LOGINA R I A N A
I mustered up the remaking sanity left in me packing my stuffs in silence. My hands moved on their own, shoving clothes into a suitcase, grabbing the few things that were truly mine. Photos. Jewelry. The little trinkets Angelo had given me over the years things that now felt like lies. I didn’t cry. I had cried too much that there were no tear left to cry. The only thing that kept me going was the tiny life inside me. My baby, the one good thing left in this mess. I zipped up the last bag and took one final look around the bedroom just hours ago, I had been so happy, all the plans I had made for our anniversary, telling Angelo he was going to be a father. All that is shattered now. I grabbed my box of things and walked out, not looking back. I was halfway down the stairs when she appeared. Bella. Fucking cheat! The woman who had laughed with me, cried with me, stood by me at my wedding. The woman who had just been in bed with my husband. She leaned against the railing, arms crossed, a smirk on her perfect face. "Leaving so soon?" she purred. I didn’t stop walking. She stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "Oh, come on, Ariana. Don’t be like that." I clenched my jaw. "Move." She laughed a cold, mean sound. "Or what? You’ll cry some more?" I tightened my grip on the box. "You’re disgusting! You should be ashamed of yourself" Bella rolled her eyes. "Please, you never deserved him anyway." My chest burned. "I didn’t deserve him? You’re the one who slept with your best friend’s husband! I trusted you Bella, if anyone could do this to me, it shouldn’t be you” She shrugged, like it was nothing. "Angelo was never really yours." "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Bella’s smirk widened. "I’ve had my eyes on him since college long before you ever did." I froze. What? What was she even talking about? She tilted her head, enjoying my shock. "Oh don’t act oblivious Aria we both know that I liked him first. But he chose you." Her voice dripped with venom. "So I waited and when the time was right… I took him back." My stomach twisted. "You… you planned this?" She laughed. "Of course I did you really think I was your friend all these years? I was just waiting for my chance, if I want something Ariana I make sure I get it, absolutely no one deserves Angelo but me, he’s mine and he has always been mine" I felt like I’d been punched. All the late-night talks, the secrets we shared, the times she pretended to care. It was all a lie. "You’re a monster," I whispered. Bella’s eyes gleamed. "And you’re a fool. Did you really think he loved you? He only stayed because he felt sorryfor you. You’re nothing Ariana!” My hands shook. "That’s not true." "Oh, it is." She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a cruel whisper. "And you know what else? I made sure you never got pregnant. Because if you had, he might have stayed." The world stopped. My breath caught in my throat. What did she just say? I stared at her, my heart pounding. "What… what did you do?" Bella smirked. "Birth control pills in your coffee. Every morning for the past year." My knees almost gave out. She had been drugging me. She had been stealing my chance at a family. And now Now that I was pregnant She had taken Angelo from me anyway. I felt sick. "You bitch," I choked out. Bella just laughed. "Too late now, isn’t it? He’s mine and there’s nothing you can do about it. We both know you’ve been leaching off of him to pay your debts. You’re a slut Ariana a fucking cheap one that aims for high class man to get money to live your fake lifestyle" “How dare you!” I yelled. She shrugs, “He doesn’t want you anymore he never did, he just didn’t realize that and now that I made him realize his mistake, it’s safe to say he’s done with you.” She spat I wanted to scream. I wanted to hit her. I wanted to destroy her. But instead I decided not to, I didn’t want to give her the reaction she wanted my heart had already been shattered by the man I thought loved me, Bella’s pain was nothing compared to Angelos. I let out a breath turning and walking away, She was right, there was nothing I could do. Angelo had chosen her. And I I was left with nothing but a broken heart And a baby he would never know about. “Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” She grabbed my hair. I yelped, “Let go of me” “Okay..” And she did pushing me instead making me stumble and toil down. I felt excruciating pain in my stomach as I hit the ground, I let out a scream in pain. “No! My baby” I cried watching as blood drizzled down legs the pain growing. “Please… help me, please… I can’t lose my baby” I stuttered as I sobbed watching Bella march down to were I laid lifless. “Die you bitch! If you think I’d let you have Angelo’s baby then you’re more dense than I thought you were.” She hissed. “You can’t use the baby to get Angelo back or his property and I’ve made sure of that… there’s no way you can save the baby… rot in hell you fucking slut!” She mocked before walking away. I watched as her walk away, her figure retiring before everything went blank.A R I A N AI sat on the old park bench watching them.It has been one week, a week since Dante started coming over every day after school, and a week since he came back into our lives.We were currently at the park, Dante was pushing Sophia on the swing her laughter filled the whole park. "Higher Daddy… Higher!" she screamed and he pushed her gently with a smile spread on his face. Isabella was showing him her book pointing at a picture and Asher was hanging from the monkey bars showing off.My heart felt so full it was almost painful It was a picture I had dreamed of for so long. Seeing the kids so happy and with their father, something I had denied them for years, it made my eyes sting with tears. If only they had him right from child birth then with no doubt I know Dante would have been the best father, he’s only been with the for a week but their relationship with him felt like it was forever. Dante said something to the kids then he started walking towards me swelling down o
A R I A N ALater that day I had mustered up enough courage and sanity to speak with the kids about their father.We were all currently in the living room with Asher was drawing, Isabella was reading as usual and then Sophia was playing with her dolls.My heart was beating very fast but then I knew I had to talk to them and I had to tell them the truth, the earlier I do the better it is for all of usI sat down on the floor with them as I took a deep breath."Kids," I said. "Can we talk for a minute?"They all looked up at me telling my voice was serious."Is everything okay Mummy?" Asher asked his big eyes worried."Yes, baby everything is okay." I tried to smile. "I wanted to talk to you about Mr. Dante the man who was here yesterday."Sophia's face lit up. "The homework man! Is he coming back? He said he would help me finish!""Yes honey he might come back," I said. "But I wanted to ask you... what do you think about him?"I looked at their faces one by one.Isabella spoke first.S
A R I A N A The next day after sarah helped me drop the kids off at school she came over I had not slept all night my eyes were red and puffy. I felt like a ghost. "I don't know what to do Sarah," I whispered my voice rough from crying. "I don't know how to tell the kids. What do I even say? 'The man who helped with your homework is your dad'? How will they take that news? Will they be happy? Will they be angry with me for lying?" I put my head in my hands. "And Dante... I look at him and... I still love him and if I’m being honest I never stopped loving him I want to be with him I want him to be there for the kids I want to wake up and not be so scared all the time." "Then let him Ari" Sarah said softly. "That sounds like the answer." "But I can't!" I said looking up at her my eyes wide with fear. "You don't understand. My father... I made an agreement with him. When I left Dante, when I took those papers... my father said I could never go back I had to disappear. He said
A R I A N A Dante was still kneeling in front of me his eyes pleading with me.“Please Ariana,” he said his voice low and serious. “Please let me in. Let me be here for them for you, I know I do not deserve it I know I was wrong for not being there but I am here now and I want to be their father, I want to help you, you do not have to do everything alone anymore.”I wrapped my arms around myself.I felt so confused. A part of me wanted to say yes to let someone help me to let him hold me and tell me it would be okay.But another part of me was so scared.“I… I don’t know Dante,” I whispered. “I’m not sure.”“What are you not sure about?” he asked as his brows furrowed in confusion.“I’m scared,” I said, the truth spilling out. “I’m scared to get hurt again and I’m scared for the kids. What if you change your mind? What if it gets too hard? What if you one day decide leave? It would break their hearts It would break my heart, I can’t go through that pain again.”“I am not going to
A R I A N A“So you’re our daddy?” she asked him.I felt a huge lump form in my throat I couldn’t breathe.Dante looked at Isabella as his lips part slightly then he closed it, he didn’t answer. He just looked lost.Isabella was not done she was too smart for her age.“You said yes to Asher’s question,” she continued. “Does that mean even the part where he asked about you being our daddy… is that also true?”My heart was pounding in my ears this was happening too fast and I was not ready, before Dante could form a single word I cut in.My voice was sharp and loud.“Kids! That’s enough I need you to go to aunt sarah’s apartment right now.”All three of them looked at me their eyes were widen in confusion.“But mummy—” Isabella started to argue.“No buts!” I said, my voice shaking. “I need to speak to Mr. Dante alone and you need to excuse us, now please.”Isabella sighed a big dramatic sigh and stood up. Asher slowly got down from his chair and Sophia looked like she was about to c
A R I A N AIt has been two days, two days since I told Dante the truth in the bathroom and I walked away.My phone has been silent, he has not calle or sent a message. He has not even come.I tried to tell myself it was for the best but a small stupid part of my heart kept hoping maybe he would want usmaybe he would come.But he didn't.Of course he didn't. Why would he want us? A ready made family.A mess he never asked for he made his choice and now accepting it hurts.I had given up the hope was gone It was just me and my kids. Like it always was.Dante didn’t want us.He never did, and now that I told him the truth and he may not no about the twins even if he didn’t it won’t change a thing, he already rejected Asher of course he’d reject the twins.I was currently sitting at our small kitchen table the kids were around me. We were doing homework.Asher was drawing a picture, Isabella was reading a book and Sophia was struggling with her math."Mummy I don't get it" Sophia







