The Divorce Papers

Daisy's pov

One week had passed since Cooper’s mother died. One week of Cooper not saying a single word to me. The silence had become a living thing between us.

He moved through the house like I wasn’t there—showering, grabbing his keys, leaving before dawn, returning long after dark. No eye contact. Only a heavy, suffocating silent treatment. Tonight, I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to tell him about the baby. Maybe the news would change things between us. Maybe I’d see a smile return to Cooper’s face again.

I came home that evening with the words ready on my tongue. The house was dark, and the whole place felt cold and quiet.

“Sign it, Daisy.”

His voice came out of the dark, cutting through the quietness. I startled so hard my keys dropped to the floor. My fingers found the switch. The lights came on.

Cooper sat on the sofa, whisky glass dangling from his fingers. His eyes were swollen and red, like he’d been crying for hours. The sight of him—tie gone, shirt wrinkled and shoulders slumped, broke me completely.

“Sign what?” I whispered.

He slid the thick envelope across the table without looking at me. “The divorce papers. Let’s not drag this out.”

My breath caught. I walked over to him fast. “Cooper, no. We can’t do this. Not like this. Please.”

I reached for his arm, desperate to touch the man I still loved more than anything. He pushed me. I stumbled backwards and landed on the floor, one hand flying to my stomach.

He stood up, staring down at me. “I can’t stand the sight of you right now.”

I pushed myself up slowly, legs trembling. “Why does everyone blame me for everything? Why am I suddenly responsible for what Tristan did? I didn’t force him to get drunk. I didn’t put him behind the wheel that night.”

Cooper’s head snapped up. His face twisted with something ugly. “Your father, of all people, sentenced my only brother to twenty-five years. Twenty-five years. Why couldn’t he show even a shred of mercy? Just a lighter sentence, that's all I asked. But no—Judge Benedict Donovan had to make an example out of him. Because that's what your father does, Daisy. He ruins lives and calls it justice.”

His voice kept rising, louder and meaner than I had ever heard it. I stood frozen, terrified of this stranger wearing my husband’s face.

“Cooper, a man has died!” I screamed back, tears burning hot down my cheeks. “Your brother killed a man on his honeymoon. Don’t you get it?”

His eyes flashed with raw pain. “My mother is also dead, Daisy!” Tears spilled down his face. “She died because of your self-righteous, egotistic father. And you still defend him.”

My chest ached so badly that I could barely speak. “Cooper… I’m so sorry.”

He looked at me then, eyes full of everything we used to be. For one heartbeat, I saw the man I married. Then it was gone.

He wiped his face roughly. “Daisy, I love you. God knows I love you so much… but I can’t live with you anymore. I look at you, and all I see is everything I’ve lost.”

I stared at him in disbelief. The man in front of me had already given up on me. On everything we've been through. “You said it was always me and you. We can get through anything if we stand together. Please.”

I reached out and touched his arm. “Baby, can't you see you're breaking my heart?" I whispered, one hand clutching my chest.

He stared at my hand for a long moment before pulling away. His voice came out rough and cold. “This marriage is over.”

“Cooper, please,” I begged, my palm pressing to my belly. “Fight for me. Fight for us. I'm carrying your—"

“Shut up, Daisy.” His words cut me off sharp. “Accept it and move on. You’re pathetic when you beg.”

That sealed my mouth completely. The words about the baby died in my throat.

He swayed slightly from the whisky and braced himself on the edge of the sofa.

“I’ll stay at a hotel until you’re gone. Pack your things and get out of my house.”

Then he walked out. The door clicked shut behind him, and the silence that followed was deafening.

My legs gave out. I sank to the floor right there in the living room, knees hitting the floor with a dull thud. For a long moment, I just stared at our wedding photo on the wall—me laughing in my white dress, Cooper looking at me like I was water, and he was thirsty.

Tears spilled hot down my face.

Still on my knees, I crawled across the floor to the table. My hands shook so badly that I could barely pick up the pen. I signed the papers anyway, the ink smearing under wet drops that kept falling. When I finished, I set the pen down slowly.

“It’s okay,” I whispered, pressing a hand to my belly. My voice cracked. “It’s alright, little one. Daddy’s just sad right now, but we’re going to be okay without him. You and me. I promise.”

I sat up, folded forward, and curled myself tight on my knees, arms wrapped around my stomach like I could shield the baby from all of this. With my forehead pressed to my knees. I patted my own back slowly, the way I wished someone would pat mine.

“It’s okay,” I kept saying through the sobs. “We’re going to be okay.”