Chapter 5

Evangeline groaned at the pulsating ache in her head.

'Ugh. I must've drank too much.' She thought as she opened her eyes and slowly sat up.

She flipped the pillow on her side and got out of the blanket only to realize that she was completely naked. She looked around with the intention to look for her clothes only to find a man on the bed naked as well.

Evangeline gasped but immediately covered her mouth as soon as she realizes that she just slept with another man.

Evangeline's heart raced as fragmented memories of the previous night flooded her mind. Panic set in as she tried to piece together the events leading to this unexpected situation. The room, the scent of unfamiliar cologne, and the man beside were the proof of her drunkenness.

She hurriedly searched for her clothes, desperately hoping this was just a terrible mistake.

Evangeline tiptoed out of the room, her heart pounding with each step. Avoiding to see the man she slept with who was still sound asleep, she slipped back into her clothes with a sense of urgency. Guilt gnawed at her conscience as she silently made her way out, desperately hoping to leave the place.

Once outside, she hailed a cab, her mind clouded with different thoughts. Evangeline stared out of the cab window, the weight of her actions sinking in. Despite the chaos within, she directed the cab to take her back to the house she once called home.

When she finally arrived, Evangeline felt a bit scared before she opened the front door, like the house held memories she wasn't ready for.

As Evangeline cautiously entered the house, the tension in the air was palpable. Before she could even take a breath, Zach's voice erupted in frustration.

"Where have you been?! And what are you wearing?! My God, Evangeline!" Zach's words carried anger and concern, his eyes narrowing at her as if trying to decipher the secrets she might be hiding.

Evangeline who was emotionally exhausted and raw, met his gaze. "I needed some time, Zach. I went out."

His frustration grew, "Out? In that outfit? Do you have any idea what you've put me through?"

Their voices escalated, creating a storm of emotions in the once-quiet house. The living room became the stage where Zach and Evangeline were the actors and Monica was merely the audience applauding.

Evangeline, tears streaming down her face, tried to explain, "I just needed a break, okay?"

Zach's eyes bore into hers, his tone cutting through the air, "Ha! Alright. You needed a break. But even so, is it proper for a wife to come home looking like this?! Spend a night out and did not even bother calling?!"

Monica, observing from the sidelines, couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire. "Looks like someone had a wild night out. Did you enjoy yourself, Evangeline?"

Evangeline who was already overwhelmed, shot Monica an icy glare before turning back to Zach. "I didn't plan for things to go this way. It's not what you think."

Frustration was etched on Zach's face as he retorted, "How am I supposed to know what to think when you disappear, wearing that, and come back at who knows what hour?"

Evangeline who was now slowly filled with rage finally bursted and yelled, "Don't point your finger at me! This was all because of you! You can't blame me for suffering like this! This is not about my inability to give you a child, Zach. You're simply a lying, cheating son of a bitch! You cheated on me, damn you! Let's put an end to this fucking marriage!"

With Evangeline unleashing the pent-up emotions, her words acted like poison to Zach. His chest tightened, and his entire body shook, unaware that his response was a harsh slap across Evangeline's face.

Stunned by the force of the slap, Evangeline nearly stumbled, her nose bleeding and head spinning. As Zachary realized the impact of his actions, he hastily grabbed her arm, helped her up, and wiped away the blood smearing it onto her cheek.

In a state of panic, Zach tearfully pleaded, "Baby, I'm sorry... I didn't mean—"

"Let me go! I'm leaving! No! I'm leaving! Please! Let me go!" she hysterically begged, her face wet with tears mixed with blood.

Unable to contain the fear that had overwhelmed her, she couldn't bring herself to look into her husband's eyes as if he had become a stranger. Pushing Zach away, she frantically grabbed her phone, rushing towards the door to escape the man she now feared.

Zach chased after her, calling out her name, desperately trying to stop her from leaving.

"Evangeline! Please! Stop!" Zach shouted, stretching his arm until he could finally reach her. With a quick tug, he successfully grabbed Evangeline and caged her in a tight embrace.

He quickly carried her back, and there was quite a struggle as Evangeline fought for her life. She didn't want him to touch her, but in the end, Evangeline was back in the house and made to sit on their bed, inside their room.

Evangeline was still sobbing, not in pain but in fear of what Zach could still do. She sat, behaving herself the best she could, with her legs closed and her palms down on her thighs. Zach walked to her with a warm, wet towel in hand.

He was about to touch Evangeline, but she flinched with her eyes closed, not wanting to see him.

"P... Please. Just let me go. I want to go home," Evangeline weakly begged, referring to the house she once shared with her brother.

Zach kneeled before her to look at her face. His conscience was eating him up. He didn't mean to hurt her, but her words stung, so he reacted—according to his defense.

When he attempted to touch her face once more, and he successfully did, Evangeline winced in pain. Her cheek was now swollen and bruised, and the blood wouldn't stop flowing from her nose.

Evangeline looked away fiddling her fingers as she softly spoke, "Please... Just let me go. I'll let you be just as you wanted.

But Zach only gave her a stern look. He held her chin and made her look at him.

"You're my wife. You're staying here. I won't let anything separate us." Zach answered placing a tender kiss on Evangeline's lip.

"You wanted a child. Now you have a woman who can give you what you want. You have no need of a defect like me." She answered.

"I ... want a divorce, Zach."