I Didn’t Mean to Divorce You

LAURA — 02“Congratulations, you’re pregnant,” he said but my brows had lifted in shock. He handed me a piece of paper and true to his words, records were all positive for pregnancy.Slowly, tears gathered in my eyes. My hands went to my lips as my body broke into a sob. “B—but the PCOS?” My voice broke.“PCOS makes it harder, not impossible,” he replied, his eyes glinting with hope and my tears increased. When the diagnosis came four years ago, I sobbed into Michael’s shirt. He’d said, ‘No child is worth your joy. We’ll grow old anyway.’ I believed him. PCOS had taught me to stop hoping. I learned to love the life we had.He made peace with our childlessness long before I did. At least, I thought he had.This was a miracle. My little angel. The doctor gave me some privacy and I grabbed my phone. My hands started to type but something struck me. This was a surprise, too good to just speak about on the phone like it wasn’t a miracle.I dialed his number noting with relief that he wa

LAURA — 04His mask lay cracked on the tile. I barely registered the sound, rage was all I could hear.Michael kept his eyes closed. When he finally opened them, something flickered there but it was gone before I could name it.Regret? Guilt? Maybe shame…it was gone, replaced with an emptiness that made me shiver.“I don’t know what you think this is, Laura — his eyes held a tiredness I had never seen before. Dark circles and eye bags — but I never asked you to come.” His tone was cold.I shifted back a bit, taking him in. This wasn’t my husband. Not the man I knew. Not the man I loved.“What has gotten into you, Michael? We always come to these things as a couple. We’ve been doing so for four years. How could you do this to me?” I questioned, my voice shaky.He remained stoic, his hands firmly in his pockets. “Michael?’ I pushed, needing him to say something. Anything but he stood motionless for more than a minute.He suddenly pinched the bridge of his nose “Go home, please,” his v

Chapter Six_Laura’s POVKayla stood in front of me with her arms crossed, a smirk fixed on her face. The hospital files were in her hands, just out of reach.“Give it to me,” I said, trying to sound firm, though my voice trembled.She tilted her head, letting her smirk grow wider. “Oh no, Laura. You think you can just take this report and use it to tie Michael down? That won’t happen. Not on my watch.”I stepped closer, my fingers brushing the edge of the file. “I just need it. It’s my report.”Her laugh cut through the place. “Your baby? Please. Don’t make me laugh. I know you are trying to use it to play games with Michael, and I won’t let anyone manipulate him, not even you.”I tried to reach for the file, with my hands trembling. “I just want my report—please. It’s mine, it’s my baby, I have a right—”“You have a right?” Kayla interrupted, her voice dripping with mockery. “Look at you, Laura. Weak and helpless. Crying on the floor already. Do you really think a man like Michael wi

Chapter Eight—Laura's PovI didn’t sleep.I lay there staring at the ceiling, listening to the house breathe. Every sound felt like an insult. Every second felt stolen.I sat up slowly since I was unable to sleep at that moment, my head pounding, my eyes swollen, my body heavy, but my mind was strangely clear. Clear in a way it hadn’t been since last night. Since the party. Since the lies finally showed their faces.I wasn’t going to let this happen quietly.No.I had watched too many movies. Read too many books. Women like me were always the ones who cried, packed their bags, and disappeared while the other woman stepped neatly into their lives like she had always belonged there.I wasn’t doing that.I wrapped the duvet tighter around myself and whispered it out loud, just to hear it. “I won’t be weak.”My voice sounded strange not confident, not strong.Kayla was not going to walk in here and take my husband like I was already dead. She wasn’t going to erase five years and replace th

Chapter Ten—Laura's PovI was already dressed in the long gown. It skimmed my ankles, simple but elegant. The bump wasn’t showing yet, but I made sure it stayed hidden. I couldn’t let anyone realize I was pregnant.The stairs felt longer than usual as I walked down. Then I saw Michael standing in the doorway, calm as always, but with that weight in his chest that said decisions had already been made.I was about to open the front door, ready to escape, ready to run from this suffocating tension, when he moved closer to me. Just enough. Enough to stop me. He placed the divorce papers in front of me flatly on the floor, heavy with the end of everything I thought I had.I laughed shortly and bitterly. “You’re joking,” I said. My eyes darted around the room. Kayla wasn’t here, I told him. “Stop pretending, Michael.”His face stayed cold and unreadable. “I’m serious, Laura. I’m truly tired of this marriage.”I shook my head. “Tired? Don’t be so dramatic.” My hands went to my bag, and I pul