Chapter 3

Ivy's POV

Sienna was finally moving in, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I had begged, fought, and cried for days, but Rowan remained unmoved.

The sound of their laughter floated up from downstairs, loud, carefree giggles that twisted the knife deeper into my chest. They were celebrating their new beginning while I sat alone in the bedroom that used to be ours, my hand gently rubbing my still-flat tummy. This child was the only thing keeping me anchored right now, a tiny spark of hope in the ruins of my life.

The door burst open with a violent bang. Rowan stormed in, slamming it shut behind him so hard the walls vibrated. He tossed the divorce papers onto the bed, letting out a long, exaggerated breath.

“Are you not tired yet?” he asked, his voice dripping with irritation. “I’ve been trying to put up with you, Ivy, but I can’t do it any longer. I’m tired of you. I want you to leave my house.”

I rose to my feet in slow motion, my legs trembling., but my hand never left my stomach. “Is Sienna aware that I’ve been the one doing everything for you? That you can’t even cater to yourself? Does she know the kind of parasite she’s welcoming into her life?”

He sneered, crossing his arms over his chest. “You don’t need to worry about us. I’ll get a job. I’ll work hard and take care of everybody… Sienna, the baby, and me.”

I cut in immediately. “So why haven’t you been working hard all these years? Even if I divorce you, there will be nothing for me to lose. You are so empty, Rowan. The only thing you’re good at is shouting and giving orders. I really pity Sienna, because she has no idea what kind of problem she’s getting herself into.”

Rowan’s face twisted with rage. He took a step closer, jabbing a finger toward me. ““You think you’re so high and mighty because you paid a few bills? Newsflash, Ivy… I never asked you to do any of that! You chose to play the savior, and now you want to hold it over my head like a weapon. Sienna actually makes me feel like a man. She looks up to me. She doesn’t nag me every single day about jobs and responsibilities.”

I laughed bitterly. “Makes you feel like a man? By letting you leech off her the way you leeched off me? I paid your tuition before we got married. I covered the rent for three years straight while you sat on the couch scrolling through your phone. I took extra shifts, borrowed money, skipped meals, just so you could find yourself. And what did I get in return? Betrayal. A stepsister pregnant with your child. You discarded me the moment someone younger and more exciting came along.”

He rolled his eyes, but I could see the flicker of guilt he quickly buried under anger. “Here we go again with the sacrifice speech. Yes, you did all that. And I’m supposed to be grateful forever? I stayed out of obligation, Ivy. You were comfortable. Safe. Boring. Sienna… She's fire. She excites me. She doesn’t come home exhausted every night complaining about how hard life is.”

My chest tightened, but I refused to crumble. Not this time. “Boring? I became boring because I was busy being the husband, the provider, everything in this marriage! You wanted freedom? Fine. But don’t you dare stand there and rewrite history. You were jobless when I met you. School was a waste of my money, you barely passed because I was the one staying up late helping you study. I suggested you learn a trade, something practical, but no. You always had excuses. I’m meant for bigger things. The right opportunity will come.’ Well, look at you now. The only big thing you’ve accomplished is getting two women pregnant and destroying one home.”

Rowan’s breathing grew heavier. He paced the room like a caged animal, his fists clenched. “You think you’re perfect? Always the victim. I did this, I did that. You enjoyed playing the strong woman. It made you feel needed. But let’s be honest, you’re not even good at being a wife. Sienna doesn’t do that. She wants me. She desires me.”

I stepped forward, refusing to back down. “Desires you? She desires the illusion of you, the one I built with my blood and sweat. Once the honeymoon phase ends, she’ll see the real Rowan. The one who can’t hold a job for more than a month. The one who throws tantrums when things don’t go his way. The one who hits a woman because his words aren’t enough.”

His eyes flashed with fury. “Watch your mouth, Ivy.”

“Or what?” I shot back, my voice rising. “You’ll slap me again? Like the coward you are? Go ahead. Show me exactly what kind of man you are. A woman-beater. A liar. You call me boring? I gave up my dreams, my friends, my future… for you. And for what? So you could run to my stepsister behind my back?”

Rowan laughed mockingly, but it sounded forced. “Your stepsister? She’s not even blood-related, so spare me the moral high ground. Three days, Ivy. Sign the papers or I’ll drag you out myself. Sienna is moving in, and this house will finally feel like a home.”

Tears burned in my eyes, but I blinked them back. “A home? This house was never yours. I paid for it. Everything in here has my sweat on it. You want peace? Then leave. Go start your new life somewhere else. But don’t think for a second that I’ll make this easy for you. I’m keeping my child, and I’ll fight for every single thing I’m owed. Child support. My investments. My dignity. You think Sienna won? She inherited a deadbeat who’ll ruin her life the same way he ruined mine.”

He lunged forward, grabbing my arm roughly. “You’re not taking anything from me. You hear me? I built this life too…”

“You built nothing!” I yanked my arm free, my voice echoing through the room. “You are weak, Rowan. A man who preys on women who are foolish enough to love him. I see you clearly now. And when Sienna finally does too, don’t come crawling back. Because I won’t be here waiting like the fool I once was.”

The argument stretched on, words flying like daggers. He accused me of being controlling, of emasculating him, of never giving him space.

Downstairs, Sienna’s giggles had long since stopped. I wondered if she was listening, realizing the monster she had invited in.

Finally, exhausted but unbroken, I stood tall despite the dizziness creeping in again. My hand pressed firmly against my belly. “Get out of my room, Rowan.”

Rowan glared at me one last time, his face red with fury. He turned towards the door, but paused, throwing one final venomous look over his shoulder.

“You think this is over? Just wait until the baby comes. Or better yet… wait until you find out the truth about that pregnancy.”

My heart stuttered. Before I could demand what he meant, he slammed the door behind him, leaving me alone with the divorce papers and a chilling sense of dread.

Which truth?