CHAPTER 1.

                    Amanda's POV

Boom!!!

The second balloon popped from where I had hung  it earlier in the day, jolting me out of my thought, the tiny pieces falling on the bed.

I watched as the clocked ticked again, signalling another hour added to the ones I had ticked down. 

He wasn't still back from work, I moved to the kitchen and started heating the food I had prepared all over again.

"Maybe it's work, my husband is so good at his job that he has to stay longer to round up things. It's his company though, he has it at heart." I muttered to myself while turning of the microwave for the third time that night.

I knew I was making excuses for him again, he didn't come home last night too and it was already late in the night today.

This was our third year Anniversary, he wouldn't miss it for anything. I had stayed up all day decorating our room, I made his favourite dishes, ordered for his favorite wine, he would be back in no time.

The clock ticked louder but my heart slamming against my chest was the loudest, I sat on the little cushion in our shared bedroom, running my fingers around the little box I had kept our anniversary gift in, this was sure to make him happy.

12AM 

The clock ticked again, the hole in my heart deepened.

"What's happening here?" His voiced pulled me out of my thoughts.

I turned to the door, my face lit up as my eyes fell on my husband, the man I had loved earnestly for years now.

He stood there, his expression stoic, he didn't look happy but I was sure with everything I had planned tonight, he would come out of it.

"Hey babe, happy wedding anniversary." I announced as I walked over to meet him.

"What's this about?" He asked as his eyes raked the room.

"I was trying to put something together for us to celebrate today, don't mind how it looks, I'm not really good at these decorations." I said smiling to hide my nervousness.

"And what's so special about the day that you had to litter my room with such stuff." He asked, his eyes boring holes in my head.

"It's our anniversary baby – "

"What's there to celebrate about it? I have told you countless times on this same day that I don't share in the reason for this celebration."

He was right, he had said it on our first anniversary, he had also said it on our second anniversary, was I being too delusional to understand he wouldn't change his mind even if it was our seventh anniversary?

"I'm sorry Babe, I just thought it would be a nice idea to do this." I said twirling the hem of my skirt in embarrassment.

"What part of relationship will it change? don't you think it'll be better if we both ignored it? Every year you keep reminding me of my misery, this day is not worth celebrating, you know it's my biggest life mistake."

"Our marriage was a mistake?" I asked in shock.

"The biggest I've ever made." He replied with disgusted look on his face, the same one I've been used to for the past years of our marriage.

"Okay, come inside, I'll go downstairs to arrange your dinner." I said trying hard to fight back tears, I was used to the harsh words anyways.

He walked inside the room, that was when I noticed the figure behind him, someone had been standing at his back the whole time.

"Selene?" I half asked.

My younger sister was standing behind him with an expression I couldn't read.

"What are you doing here by this time? Is everything okay at home?" I asked.

She didn't reply, she walked inside and sat on the cushion, the same one he was sitting on.

I watched the both of them in shock and silence, hoping one person would break it and tell me what was going on, but they were both quiet.

"Can you guys tell me what's going on? Ryan, why did you bring my sister to the house by this time?"

"I'm moving in." Selene said without looking into my eyes, she focused them on the red balloon I had tied over the bed.

Looking at it now, I felt silly.

"Moving in? Why am I just finding out about it now? Is everything okay?" I asked still not making sense of what was happening.

"Ryan go ahead and tell her, I don't have the energy for this please."

My eyes moved from my younger sister to my husband who was resting his back on the chair, eyes closed.

I hated the fact that something was happening and I was the only one with no idea of what it was. Had my parents called him to bring her home? Was there trouble at home? The more questions I had, the more confused I became.

"Amanda, I want a divorce."

The words made something snap in my head, I didn't know if I had heard wrong but at the same time, it was clear and loud.

"What did you say?"

"We both know this marriage thing isn't working, been with you is torture and I'm not ready to do that for the rest of my life, I don't want this anymore and right now, the only thing I want is to be free from you."

"Free from me? A divorce? Ryan what has gotten into you? This is our third year anniversary, we're supposed to be celebrating it together, not you telling me about a divorce."

The thought of it made my heart sink, it felt like the news had constricted my air flow, I was struggling to breath while fighting back tears.

"But, what went wrong? Selene, please talk to Ryan, help me plead with him, he wants to divorce me." I pleaded with my sister who had a bored expression on her face.

He was doing this to me in front of my family member.

"She can't do anything about it , isn't it obvious Amanda? I am marrying selene, she's already carrying my child."

The room fell silent, the only thing I could hear was the echoes of his words in my head, my world went dark.