I want a divorce

Before Ethan could say another word, Mira slowly stood up from the bed. Her eyes were red, her face streaked with tears, but her gaze was steady.

Everyone in the room froze.

Ethan took a step toward her, his voice still sharp. “Mira—”

Before he could finish, Mira raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

The sound echoed through the hospital room.

Everyone went silent. Even Chloe, who was still pretending to be weak, looked up in shock.

Mira’s hand trembled, but her voice was firm. “You don’t get to hit me anymore, Ethan. Not after everything you’ve done to me.”

Ethan blinked, speechless. His friends exchanged uneasy looks, unsure what to say.

Mira’s voice broke as she continued, “For years, I stayed by your side. I endured your insults, your coldness, your lies. I thought maybe one day you’d see me. Maybe one day, you’d love me back.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn’t stop. “Do you know how it feels to wake up every morning hoping for a smile, but getting silence instead? To cook your meals, wait for you to come home, only for you to show up drunk and angry?”

Ethan tried to speak, but Mira held up her hand. “No. You’ll listen.”

Her voice grew louder. “You called me a puppy once. Said I couldn’t live without you. But you were wrong. I can live without you, Ethan. I just didn’t know how to stop loving you before.”

Her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath. “I gave you everything I had. My time. My trust. My heart. Even when people told me you didn’t deserve me, I defended you. I believed in you.”

She stepped closer to him, her eyes shining with pain and anger. “But what did you give me in return? Humiliation. Betrayal. And now, this—this cruel joke you call love.”

Her voice cracked, and she pressed a trembling hand to her chest. “I lost everything, Ethan. I lost myself trying to keep you happy. I don’t even know who I am anymore because I spent years being your wife, your shadow, your mistake.”

Ethan stood there frozen, his mouth slightly open. His friends stayed quiet, the air in the room heavy.

Mira shook her head, tears falling harder. “You broke me. You made me doubt my worth. And still, I tried to fix us. I tried so hard.”

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her voice soft but clear. “But I’m done trying.”

Ethan finally whispered, “Mira…” but she didn’t let him continue.

She looked him straight in the eyes, her expression calm now, empty of the love that once lived there. “I want a divorce, Ethan.”

Ethan reached out and grabbed Mira’s hand. His grip was firm, desperate.

“Mira, please,” he said softly. “You don’t mean that. Let’s talk—”

She yanked her hand away. “Don’t touch me.”

Her voice was sharp and trembling. Tears streamed down her face, but her eyes were filled with fire.

“I heard everything, Ethan,” she said. “Every single word you said that night.”

Ethan froze. “What are you talking about?”

Mira laughed bitterly. “Your birthday dinner. When you sat there with Chloe and your friends, laughing about me.”

Her voice shook as she continued, word for word, her pain pouring out.

“You said, ‘I don’t love her. I’m just keeping her close because she acts like a damn puppy who can’t live without her owner.’”

Ethan’s eyes widened, and his friends looked away, uncomfortable.

She stepped closer to him, tears falling freely. “You said you only dated me to make Chloe jealous back in high school. That you only married me because your father wanted you to settle down before giving you the company.”

Her lips quivered. “You told them I was a country bumpkin. That I didn’t belong in your world. That I was just something to pass the time.”

Ethan’s mouth opened, but no words came out.

Mira’s voice grew louder, filled with anger and heartbreak. “You humiliated me, Ethan. You laughed about me with them. Do you have any idea how that felt? Standing there behind the door, listening to the man I loved tear me apart in front of everyone?”

She pointed at Chloe, who was standing behind him with a faint smirk. “And you, Chloe. You knew he was married, but you never stopped chasing him. You sit there pretending to care, but you’ve always wanted what’s mine.”

Chloe opened her mouth to reply, but Mira cut her off. “Don’t you dare speak to me.”

She turned back to Ethan, her voice trembling again. “You don’t care about me, Ethan. You never did. The only person you care about is Chloe. Even now, when she lies right in front of you, you still believe her. Because in your eyes, she can never do wrong.”

Her chest rose and fell rapidly. “But I’m done being your fool. I’ve wasted enough tears, enough years.”

Mira suddenly looked toward the door. “Doctor! Doctor Caleb!” she called, her voice breaking.

A few moments later, the door opened, and Caleb walked in, holding a clipboard. His calm eyes flicked from Mira’s tear-streaked face to Ethan’s tense posture. “What’s going on here?” he asked.

Mira wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Doctor Caleb, please… tell them to leave my room. I want to rest.”

Ethan stepped forward, his tone soft. “Mira, please, don’t do this here. We can talk later.”

Mira glared at him. “There’s nothing left to talk about.”

Caleb turned to Ethan and his friends. His voice was polite but firm. “You heard her. She needs rest. Please step outside.”

Ethan hesitated, looking torn. “Mira, I—”

“Get out!” Mira suddenly shouted, her voice echoing through the room. Her tears flowed harder now, but her tone was steady. “Get the fuck out of my ward, Ethan! I don’t want to see you right now!”

Everyone went silent.

Ethan stared at her, his jaw clenched, but Caleb gently gestured toward the door. “Mr. Hale, please.”

After a long pause, Ethan turned and walked out, his friends following quietly behind him. Chloe gave Mira one last cold glance before stepping out, pretending to limp.

The room fell quiet again.

Mira stood there, breathing heavily. She turned to Caleb, her eyes tired but calm now. “Thank you.”

He gave a small nod. “You did the right thing.”

She looked out the window, her reflection faint against the glass. The rain had stopped, but her heart still felt heavy.

Her voice was low but steady. “I’ll be delivering the divorce papers tomorrow.”