CHAPTER 2: House Arrest

SCENE 1

Maria's POV

I walked out of the bedroom without looking back.

My heart was beating so fast that I could hear it in my ears.

I had just refused to sign the divorce papers.

For three years, Ethan had been the person I built my life around. Even when he was distant, I stayed. Even when he barely looked at me, I waited. I kept believing that something would change.

But today, he had made his decision.

Our marriage was over.

I reached the top of the stairs when I heard his voice behind me.

“Maria.”

I stopped for a moment.

I didn't turn around.

“Come back.”

I closed my eyes.

Why?

What more could he possibly want to say?

“You heard me,” Ethan said, his voice colder now. “Come back.”

Slowly, I turned around.

Ethan stood at the bedroom door, his expression unreadable. Susan was still behind him, watching me with a small smile.

“What?” I asked.

His eyebrows drew together.

“You're actually walking away?”

I looked at him in confusion.

“You told me it was over.”

“That doesn't mean you can simply walk away while I'm talking to you.”

A bitter smile touched my lips.

“You already said everything that needed to be said.”

His jaw tightened.

“I gave you divorce papers.”

“And I told you I won't sign them.”

For a few seconds, none of us spoke.

I could see the anger building in his eyes.

But beneath it, there was something else.

Surprise.

Maybe Ethan had expected me to cry.

Maybe he had expected me to beg.

Maybe after three years, he had become so used to me accepting whatever he said that my refusal had caught him off guard.

“I need some time alone,” I said.

I turned around again.

“Maria!”

I ignored him.

I had barely taken two steps when my handbag slipped from my shoulder.

It fell to the floor.

Everything inside scattered across the carpet.

I bent down quickly to gather my things.

Then Ethan crouched and picked up a folded piece of paper.

My pregnancy result.

My heart jumped.

He stared at it.

His face changed.

He already knew I was pregnant. I had told him only moments ago.

But seeing the result in his hands somehow made everything feel more real.

His fingers tightened around the paper.

“You actually have proof.”

I looked at him.

“I told you the truth.”

Susan stepped closer.

“What is that?”

Ethan handed the paper to her.

Susan unfolded it.

Her eyes widened.

For a moment, she looked genuinely shocked.

Then her expression hardened.

“She really is pregnant.”

I placed a protective hand over my stomach.

“Yes.”

Susan looked at Ethan.

“You can't be serious.”

Ethan's eyes remained fixed on me.

“Do you think this changes anything?”

My chest tightened.

“I wasn't trying to change your mind.”

“Then why didn't you tell me earlier?”

I stared at him.

“I just found out.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

“I told you because you're the father.”

His face hardened.

“Don't call me that.”

The words struck me harder than a slap.

I lowered my eyes.

“I didn't choose this situation either.”

Susan laughed softly.

“This is exactly what she wanted.”

I looked at her.

“What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I'm talking about.”

“I don't.”

“You think because you're carrying his child, Ethan will suddenly forget everything and stay married to you.”

“I never said that.”

“But that's what you want.”

I shook my head.

“No. What I wanted was a husband who loved me.”

Silence.

Susan's smile disappeared.

Ethan's eyes darkened.

I picked up the last of my belongings and stood.

“I don't want to fight with either of you.”

I turned toward the stairs.

This time, Ethan moved faster.

He stepped in front of me.

“You're not going anywhere.”

I stared at him.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“You just told me our marriage is over.”

“It is.”

“Then why can't I leave?”

“Because you're pregnant.”

My hand moved instinctively to my stomach.

“I'm not your prisoner.”

“No,” he said coldly. “But until I decide what happens next, you stay here.”

I couldn't believe him.

“You can't do that.”

“I can.”

“Ethan—”

“Enough.”

His voice echoed through the room.

“You will remain in this house.”

Susan walked toward him and slipped her hand around his arm.

“Until our wedding,” she added.

My heart twisted.

I looked at Ethan.

He didn't correct her.

That was all the answer I needed.

I turned away from them.

I walked back toward my room with tears burning my eyes.

Behind me, I heard Susan laugh quietly.

I didn't look back.

**************************************************

SCENE 2

The days that followed blurred together.

Ethan kept his word.

I wasn't allowed to leave the house except for my antenatal appointments.

Even those trips were carefully monitored.

Susan moved into the house.

She behaved as though she had already become the lady of the house.

Sometimes, I would wake up early and find her sitting at the dining table with Ethan, laughing over breakfast.

Other times, she would call me from the kitchen to bring her something.

I became a stranger in my own home.

A wife without a husband.

A woman carrying a child whose father refused to accept it.

I started doing almost everything around the house.

I cleaned.

I cooked.

I served them.

And every night, when everyone went to bed, I would sit alone in my room with my hand resting on my stomach.

“You're all I have,” I whispered.

My eyes filled with tears.

“But I'll protect you.”

Months passed.

My stomach grew bigger.

So did the distance between me and Ethan.

He rarely spoke to me.

And when he did, his words were usually cold.

I learned to stop expecting kindness from him.

I only had my baby to look forward to.

Then one morning, while I was preparing breakfast, my phone rang.

I glanced at the screen.

Aunt Maggie.

My heart skipped.

Ethan had made one thing very clear.

No one was allowed to visit me.

I hesitated before answering.

“Hello?”

“Maria!” Aunt Maggie's cheerful voice came through the phone. “How are you?”

I forced a smile.

“I'm fine.”

“Good. Because I'm outside the gates.”

My eyes widened.

“What?”

“I came to see you.”

The call ended.

I stood frozen in the kitchen.

“What am I going to do?”

Before I could think of an answer, I heard voices coming from the living room.

I hurried there.

My heart sank.

Aunt Maggie stood near the entrance with her luggage beside her.

Susan stood opposite her, furious.

“I don't know why you came here,” Susan said.

“I came to see my niece.”

“She doesn't need you.”

Aunt Maggie scoffed.

“She is pregnant and locked inside this house. Don't tell me she doesn't need her family.”

Susan's eyes narrowed.

“This is not your home.”

Aunt Maggie looked around.

“Apparently, it's not Maria's home either.”

Susan's face reddened.

“Watch yourself.”

“No. You watch yourself.”

Susan grabbed Aunt Maggie's luggage and threw it to the floor.

The contents spilled everywhere.

“Aunt Maggie, please!” I cried.

Susan pointed at me.

“You stay out of this.”

Aunt Maggie turned to me.

“Maria, are you okay?”

I nodded quickly.

“I'm fine.”

Susan laughed.

“She's perfectly fine. She's just refusing to accept that Ethan doesn't want her anymore.”

Aunt Maggie's face hardened.

“And you're enjoying every second of it.”

Susan stepped forward.

“I'm getting married to Ethan soon. You need to accept that.”

Aunt Maggie's anger flashed.

“You're shameless.”

Susan raised her hand.

Aunt Maggie did the same.

“Please!” I shouted.

I rushed between them.

“Stop!”

But before I could separate them, Susan shoved me.

I stumbled backward.

My hands flew to my stomach.

Pain shot through my body.

“Aunt Maggie!”

I lost my balance.

The room spun around me.

The last thing I heard was Aunt Maggie screaming my name.

Then everything went black.