Chapter 7

SERENA’S POV

Some women catch their husbands cheating.

I caught mine vanishing.

And at the end…

She’s carrying his baby.

I’m carrying his name.

One of us gets morning kisses.

And the other gets ignored in her own kitchen.

Not all affairs come with lipstick on collars or shopping receipts… be warned.

#MarriedButAlone

#PagesI’llDeleteLater

Superb, right?

Yeah I know. That’s me. My very second post!

And I think its safe to say that it was a hit!

I’ve got solid 5 comments, you guys! 5 comments and 45 reactions!

I don’t know about you, but my morning was made with just that. And with it, came a renewed energy to take charge of what was happening to me, with me, and in me! To just take charge of my life and get on with it!

No more was I going to stay locked up in my bedroom. No more. 3 days was enough.

If there was anything these past few days had thought me, it was that I literally had nothing going in for me.

Absolutely nothing!

Before now, I would wake up every day optimistic and hopeful. Spending the entire 24 hours round the clock to think about Eliot, our marriage, how to make things better or even me having a baby!

And If I wasn’t doing that, then I was preparing to go to another event that I knew Eliot was not going to come with me as my husband.

Or, I was out shopping God knows what with Eliot’s mom or even my own mom!

Absolutely no direction with my own life!

No wonder Eliot became sick of me. I was sick of my own self just realizing it all. No wonder I shopped like a maniac!

Thrice every week, like it was the key to eternal life. “More like key to drown my sorrows,” I scoffed bitterly, casually throwing on a top as I stepped into the main bedroom.

My laptop’s dinging sound instantly welcoming me as I did. And without wasting a breath I rushed to it, my eyes bright as I clicked on the new notification.

“Men are so not worth the stress, I tell you! Best thing is to focus on yourself and don’t give a shit about them!” I read out, unconsciously smiling as the words warmed my heart.

Another comment from my second post last night. “See, even a stranger knows to focus on herself!” I complained, sighing as I rose back up from the screen. “Get a life, Serena. Get a life.”

But really, how have I been living all these years? How have I been so blinded that I practically had nothing doing. Nothing.

Even staying up in my room these few days seemed like such torture cause I had nothing to do while staying inside.

Not even a hobby! “Another reason why Eliot made that statement yesterday,” I grumbled, dressing up. “Whenever I’m done stalling, I’ll sign the divorce papers.”

Of course he didn’t say it in those exact words, but whatever! That was what he meant anyways.

And after spending time thinking and thinking about every single thing, I have come to the conclusion that from now on, I will not allow Eliot's predictions come to pass.

Even if I did end up signing, which I know I eventually would. I wouldn’t be leaving as a divorced Serena with no direction or essence in life.

I will be leaving different. Ready even and with a purpose. Without centering my life around someone else but myself. Without centering my life around a man!

But until then, I had to make changes. If not for anything, then for the fact that I refuse to watch Eliot go to work and be back every day, him and his little mistress acting all... ugh. Either way I won't be sitting around watching that.

“No fucking way!” And with that last surge of determination, I grabbed my phone, my laptop, a notepad and my car keys, before heading out the door.

A rush of cool air and scented lavender hitting my nostrils as I walked through the hallways and down the spiral stairs.

My mind blank zero as to what would become of me, but I didn’t stop either. The worst had already happened; I could either move forward or drown in my puddle of sorrow.

The choice is clear.

“Good morning, ma’am Serena!” Rosa’s warm voice welcomed me at the foot of the stairs, like she was expecting me.

“I hope you feel better now,” I smiled, knowing it took everything in her to have left me all alone these past few days. But, I was grateful for her care. At least someone worried about how I was taking all of this.

“I do feel better, thank you Rosa” I responded, nodding at a few other greetings from the maids around.

“Should I serve you breakfast or we will start with a glass of orange juice first?” she probed as we neared the dining area. I could smell the fresh waffles she prepared, but somehow even that didn’t seem so appetizing by the time my eyes landed on the spotless dining table.

A clear memory of me smiling and eating pancakes with nothing but Eliot’s shirt on, while he sat on the opposite side, calmly eating too-replayed in my mind.

I could still hear him ask if I wanted more glass of juice, his tone soft and calm. Nothing like the present Eliot or the one I lived with after that first year of our marriage.

But sadly, even such a pure memory had been tainted. Tainted by the very image of him handing me those papers, insisting I signed so he could be free to justify his relationship with his mistress!

We already didn’t have much happy memories together, and yet this one was lost now too. “We can move breakfast to the terrace if you like, ma’am” Rosa suggested softly, her tone understanding and comforting. But I really would rather not.

“No,” I said softly, turning to her with a small smile despite the ache in my heart. “Don’t worry about it Rosa. In fact, I was thinking of eating out today! You all can eat breakfast, share it.”

Her lips parted to disagree, that motherly concern showing up. But after giving one more look to the dinning area, she reluctantly sighed in defeat. Letting me go and I walked off with a soft smile.

Luckily, ‘Miss Prego’ was nowhere in sight. And for that, I was grateful again. Cause i was in no mood for any sort of engagement between us. Myself was the priority right now, and I had to honor that.

In no time I drove out of the yard, out of our estate and far away from everything that reminded me of my heartaches. My destination; The bakers.

The finest restaurant there is, as far as I was concerned!

They made the literal best of everything! The best.

The perfect place anyone would want to go, to find him/herself. The serenity was everything.

But upon getting here, eating to my fill and taking in the outdoor surrounding for a while. I found myself nowhere closer to figuring out my life like the way I had imagined.

“How come this feels so much harder to do than to research about it?” I complained, sighing I took yet another sip of my coffee. My fourth cup in the last 45 minutes by the way.

"Interior designing... hmm, kinda sound nice. But what about journaling? I do that already for myself."

Oh please Serena...

Who makes a living from journaling?

Or can I? How would that look like? Will it even work? What if it turns out to be one big mistake?!

Arghhh.

“Okay, relax. Relax, okay?” I said to myself, releasing deep breaths as I put the pen down. Closing my eyes for a bit, as I let the tension on my shoulders die down for a bit.

The light breeze of the environment helping the process. Tugging gently at my messy bun, a few strands escaping and wisping past my face.

“Hmm, this actually feels nice” I mumbled, relaxing even more on my seat. Enjoying the tranquility and sheer coolness of the atmosphere.

But all that ended a moment later. Cause next thing I knew, “My Life’s List,” a deep voice breathed right next to my ears. “What do I do with my life?”

Huh?

My eyes snapped open in an instant! My head whipping to my right to see just who said that. But that turned out to be a very, very wrong move.

Cause next thing I knew, I face planted with a ... a man! That had awfully familiar eyes too. Our lips brushing before I suddenly realised what was going on and instantly sprung away. Literally jumping out of my seat in shock!

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” I practically screamed in alarm, my eyes wide as I stood. Clutching my chest to slow down my erratic breathing while the weird ass fellow remained in his exact same position. A long, mocking sound filling the air as he-

Laughing.

He was laughing!

“Are you kidding me?!” I voiced, heavily offended. “You’re laughing? This is funny to you?!”

“Oh my dear sister in-law, you haven’t changed one bit!” his voice dragged out, chuckling too as I froze in my tracks. Watching him slowly stand upright.

My breath hinged in my throat, eyebrows knitted together as I took in the full length of who could only be-

“Axel?”