Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Diana’s POV

I closed the front door behind me and called out loud. “Mom!”

The silence greeted me. That was odd. She was always home. Dad had arrived with me and was taking out the grocery bags from the car's trunk.

I called again, louder this time. “Mom!!!”

But the house remained still.

I walked forward to check the living room but it was empty, and even the kitchen was devoid of life.

I walked up the stairs and called for her again, but instead of her voice, a low moan drifted through the hallway. “Oh, yes. Harder!”

I paused.

I assumed it was my parents, so I hurriedly turned around to climb back down the stairs.

That's when I heard it. Mom moaned a name that stopped me cold. “Oh, Julian.”

Hold on a damn minute! My father was in my car and his name was Mark. There was no reason for her to be calling Julian's name in that tone.

I shook my head and tried to refuse the idea but it wouldn't go away.

Who the hell was in there with her?

My mother moaned louder and I heard the distinct sound of flesh slapping against flesh as she begged Julian to go harder.

I couldn't take it anymore. I walked to the door and pushed it open angrily.

The sight before me made my stomach churn.

Julian was on top of my mother, their bodies tangled in the sheets as they kissed fervently.

I yelled, "What the hell is going on here?!"

They broke apart instantly. My mother’s eyes went wide, and she frantically pushed the sheets up to cover her nakedness.

Julian scrambled back, stretching out his hand as if to ward me off.

"I can explain," he stammered.

Explain? What was he going to possibly say to change all of this?!

I yelled at him, "Explain what?!"

He reached for his trousers on the floor and quickly picked them up to wear.

My hands shook with rage as I took out my phone and snapped several pictures of them in their disarray.

Julian rushed toward me, begging me not to, but I didn't listen and kept snapping. “I am telling Dad!”

My mother pulled the bedsheet down from her face and began to beg. “Diana, please don't tell him. It was a mistake. I didn't mean to…”

Yeah, right. My husband magically fell into your bed and you thought he was my father.

Julian stood to his feet and came toward me to touch my arm.

"I was tempted, Diana!” He said.

Was he kidding me? Tempted by my fifty year old mother. Bastard!!!

He kept talking and I wanted to kill him. “It was the devil! It was my first time, I swear!"

I pushed him away and shouted at him, "Don't touch me!"

I smacked him hard across the face, the sound echoing in the room.

"I want a divorce," I spat at him.

Julian looked devastated and fell to his knees, both hands up and pressed together. “Please, I'm begging you. I am so sorry, Diana. I will never do this again.”

I glared down at him. “Save it for the lawyers when you get the papers.”

I turned to leave and saw my father standing at the door.

My heart hammered against my ribs as I saw the shocked, broken look on his face. He walked slowly into the room.

"Rachel," he called, his eyes fixed on his wife.

His voice broke, and he sobbed. “Why? Why would you do this to me, Rachel?”

Mom started crying. I felt no pity for her and it only got worse when she opened her mouth. “I'm so sorry, Mark.”

“Shut it! I will never forgive you for this!” Dad shouted and then…

He clutched his chest, grunting and groaning in pain.

"Dad!" I screamed and instantly ran to him.

My mother jumped out of bed, and everyone circled around him. I was confused, and held him tighter. “What's wrong, Dad? Dad! Please, don't do this!”

My father gasped, his breathing turned worse and he gasped quicker than before, then his body went limp in my arms as his eyes closed.

“No!” I shouted. “Dad! Someone, call the ambulance!”

Julian took out his phone, but my mother stopped him and shook her head.

What did she think she was doing? She wasn't…no.

I looked at her in horror. I understood exactly what she wanted to do.

I yelled at Julian even louder, "Call the ambulance or consider yourself as good as dead if anything happens to him!"

My mother went on her knees, still wrapped in the sheet. “Honey, please. Your father would never forgive me. But you can. I am your mother. Please forgive me. I can't let him divorce me. The disgrace would be too much. It's better if he died.”

“You're insane. Get out of my face you witch!” I spat and faced Julian. “Call the ambulance or I'm telling everyone what you both did.”

Julian immediately dialed the ambulance. I cried over my father's body and begged him to wake up.

~

I pushed the stroller with the nurse. I couldn't lose him. My heart sank every second the nurse told the other to move faster.

A few doctors joined and I was stopped from going into the ER.

“Wait right here,” I heard and the white doors closed before me.

I ran my hand through my hair and fell to the floor on my knees, and fell to my knees, praying to a God I wasn't sure was listening. “Don't let him die, God.”

My palms pressed against the other while I watched the door, aimlessly. At that moment, time lost all meaning.

A few hours passed and the door opened. A doctor walked out, took his gloves out and removed his mask.

I ran to him, desperate for any news. “How's my father?”

He breathed out calmly and spoke. “He's out of danger. But…” his eyes went soft but sad.

“But…just tell me. I can handle it,” I lied. I couldn't handle it. I would break but it was better to be ready than not.

“He…he's in a coma.”

What?!