2. MISCARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

CELESTE 

“Is she going to be okay? Please… don’t tell her what happened,” a familiar voice echoed.

The steady beep of a monitor dragged me from sleep. My head throbbed violently as if something was drumming in my skull. I tried sitting up, and immediately regretted it.

I dug my nails into the sheet as pain shot through me.

“Celeste?” My father rushed over to my side, worry etched in every line of his face. 

“Thank goodness… What happened? How did you collapse?” His lips moved, but I barely processed anything. The antiseptic smell hit my nose, making me feel dizzy.

Why am I in a hospital?

I tried to recall what happened, and then the memories came rushing back. Declan… the restaurant… the pictures. My breath caught.

“Where is Declan?” My voice came out barely as a whisper.

Father’s face stiffened. “He… he just left.”

The lie was too smooth. Did he even know I was here? Or was he still wrapped in another woman’s arms, forgetting I existed?

I reached for my phone on the nightstand, but a searing pain ripped through my lower abdomen like a knife twisting in my gut. I gasped, cramps twisting me back onto the bed, and then I felt something sticky between my legs.

“What’s happening?” I gasped, meeting the doctor’s eyes.

“You need to rest…” he said, but I barely heard him.

“What the hell is happening to me? Why does it feel like I have been run over by a truck in my stomach, when I hit my head?”

The doctor shifted his gaze to meet my father, and I knew what was coming couldn’t be good.    

“I’m sorry,” the doctor said. “We couldn’t save the baby.”

“Baby?” I stared at my father whose hands shook as he held mine, trying to calm me, but my mind was elsewhere. 

“What baby is he talking about, dad?” my throat burned as a tear slipped down my eyes. “I simply passed out from exhaustion. That is what happened, right doctor?”

My father looked away, unable to meet my eyes.

“I thought you knew,” the doctor’s words came out barely above a whisper.

“Was… I pregnant?”

He nodded. “You were three months pregnant. If we had tried to save the baby, your life would have been endangered—’

I didn’t hear the rest of it. I carried a life inside me and I didn’t even know? How? How can I just find out? Why is no one saying anything? Is this some kind of a joke?

I gasped for air, but the more I struggled, the harder it became.

“Celeste, look at me,” My father said, holding my hands. “I need you to calm down.”

Their words echoed in the distance, and all I could think about was my baby. I didn’t even get to know the gender. 

Oh God.

“Give her the injection now!” I heard the doctor yelling out orders, and then everything went dark.

……

“I want to go home,” I demanded.

"Your body is still weak,” the doctor tried to reason with me, but there was nothing anyone would say that I’d listen to.

Declan still hadn’t shown up. Either he didn’t care if I lived or died, or he was having the best time of his life with his side piece, but I am done. I won’t sit here and wait for him anymore.

The only reason he could treat me like this was because he knew I was weak. If only my wolf weren’t injured. If only I hadn’t gone into the woods that night… I inhaled sharply, brushing off the thought. I have done enough self-pity. It is time to move on.

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t lift a finger at home,” My father assured the worried doctor before he finally agreed to release me. 

My body ached with each step I took and I knew the doctor was right. I should be in bed, resting, but some things cannot be delayed. As soon as we settled in my father’s car, I broke the silence.

“Get your lawyers to prepare my divorce papers. I’m done with this marriage.”

My father glanced at me for a moment, but he kept whatever he was about to say to himself. He called his lawyers, and he drove me to his mansion to rest.

The days blurred together and Declan didn’t come looking for me once. I bet he thought I’d come back to him as usual, but that is where he had it wrong. I got dressed, applied a little makeup to hide the swelling, and went home.

I didn’t expect him to be at home, so I was just going to drop the papers and ask the maids to inform him about it, but when I got there, his car was parked outside, and I could hear his voice coming from his study.

He was at home, and he didn’t bother to look for me.

I knocked once, before pushing the door open.

“I thought I said no one should disturb me—” 

He raised his head, his eyes flashing with rage, waiting to yell at the maid who was supposed to be standing in front of him, when he realised it was me.

His eyes flickered with something unreadable, before it was replaced with a frown.

“We’ll continue the meeting later,” he said, facing his computer. He ended the call before turning his attention back to me.

“Where have you been?”

I didn’t answer his question. At least, not with words. I threw the divorce papers on his desk, taking him by surprise.

“What is this?” he arched his brows as he picked up the divorce papers that were still in a brown envelope. He tore it open, bringing out the papers, and scoffed in disbelief. 

“So it's about the anniversary.” He muttered to himself. “Listen, I didn’t show up because—”

“Because you were busy fucking your secretary,” I cut him off, taking him by surprise. He snapped his head up, and a humourless smile tugged my lips. 

“I am not as stupid as you think, Declan. If you hated this marriage that much, all you had to do was say it. Why waste both of our time?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about, but Avery is…”

“Save it,” I said dismissively. “You didn’t have an excuse when I needed one. Just sign them.”

“You cannot divorce me over a speculation, Celeste. What the hell are you even thinking? Is your father aware of this?” His frown deepened as he stared at me like I was the one who had been unfaithful.

“I had his lawyers prepare the papers,” I said, throwing a pen to his chest. “Happy now.”

“Of course, you did,” he snorted. “Is there a thing you can do without his help?” 

His jaw ticked and for a moment, one would think this was about me. 

“Seriously? You are going to blame me for going to my father for help when you left me for dead?” My body shook violently as I stared at him in disbelief. “Where is your conscience? How did you sleep at night knowing someone's life became hell because of you?”

“You are the one who wanted this marriage so badly!” he snapped, shutting me up. “You won, okay? You got everything you wanted thanks to daddy’s connection, but I warned you in advance, so let’s not pretend this isn’t just another marriage of convenience.”

My lips parted, but I could barely make out any sound.

So this was all I was worth. One year… reduced to nothing.

A convenience.

“Sign the papers,” I swallowed, sniffing back the tears that blurred my vision.

He ran his hands through his hair, looking between me and the papers. “This is why werewolves should never marry anyone aside their mates. Look at us now…”

“The papers!”

I said through gritted teeth. A tear slipped down my cheeks and I brushed it off harshly.

“You'll regret this,” he muttered.

“That is up for me to decide. What is there to regret about a man who murdered our baby due to negligence and didn’t even bat an eye?”

“Mur-murdered?” He scoffed, almost choking on his spit. “What are you talking about?” his face drained of color as he stepped away from his desk.  

“Were you… pregnant?”

“It’s too late to act like a caring father now, isn’t it?” I furrowed my brows, blinking back the tears that spilled all over my cheeks.

“Celeste…” his voice dropped, barely above a whisper. ‘Can we talk like an adult for once and forget the tantrums?”

“Tantrums?! That is the word you have for your wife who passed out and lost your baby due to emotional stress, and you didn’t bother to check on her? Declan, you were my fucking best friend! We got married for one year and then what? I suddenly became your enemy?”

His eyes flickered with guilt, but it was too late now.

“Celeste…”

“Just sign the papers. There’s no need for pretence. The only thing you’ve ever wanted was freedom, isn’t it? To marry the woman you love without anyone holding you back. I free you, Declan. So sign the goddamn papers.”

His gaze shifted between me and the papers, and I could see it in his eyes. He was really considering it.

This is the man who vowed to protect me forever. Memories of our childhood came rushing back. How he’d constantly stand up for me, protect me and share his dreams with me.

Our marriage was a dream come true, but apparently, that was only for me and I had to pay a heavy price for it.

“I don’t have all day, Declan,” I hissed.

He picked a pen from his desk and scribbled his signature on the papers, breaking a lifetime commitment in seconds.

My throat burned.

My heart felt like it was being torn apart, and yet, the man I’d gladly take a bullet for saw me as a convenience.

“Celeste,” he called, handing the papers back to me.

“I’ll send someone over to pack my luggage.”

I turned my back on him for the first time since I’d met him, and even though he was the one who broke me first, walking away still felt like my entire world had shattered.