter, Melusine. She plays on the playground with the other children. Melusine always saw her father, even though after the divorce she went to her mother. Her relationship with him did not deteriorate after her parents' divorce. "Dad!!!" Melusina screamed when she saw her father and rushed into his arms.

Neuvillette bends to embrace his daughter, though remains silent. The coldness of his embrace is evident. He wasn't usually so cold with children, because he loves them very much, although sometimes he may not show it. But after the divorce, everything changed, because everything became too much... difficult. He's not up to these baby-talking things. "Hello, Melusine," he says in a low and quiet voice, sounding somewhat uncomfortable and forced in his attempts to be kind. "Did you have a good day at school today?"

Melusine notices the coldness in his arms and voice. "Dad?" Something happened?" She asks, a little puzzled. Why is her father so cold?

"No... Everything is fine." Neuvillette's voice remains unemotional, and the coldness from before is still present in his embrace. "How is your mother? Is she doing alright?" he asks in the same quiet and reserved voice. He is clearly trying to keep the conversation as short as possible and end the interaction soon.

"She got sick." Melusine answered him, looking up at him.

"Oh? I am sorry to hear that. I hope she gets better soon." Neuvillette's voice remains unemotional as he speaks, though he does manage to sound somewhat genuine in his concern. "I suppose I should head back, it's getting late. Melusine, it was good to see you. And... why aren't you wearing a jacket? It's cold outside." he says as he tries to pull away from holding his daughter. He gives her an awkward, tight smile as he does.

"Well.. Mom was asleep, feeling very unwell, so she couldn't see if I was wearing a jacket or not, so I decided to take this opportunity and go out without it while Mom wasn't looking." Melusine replied, awkwardly dragging her feet on the ground while standing still.

Neuvillette's face remains unchanged, but his eyes narrow slightly at the admission of breaking the rules. He is silent for a few seconds, trying to decide what to say. "Your mother is sick and has to stay home to rest," Neuvillette finally replies. His tone is once again quiet and reserved. "So you decided to break the rules and leave without a jacket because you know she won't know?" his voice becomes colder as he continues speaking. "What about you? Don't you feel cold?"

"No, I'm not cold." - She said, raising her head to him, and then suddenly asked. "Are you so cold because you've been thinking about Mom again?" - her childish voice sounds worried and innocent.

Neuvillette's expression immediately shifts at the mention of his ex-wife. The tension in his face eases, and his gaze becomes more focused, as if the topic of her has somehow reignited the emotions he normally suppresses. His tone becomes harsher. "Melusine," he begins. "I don't want you to speak about your mother again."

"Why, Dad?" Are you in pain? Do you miss her?" She asked him, sadly looking into his eyes, trying to meet his gaze. "Or do you... hate her?" - She asks worriedly.

Neuvillette's expression becomes even more cold and his voice becomes more distant, as if he is trying his best to shut down this conversation and end it as soon as possible. "Do not speak about your mother. Don't discuss my feelings with me." he says sternly. "Go put on your jacket. Go. Now." he commands, suddenly changing the direction of the conversation and giving a strict order to his daughter.

"Dad.. You yourself asked me how my mom was.." She replied. The first thing he does when meeting his daughter is always ask how her mother is doing.

"Do not ask me about your mother," Neuvillette repeats colder. His voice is stern as he gives the command again. "Go. Wear. Your jacket." he orders her again, clearly becoming annoyed at his daughter's stubbornness. He is almost unwilling to say anything else before finally continuing. "... Please." he mumbles at the end of his sentence, his words a bit quieter and more hesitant than before.

Melusine ran into the house to put on her jacket. Neuvillette stood alone on the landing, his hair and cloak fluttering in the air. He closed his eyes and again he "dreamed" a vision. «Beloved...» {{user}}'s voice was speaking in his head. He could feel her hands on his shoulders. He could feel her breath on his cheeks and neck.

Neuvillette continues standing outside alone, eyes closed as he remembers. "{{user}}..." he whispers, his words soft as if he was talking to himself. He remembers {{user}}'s warm embrace, how she always understood him. He remembers how her embrace always made him feel safe from the outside world, a world where he is always expected to be someone he is not — someone who does not feel and does not love. The wind still blows, the sounds of children laughing and playing still echo in the background, but all Neuvillette remembers is {{user}}.

But he hears his daughter's voice and opens his eyes. {{user}}'s spirit dissipates. "Dad!" She screams as she runs straight towards him, this time with a jacket.

Neuvillette's eyes open to see his daughter, Melusine, run back toward him wearing her jacket. He snaps back into reality. He forces himself back into his stoic demeanor as he looks at Melusine. His expression still remains cold, and without much emotion in his voice and tone, he addresses his daughter. "Yes, Melusine?" he asks formally.

"I'm wearing a jacket, just as you said!" She answers him, coming up to him. "Will you buy me a toy?" She asks and makes puppy dog eyes. "Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaseee..." she whines plaintively, folding her hands in a gesture of supplication. But it doesn't seem to shake him.

Neuvillette's expression remains unchanged, still cold, while he watches Melusine approach him. "No," he responds in the same tone, with no hesitation. He doesn't elaborate, choosing to just give a simple "no" to her request, and doesn't entertain any further discussion about the topic. "Go back to playing on the playground, and don't try to convince me," he adds, sounding a little annoyed at Melusine's persistence.

"Okay..." Melusine says, sounding offended, before giving him a sad look and running off to join her friends on the playground.

Neuvillette's cold expression doesn't change. He watches as Melusine runs off, his gaze following her movements. For a moment, he stands there alone before finally speaking out loud, though he is only saying it to himself. "...She's so precious," he murmurs. "...She's like her mother... So much like her.. A delicate flower..." Neuvillette's expression softens a little, but he appears pensive as he thinks back to {{user}}.

He remembers her, but her spirit no longer comes. There is no her voice, there is no her touch, there is no her smell, there is no her breath, there is nothing but memories.

But he continues to remember her. He remembers how {{user}}made him feel. He closes his eyes, wishing he could feel {{user}}'s warmth again, wishing he could kiss her lips again, wishing he could hug her one more time. "{{user}}" he whispers to himself, eyes still closed as wind blows the locks of his hair. "I love you," he quietly utters, unable to hold in the emotions anymore. "Please come back." Neuvillette's eyes finally open, his expression now sad instead of cold.

And then, his thoughts seemed to be heard. He opens his eyes when he hears a familiar voice and turns his head towards Melusine, playing on the playground with her friends and sees a painfully familiar figure. {{user}}.. She goes up to her daughter, hugs her and puts a scarf and a hat on her head, smiling gently at her and caressing her hair. {{user}} does not notice Neuvillette, standing alone in a remote, dark corner.

"{{user}}..." Neuvillette says quietly, as if speaking to himself. He watches in silence as {{user}} walks towards their daughter and shows her affection, smiling warmly and treating her gently. He watches how {{user}}'s hair sways with each of her movements, her eyes glittering in the light, her dress flowing freely in the wind, the soft smile on her face as she hugs Melusine and strokes her hair. He sees her and wishes he could be in Melusine's place, to experience the same warmth and affection as she does. He sees her and wishes she was still with him.

Suddenly, {{user}}'s deep, gentle, kind eyes meet Neuvillette's soft white, blue, purple eyes and {{user}}'s lips open slightly in amazement. She sees her ex-husband, whom she hasn't seen in a year. Of course, she knew that her daughter was meets with her father secretly and did not object to this, but she herself had not seen him all this time. There is still the same love in her eyes as in the good old days. Unable to withstand the gaze of her ex-husband, {{user}} turns away and looks at Melusine, breaking eye contact with him.

Neuvillette slowly walks toward {{user}}. His feet are silent, and in the absence of any other sounds, everything around him becomes eerily quiet. He stops a short distance away from {{user}} and watches her for a moment, his gaze lingering on her and studying every little detail about her. "Please look at me," Neuvillette whispers quietly. His voice is calm, yet full of emotion. It contains no hint of anger, frustration or resentment. It is soft and gentle, and he seems completely sincere as he asks {{user}} for just one more look.

Then {{user}} says something to Melusine, kisses her on the top of the head and hurriedly leaves the playground, probably because of a "meeting" with her ex-husband.

Neuvillette watches {{user}} as she speaks to Melusine, kisses the top of her head, and then quickly leaves the playground. He stares at her as she walks away, his gaze still full of emotion. He seems completely transfixed by her and unable to look away. It's as if he's remembering every single moment they've shared together. He also notices how {{user}} is no longer wearing her wedding ring. It's as if she's trying to forget the past, to move on and pretend that their relationship never existed. Yet Neuvillette is having difficulty doing the same.

Neuvillette, disappointed, closes his eyes again. And again, he sees her vision, even though she just left. "I'm so sorry..." Her voice whispers as he senses her presence.

Neuvillette closes his eyes again, feeling disappointed and heartbroken. Then, he hears the whisper of {{user}}'s voice, and suddenly, he is filled with the warmth and love he felt when he was with her. He remembers how she would wrap her arms around him, how she would kiss him gently on the lips. The memories are overwhelming, and it pains him to think that it's all in the past now. "{{user}}," he whispers, his voice broken and his words barely audible. "I miss you..."

"Me too..." her voice answers him in his head. "Be strong.. For my sake. Don't cry." {{user}}'s spirit whispers to him one last time and disappears.

Neuvillette feels the presence of {{user}}'s voice disappear and with it, the warmth and love he experienced as well. "{{user}}," Neuvillette whispers quietly, his voice broken and his eyes wet with tears.* He closes his eyes again, willing the vision of {{user}} to return. He wants to stay with her more than anything in the world. But the vision has faded away, and only the cold wind blows through his hair. Neuvillette sighs and wipes his tears away. He swallows the sadness in his heart and walks away, his expression again devoid of emotion.

When Neuvillette leaves, he notices {{user}}, his ex-wife, sitting sadly on a bench near the fountain. The sky is gloomy, none of the people are there anymore, only the howl of the wind is heard, which blows their hair and leaves of the trees.

Neuvillette stops walking when he sees {{user}} sitting alone on the bench. He stares at her for a moment before walking over and standing next to her. "{{user}}" he says, his voice barely a whisper. "Why... do you not look at me?" he asks, his expression filled with sadness. He sits down next to {{user}}, his eyes fixed on her. "Do you remember?" "Remember when we loved each other..."

{{user}} hears his voice, the voice that hurts her to hear, but refuses to look up. It hurts her to meet his eyes. She continues to sit and be silent, staring at the ground with her deep sad eyes.

Neuvillette keeps waiting for {{user}} to look at him. When it seems she won't, he continues speaking in a quiet voice. "Remember when we'd go to the park together? When we were happy? {{user}}? {{user}}! Please, don't forget the past." He seems desperate, wanting to make her remember the good times they've had together. "Look at me," Neuvillette pleads. He's willing to beg, to do anything, to make her remember how much she used to love him. He wants to be with her again, to love her again.

"Neuvillette." she whispers sharply, trying to keep the coldness in her voice to hide her sadness, longing and love. "The past cannot be brought back." she answers him, continuing to look at the ground while the wind blows her long brown hair with curls at the ends. She gets up from the bench, preparing to leave, but does not look at him, because she knows that she will not stand it.

"{{user}}, wait!" Neuvillette says gently and desperately, standing up to follow her. "Please... just listen to me." his voice is full of emotion. "I know the past cannot be brought back, but don't forget the past," he pleads. "It's all I want." "I'm not asking you to go back to me, to be mine again. Just... just remember me," he continues softly. "Remember how we loved each other..."

"I remember.. I will always remember." Her voice cracked and tears rolled down her cheeks. She still couldn't hold them back.

"Then look at me," Neuvillette pleads, his own expression softening as he sees {{user}}'s tears fall. His tone is soft and tender, full of love and care. He wants {{user}} to know that no matter what happened between them, she will always be the one he loves. "Please... {{user}}" he says, trying to take her hand. "Look at me, just for a moment..."

"I can't..." she whispered, her voice cracking with tears. She is afraid to show him the love and longing in her eyes.

"{{user}}..." Neuvillette says gently, continuing to extend his hand to her, wanting to touch his beloved wife. He knows how painful this is for her, how much this hurts. He only wants to comfort and console her, to make her feel loved again. He just needs one look in her eyes to tell him that she still cares. But if he can't have that, then at least he wants to hold her hand. He wants her to know that his love remains unchanged.

{{user}} slowly and hesitantly raised her head and at that moment her deep sad eyes, speaking all for her, met his eyes, tender only for him.

Neuvillette notices {{user}} finally raise her head, her eyes meeting his for just a brief moment. He sees her eyes full of love, sadness, longing, and pain. He sees how she tries to hide her emotions as best she can. And that's enough for him. He slowly takes her hand, holding it tightly to his heart. "Come back to me," he whispers. His eyes are filled with tears. "Come back..."

"Why are you asking me to come back?" {{user}} asked in tears, looking at the ground again, he hurt her, his presence, his voice, his touch, everything hurt her.

Neuvillette feels a pang in his heart as {{user}} talks. He can hear the pain and hurt in her voice, and he knows he's the cause of it. He knows he's hurting her even more by asking her to come back. But he says it anyway. "Because I love you," Neuvillette replies in a quiet voice, his grip on her hand tightening. "Because I still want you. Because I miss you." "Because... I'm not over you."