Chapter 4

SARA'S POV

I woke up the next day to find an empty bed.

I sighed as I realized that Derek was gone.

He'd fallen asleep last night after showering as if I wasn't there, as if I hadn't asked him for a divorce.

With a sigh, I rose from my bed, stretching my tired and stiff limbs for easier mobility then strolled to my daughter’s room. 

She was still sound asleep.

There was a new teddy bear in her room.

Derek must have gotten it for her when he'd come home last night.

I woke her up for a quick shower, dressed her for the day, and sent her to Mrs Rodriguez downstairs to eat breakfast while I prepared for work.

When I was done showering, I dressed up in a pantsuit. Derek always hated it when I wore pants suits or jeans in general. He always said I was using it to get attention and that I was way too curvy to wear clothes like this.

I stopped out of respect for him but now that I was leaving him, I was taking back my power, my dignity.

Putting one final touch on my makeup, I stood tall and strode out of my room, feeling more confident than I had been in years.

I got to work thirty minutes later. I could feel the eyes of my co-workers watching me and some doing a double take. It had been a while since I had dressed this fancy or looked this confident. The air around me seemed to have shifted too because people were saying hi to me left and right when usually they'd just ignore me.

The smell of coffee and tea hit me as I entered the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee. 

The blonde girl from accounting and the brunette from marketing were seated doing their make-up.

“By the way, the boss is finally back. He's working at headquarters today.”

“Is that why you're putting on so much more makeup than usual, to impress him?” 

The brunette teased, wiggling her brows.

“Oh, please. Like you aren't doing the same thing,”

The blonde rolled her eyes. They paused and I felt their eyes on me, assessing and surprised.

I turned and just like I had suspected, they were staring at me with slack jaws.

I offered a smile, and they smiled back but it was clearly tense and awkward.

I took my coffee and made my way out of the kitchen but paused at the entrance when I saw Derek with none other than Alyssa walking towards me with a group of other men dressed in sharp business suits in tow with them.

His presence was as commanding as ever, grabbing everyone's attention without trying.

Once upon a time, I was mesmerized by it, but now, I resent it.

Derek and Alyssa walked past me like I wasn't standing there.

It should have hurt, but it didn't.

All it confirmed was that I was making the right decision by leaving.

I just wished he'd acknowledged that I wanted a divorce.

I used to run after him just to bring him coffee but now?

I felt nothing.

Years of constant humiliation would do that to you.

I took a sip of my coffee and went back to work.

It was around noon when I got a phone call from someone I didn't expect.

Derek's mother.

I hesitated a bit, wondering why she would be calling. She never called unless it was to yell at me or say something mean.

I picked up before I could change my mind. I didn't get a chance to greet her before she yelled.

“Sara, I want you in the estate right now, Danielle is sick.”

My heart dropped. I quickly took my things and left the building.

The drive back to the estate was accompanied by fear and panic.

She'd been absolutely fine when I had left the house earlier.

What cook has happened in the span of four hours?

My hands were sweaty as I drove, I even missed a red light.

Ten minutes later, I found myself running through the front door, telling Danielle.

“Danielle, honey. Mommy's back!” I said, panicked that I couldn't hear her voice.

“Will you stop yelling!” I heard my mother-in-law’s voice from the living room just as I entered.

She was sitting on the sofa with a dark expression on her face. 

“Where is she?” I asked, looking around for my daughter. I found her hiding behind the sofa and made my way to pick her up but Derek's Mother blocked my path.

“Oh, no you don't. Not after you've shown how incompetent you are as a mother.”

“What?” I stared at her utterly confused.

“Because of your carelessness as a mother, your daughter had to be rushed to the hospital.

I stared at Danielle but she didn't look sick. Although she was scratching her eyes quite a bit-unusual.

“I don't understand. What happens?”

“Well, your daughter has been diagnosed with dry eyes. No doubt because you've let TV and her iPad raise her instead of you.”

I felt her insult directly in my chest.

Not just because it simply wasn't true- I have always tried to limit Danielle's screen time Mrs. Rodriguez knew to do so too because she'd called me an irresponsible parent when all I ever did was make sure my family was okay and doing well.

“Honey, come here…”

“Oh, no, no. I'm taking her with me. You're unfit to take care of my grandchild. I'll be looking after her from now on. Like a real mother should.”

“But…”

“Don't try to argue with me, young lady. This is why I didn't want you getting married to my son.” She said with a disgruntled expression. Her old English bun made her look more severe.

“Alyssa would have done a much better job if she was his wife. Even Danielle knows this but of course, his grandparents had to fulfill some kind of stupid promise they made. Typical!” She said, flaying her hands up in the air in frustration.

“You're not fit to be my son’s wife, you hear me? I don't even know why you even work. You can't even manage your home. You should just quit already.”

My blood boiled with anger. And I wanted to tell, wanted to curse her out. She and her son had made my life a living hell for years now and I was at my limit but the look in Danielle's eyes made me refrain from cursing at her back.

Instead, I squared my shoulders and flared 

”I guess you'd be happy to know that I have in fact quit my job.”

Her eyes widened.