Chapter 02: The Morning After

SOPHIA

The next morning, there was a deep quietness in the house. After I had spent all the night thinking and losing my mind in different directions.

My mind was filled with many questions yet no answer when I finally woke up from the bedroom.

Liam was already in the kitchen preparing some coffee for me. He looked up as I walked in, his expressions were hopeful yet anxiousness crept on his face.

“Morning". He said softly.

"Morning”. I replied with my voice above the whisper. I avoided his gaze and the tension within me was really suffocating.

“Did you sleep well? Don't tell me you were still thinking". He asked though he already knew the answer.

I shook my head. “Not much".

He nodded, the silence between us was heavy with unspoken words, but I never cared about his thoughts.

I poured myself some coffee in my cup just to refresh myself, and was about to leave his space before he drew my attention.

“Sophia". Liam hesitantly. I’ve been thinking……about what you said".

"I thought we’ve sought this out, please don't remind me of the past”. I swiftly interjected.

“I want to do whatever it takes to make this right, I need to talk to Ava to figure out what role I need to play…..in the child's life to know if it's never a set up”.

“How do you think this is a better idea? She's fighting to be a wife not just for the sake of the child”.

"That's why we need to stick together, this is the time I need you the most, together we can overcome this".

I finally looked at him, my heart aching at the sincerity in his eyes.

“I appreciate that Liam, this is not about us figuring your role or finding the truth but this is about our future, I need to understand how this changes things between us”.

He set his cup down, stepping closer to me. “It doesn't change how I feel about you. You're my wife Sophia and you're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. This situation is unexpected, but it doesn't change what we have”.

“But it does,”. I countered, my voice laced with pain. “It changes everything, Liam. There's a child, a child who might need you, who might take over every priority in our lives. How am I supposed to fit into that?”.

“Don't you believe in our marriage? Don't you trust me anymore? How could you say these things you're my wife and why are you losing your position as a wife”.

Liam reached out to touch my arm, but I stepped back, the distance between us growing. He looked hurt but I didn't push further.

“I don't have all the answers,” He admitted, his voice soft. “But I’m willing to find them with you. I’m willing to work through this no matter how difficult it is”.

“I need time”, I repeated the words that feel like a broken record. “I need time to figure out what I want and what I can handle”.

Liam nodded, though I could see the fear in his eyes- the fear of leaving him.

“Since you always request for more time to fix things I will give you all the time you need but promise me you won't shut me out completely”. He said, his voice barely a whisper.

I nodded, unable to trust my voice. The truth was I didn't know what I was going to do. The future that had once seemed so clear was now shrouded in uncertainty and I was terrified of what lay ahead.

Later that day after Liam left for work I found myself pacing the sitting room. My mind was still flooded with a lot of questions.

I knew I couldn't keep avoiding this. I needed to reach out to Ava to know the reasons for her threat.

Her contact was saved on my phone the day I came across her revealing sms.

With trembling hands I picked up my phone and dialed Ava’s number, I hesitated, the thumb hovering over the call button.

What if she confirmed all my worst fears? What if this child really wasn't for Liam's, and our marriage was destined to be forever altered.

But I need to know. I pressed the call button and held the phone to my ear, my heart pounding in my chest. The line ranges once, twice and then.

“Hello?" Ava’s voice came through the line, cautious and uncertain.

“It's Sophia,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “I think we need to talk".

“Sorry I don't know who you are, properly introduce yourself better and do you get my contact?".

“Just as I said earlier on I’m Sophia". I paused, took a deep breath then proceeded further. “I’m Liam's wife, I got your contact from his phone".

"So how may I help you?”.

“I saw your message on his phone claiming him to be the father of your child”.

"And what's your business with that?”. She swiftly interjected.

“Please I don't mean no harm, you don't need to be harsh, I just need to find out some things, can we meet today?".

There was a pause on the other end, and I could almost hear Ava's intense breathing.

“I’ve no Business with you, I'm only fighting for my rights and your husband needs to take up his responsibility".

"Then let's meet to sort this out amicably”.

“So what's the plan?".

“What plan?.

"The meeting plan of course, aren't you going to choose where we meet?”

I glanced around the house, the walls feeling like they were closing in on me.

“There's a cafe downtown, the Garden Terrace. Can you get there in an hour?”.

“I don't think so but I will let you know if I’ll be chance". She said, her voice steady.

As I hung up the phone, a mix of dread and determination settled in my chest.

I needed to hear everything to understand what had happened and to decide what it meant for me, for Liam and for our marriage.