3. More Pain

Samantha’s POV

As if Georgia looking down on me isn’t enough, even Victoria makes a mockery of my marriage with Damian. All I’ve ever wanted was to live with the man I love, to be accepted for who I am. But with the Sterlings, such things are impossible.

“Even my husband’s secretary doesn’t acknowledge me as his wife. I’ve been married to Damian for two years now, and they still call me Miss Gregory,” I sob, burying my face in my palms on the way back to the Sterling mansion.

It’s already past seven in the evening when I arrive, and the maids don’t even bother to greet me, like always. Everyone treats me like air in this cold mansion… or shall I say a prison I willingly stepped into the day I married Damian.

It was painful at first, but I grew numb. I chose to spare my heart and accept every humiliation from his family… believing it was all worth it. Believing he was worth it.

But is he?

When his cold gaze landed on me earlier, I knew he had enough. I tried to shake it off, but instead of choosing my side, he chased me away.

“Ugh! Look at her sobbing like a lost child. The young master must have scolded her again,” one of the maids sneered from the kitchen.

I had already cried in the cab, my throat had gone dry now. Normally, I would ignore their whispers, but tonight… I couldn’t pretend anymore.

“Excuse me?” I said, facing the maid who seemed to know everything about my marriage. “Is it your hobby to pry into someone else’s life?”

“W-What? Hmp!” she stammered, startled, dropping the plate she was wiping.

The porcelain shattered against the marble floor, the sound echoing through my head.

“H-Hey! Look at what you did. If it weren’t for you suddenly talking like that, I wouldn’t have dropped it,” she snapped, pointing at me.

Her outburst drew attention, but before the others could gather, I turned away to pour myself a glass of water.

“What a bitch,” another maid muttered. “Let’s see if she can still act so cocky when the Young Master divorces her. The Sterlings deserve a better daughter-in-law, not someone from the streets.”

I shut my eyes tightly, taking a deep breath. This wasn’t the first time I’d heard them talk about me like that. But it was the second time I heard the word divorce. This time, even coming from the maids.

Was Damian truly considering it? Even Victoria had whispered about it earlier, standing beside that woman clinging to him like a koala.

First, he refused to take me as his partner at tonight’s party. Then he pretended not to know me in front of her. And now… divorce. Even the maids sound certain, while I, his wife, know nothing. Is he planning to drop the bomb without warning?

“No, Damian would never do that. He would talk to me first. He always tells me his plans,” I whispered, shaking my head in denial.

“Stop spouting nonsense,” I warned the maid before walking away.

Damian had promised he would never give up on us. He worked hard to regain his mother’s trust for the sake of our relationship. In return, I lived the way his family wanted. I endured their harsh words, their cruelty, even his sister’s slaps.

He would rub my swollen face gently before bed and assure me everything would be okay.

Now, I lie on the bed hugging a pillow, staring at nothing. The ticking clock is the only sound in the room. Too quiet. Too heavy. My heartbeat grows rapidly.

“It’s already past three a.m… Where are you?” My stomach churns at the thought of where he could be. Damian never stays out past nine.

I grab my phone and dial his number, my hands trembling. There’s no answer.

“Please… just once. I need to know where you are.” I tried again, but it’s the same.

I gave up on calling him and decided to send him a message instead when a notification buzzed. My breath halted, staring at the headline popping on my phone screen.

A wedding of the century? Damian Sterling is to marry Lorraine Belrose.

“What the…” I cover my mouth in shock, glaring at the news. Not only the headline hurts, but also the pictures with Damian kissing another woman.

I feel a pang in my chest as warm tears spill down my cheeks.

“T-That kiss must be an accident. I’m sure the divorce idea was his mother’s,” I whisper, my voice breaking as I convince myself. “Georgia always finds ways to break us apart. This time she’s forcing him to leave me… to pair him with Lorraine Belrose.”

Tears blur my vision as I whisper words of comfort to myself…. words Damian should be saying. This battle was never supposed to be mine alone. I thought we were in this together. But he won’t even answer my calls. And now even the headlines seem to give me answers I never ask.

What if he obeys his mother? He can’t always resist her. Georgia’s grip has always been stronger.

The hours drag on, each minute stretching into eternity. I keep glancing at the door, hoping it will open, hoping he’ll walk in and tell me none of it is true. But the door remains shut, and the silence grows louder.

The night stretches endlessly, and his absence makes me feel restless. My hand instinctively moves to my stomach. I haven't told Damian yet.

The thought of bringing an innocent child into this chaotic world amid the storm twists my heart. How can I raise our baby in this house? Tears well again, but this time, they aren't just for me but also for the tiny heartbeat inside me.

“Please… Please don’t give up on me, Damian.”