Chapter 3

ESSIE

News?”

I ignored Bella completely, unable to understand how anything about this situation could possibly be good. My husband had cheated on me. He had brought his mistress into our home.

Turning to Leo, I spoke softly. “You didn’t come home last night.”

I clasped my trembling hands together tightly, trying to not show weakness.

“I made dinner…umm your favorite.” My voice cracked slightly. “I thought we would talk… like we used to.”

Leo didn’t answer, he didn’t even look at me. Instead, his fingers moved lazily along Bella’s arm while she leaned comfortably against him.

And I watched them.. Bella sat gracefully in a flowing dress that reached her legs. Her golden hair cascaded in soft waves past her shoulders, and creating a warm, radiant glow around her. Delicate features framed her face…her eyes bright, long lashes.

They ignored me like I wasn’t there like I didn’t exist.

A sharp ache spread through my chest. I wanted to scream at him, to demand answers and break something.

But beneath the anger was something far more humiliating. I still wanted him to look at me.

“Essie.”

I looked up immediately.

The coldness in his eyes made my stomach twist. There was no guilt there or softness. Only exhaustion.

“Why are you making this harder than it needs to be?” he asked quietly.

Bella let out a soft laugh beside him.

I stared at him in disbelief. “What?”

Leo sighed and finally stood, gently moving Bella aside before walking toward me.

“You keep acting like nothing has changed.” His gaze swept over me coldly. “But it has.”

My throat tightened painfully. “We can fix this,” I whispered quickly. “I know things have been difficult lately, but every marriage goes through problems. We can try again.”

“Our marriage?” Leo repeated sharply. He gave a short laugh, though there was no humor in it.

“Essie, do you honestly think this marriage has been working?”

His words hit harder than shouting would have. I blinked rapidly against the tears threatening to spill.

“I stayed with you when you had nothing,” I said weakly. “We built everything together.”

“And I appreciated that.” His tone remained calm….detached. “But I want more than loyalty, Essie.”

A terrible feeling settled heavily in my chest.

“Leo…” My voice shook. “Don’t do this.”

“What exactly am I doing?” he asked. “I waited two years. Two years of doctors, treatments, false hope…” His jaw tightened briefly before he continued. “I want a family. I want a child.”

Tears blurred my vision instantly. “We can keep trying,” I whispered desperately.

Bella crossed one leg over the other and sighed dramatically. “Leo, just tell her already.”

My breathing became uneven.

Leo looked at me for a long moment before speaking.

“Bella is pregnant.”

The room went silent, my head spinning lightly. Everything inside me stopped. Bella smiled slowly, one hand resting possessively against her stomach.

“She’s carrying my child,” Leo continued. “My heir.”

The words hollowed me out completely. I took a shaky step backward, my legs suddenly weak.

“She’s… pregnant?” I repeated faintly.

Pain spread through my body so violently it almost felt physical. “How long?” I asked quietly.

Leo shrugged. “Long enough.”

A broken sound escaped my throat before I could stop it. I lowered myself onto the edge of the couch because my knees could no longer hold me.

“What about me?” I whispered.

My voice sounded small, Pathetic. “I’m your wife.”

Bella laughed softly under her breath. Leo’s expression remained unreadable.

“I don’t know,” he said flatly. “But this marriage is over.”

“No…” I shook my head immediately. “No, Leo, please. You can’t mean that.”

“I do.”

Tears spilled freely down my face now. “I gave up everything for you,” I choked out. “My career…. Ahh my dreams….You were my whole life.”

“And that was your decision.” The calmness in his voice hurt more than anger would have.

I stared at him helplessly. This man had once held me like I was precious.

Now he looked at me as though he couldn’t wait to be free of me. “Where am I supposed to go?” I asked brokenly.

Leo slid his hands into his pockets. “That’s something you will have to figure out.”

The last bit of strength inside me cracked.

“Leo, please…” A sob escaped my throat as I dropped to my knees before him. “Don’t throw us away like this….we can try again,” a sneeze escaped my nose bringing tears to my eyes.

“I can change. We can go through treatments again.” I added.

“There is no us anymore, Essie.” His voice sounded final…..cold

Behind him, Bella stood and walked to his side, slipping her arm through his comfortably.

Leo looked down at me.

“This,” he said quietly, gesturing between us, “ended a long time ago.”

My chest felt like it was caving inward. “I still love you.”

For a second, something flickered across his face, then, just as quickly, it disappeared.

“I know.”

Those two words destroyed me more completely than anything else had.

Bella rested her head lightly against his shoulder. “Can we go upstairs now? I’m tired.”

Leo nodded before looking back at me one final time.

“I’ll have my lawyer send the divorce papers.”

Divorce.

The word echoed violently in my head.

“And Bella will be moving into the master bedroom tomorrow.”

I flinched like he had physically struck me. Without another word, he turned away and Bella followed beside him. The sound of their footsteps faded upstairs, leaving me alone in the enormous silence of the house.

Our house.

No…

His house now.

I remained on the floor long after they disappeared, curled against the cold tiles while tears soaked my sleeves.

Everything I had built my life around was gone. My marriage.My future. The man I loved. I didn’t know how much time passed before the sharp ringing of my phone cut through the silence.

My body jerked slightly.

With trembling fingers, I reached into my pocket and stared at the unknown number flashing across the screen.

After a few seconds, I answered weakly.

“Hello?”