Engagement party

Kara's pov.

"Here, sign it," Jeremy said as he tossed a paper at me.

I was holding an orange and a knife, so I barely had time to react when the document fell to the ground.

I dropped what I was holding on the table and bent to pick the document but what I saw on it made my heart stop.

I froze, slowly looking up at Jeremy, who was no longer paying attention to me but to his phone.

He was smiling sheepishly as he typed and for some unknown reason, that made my heart tighten against my chest.

I have been feeling really sick lately and had informed him, but Jeremy barely cared and was always on the phone, making secret calls or typing happily to someone unknown.

"Jeremy, this is a divorce paper. I think you meant to hand me another document." I told him as I picked it up from the floor and moved closer to hand it over to him.

He hurriedly hid his phone like he was hiding something when he saw me coming and frowned.

"Can you respect privacy, please?" He half-yelled and I jolted.

Privacy? But we were married so what privacy did he expect from me?

Besides, we barely hid anything from one another, so why was he now acting sketchy?

A feeling of suspicion grew inside me as I threw the document on his lap.

"Take it Kara. I didn't make a mistake, the document is for you." He told me and my blood turned cold.

"W-what did you just s-say?" I tried to keep my voice from trembling but failed.

"I am sure you heard me quite clearly but if you insist, then know this." He suddenly paused as a huge lump formed in my throat.

"I am divorcing you, Kara. Let's end this hell we call marriage." He answered, and it felt as if I had been punched in the guts.

This hell we call marriage?

But I thought he loved me or had he only been seeing this marriage as a matter of inconvenience to him?

"Jeremy, this is no time for jokes." I forced a laugh, suppressing the hurt I felt in my chest as I tried to touch him, but he tightened his jaw and slapped my hand away, harshly.

My palm stung and so did my heart as I watched him wrinkle his nose at me in disgust.

"You know what, Kara?" He suddenly got up from the chair. "I can't take this anymore, I can't keep pretending."

I was now more confused than ever, because what the hell was Jeremy saying?

"Whatever we had between us is over."

"What do you mean? Why the divorce? I thought you said you loved me?"

He suddenly burst into laughter at my last words, throwing his head backwards as his laugh grew louder.

"You..... You seriously can't be that gullible." He continued to laugh, without a care that he was hurting me with every word and action.

"Kara. If you must know, I only married you as a means of revenge." He said and I gasped, shaking my head sideways.

No, no, it couldn't be. Jeremy wouldn't do such to me.

Maybe he fell out of love, but to marry me all this time because of revenge would be impossible because I haven't even done anything to hurt him.

Just then I stiffened as my mind flashed back to the past.

My palms began to grow sweaty as I suddenly started to feel hot in an air-conditioned room.

Could Jeremy be doing all of these to me because of her?

Was she the reason of revenge?

I looked up at him to see him grinning happily at his phone that just pinged with a message.

"I have to go now so I don't have time for your dramas. Sign the divorce papers before I come back, or you will regret it." He threatened, a dark glint appearing in his eyes and sending shivers down my spine.

I had no idea when I nodded, watching him leave the house hurriedly.

I collapsed on the couch, trying to breathe as the air around me suddenly turned suffocating.

Just then, my phone on the table rang and I struggled to get up to reach it, despite the horrifying pain I was feeling in my chest.

I really needed to get to the hospital to find out what was wrong with me.

"Hello," I answered the call and my best friend's voice came up.

"Kara Love, are you free now?" She asked and I looked at the wall clock.

It was almost midday, and I needed to get to the hospital. I scheduled my appointment at night because of work, but didn't know that I would close early.

"Why do you ask?" I threw back the question at her and she chuckled.

"You have been stressing yourself too much lately, Kara, and you know I promised to take you out to relax." She began and I nodded.

"Well now is the time. A distant cousin is having her engagement party today, and I am allowed to bring a plus one; it would be so much fun."

Victoria, my best friend's words brought back memories as tears gathered at the brim of my eyes.

I turned towards the picture on the wall, trying not to cry as I watched Jeremy wrapping his hands around me in the picture, looking at me with so much love.

Could all that be a lie too?

We never had an engagement party and I was pained cuz I always wanted one. We just registered our marriage to avoid the press, with Jeremy promising a proper wedding later, one which never came.

"Alright. Where should I meet you?" I asked, wiping my eyes as Victoria began giving me the location.

I had decided. Tonight, I would forget all about the divorce and heartbreak; tomorrow was another day, and we could sort it then.

An hour later, I met Victoria at a very luxurious, five-star hotel. She led me into their hall where the engagement was supposed to take place.

I was busy glancing around, admiring their decorations, when something caught my eye. I was about to turn when Victoria tapped me.

We were discussing, walking forward until I bumped into someone who spilled his wine all over me.

"Oh my God! I am so sorry." His familiar voice caught my attention, so I immediately raised my head up, and who I saw almost made me lose my breath.

"Xavier?" I called out in disbelief, and all the colors drained out of his face upon seeing me.

Xavier was one of Jeremy's close friends, the only one who acted nice to me as the others treated me with disdain, seeing me as a homewrecker when all that happened that night, wasn't even my fault.

But then, why was Xavier here? Was he related to the Bride or the groom?

"Kara?" His lips parted in surprise as he hurriedly glanced around like he was looking for something.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He yelled and the smile wiped off my face, while Victoria glared at him.

"And why shouldn't she be here? Is there a reason that says she shouldn't be?"

Xavier turned to Victoria and frowned.

"Wait! Aren't you related to Brittany?" He questioned and I went pale.

What Brittany? The same Brittany that I knew?

"And what if I am?" Victoria smiled devilishly as a sense of dread went through me.

What was going on here? I now felt like I was missing something that was supposed to be clear to me.

"And you still brought Kara here? What type of friend are you?" Xavier yelled as he grabbed my hand and began to guide me towards the entrance.

"I am sorry, Kara, but you need to leave now, it's for your own good." He sounded like he was pleading but I didn't care and just struggled.

"Let me go, you have no right...." The rest of my words disappeared as my eyes once again caught what Victoria distracted me from earlier.

I snatched my hand from Xavier forcefully and ran towards the wall.

On it were pictures of my husband with Brittany, his ex-lover, the one woman he promised me that he had forgotten about.

'No! I had to be dreaming. Perhaps I was imagining things.' I thought but when I turned towards the altar, I saw Xavier sitting there, looking happier than he had ever been with me.

He was cuddling Brittany in his arms, and the sight of them together felt like my heart was being pulled out.

I coughed, running up to them, ignoring the whispers of people who seemed surprised to see me.

"Jeremy, is this yo-u?" I stuttered as my legs wobbled.

They both looked surprised to see me, while Brittany hid in his embrace.

"What are you doing here, woman? I thought I served you the divorce papers." He whispered, obviously wanting no one to hear.

"That's not a priority now Jeremy. Why are you here?"

"Because I want to be. I am marrying the woman I love, get that into your skull." His words sliced through me like a blade and I coughed again, into my hands, but when I raised my head, all I saw was blood.