Unseen Tears Behind The Roses

"Julian?" The name clawed out of my throat, dry and raspy.

The man froze.

A second ago, his eyes were dripping with devotion. Now, as his gaze met mine, sheer panic flashed across his face.

He masked it instantly. His first instinct was to pull the girl tighter against his chest.

Yasmine Reed peeked out from behind his shoulder. Her innocent face twisted in surprise.

"Vanessa..." Yasmine whimpered, shrinking back. "What are you doing here?"

My best friend, Clara Barnes, dropped my medical chart onto the floor.

"Julian Drake!" Clara roared, pointing a shaking finger at him. "You lied to us! You're supposed to be abroad! Who the hell is this pregnant girl?!"

Julian ignored her.

His eyes settled on me, icy and completely unfazed.

"Vanessa, this is a hospital," he said calmly. "Don't make a scene."

Unbelievable.

Caught red-handed, and he still acted like the authority figure.

Just three days ago, he called me on video. He was standing on a dusty construction site, whining about the blistering heat and how much he missed my home cooking.

I cried for him.

That same night, I spent hundreds on high-end skincare, packed a care package, and paid ridiculous international shipping fees to send it out.

Yet here he was. Crisply dressed. Holding the college girl I had funded for three years.

"What about the contract abroad?" I choked back my tears, refusing to break in front of them.

Julian scowled, annoyed by my persistence. "The project was outsourced. I came back last month."

He brushed off his jacket.

"Yasmine has no family here. She's young, pregnant, and scared. I'm just taking care of her."

"Taking care of her?" A bitter, breathless laugh escaped my lips as I gestured to her rounded stomach. "You took care of her right into your bed?! You got her pregnant!"

Yasmine’s eyes filled up with tears. She clutched Julian’s sleeve, trembling.

"Please don't blame Julian, Vanessa," she sobbed. "It was my fault. I couldn't control my feelings. But the baby is innocent! I grew up without a father. I don't want my baby to grow up alone too..."

Julian’s face softened instantly. He gently wiped her tears away.

When he looked back at me, his eyes were cold as ice.

"Watch your mouth, Vanessa. Yasmine isn't like you. She's pure, gentle, and vulnerable. I touched her first. If you have any problem, take it out on me."

A wave of utter exhaustion washed over me.

We had been married for five years.

To help him build his architecture firm, I quit my dream job as a chief designer. I worked late into the night drawing blueprints for him.

I even suffered a miscarriage that left me with a low chance of ever conceiving again.

Back then, Julian wept at my hospital bed. He swore on his life that even if we never had children, he would love me forever.

When the business finally stabilized, he claimed he needed to oversee the overseas market.

I stayed behind. I managed the firm. I took care of his sick mother.

When I twisted my ankle today, I didn't even dare mention it on the phone, afraid it would distract him.

I was the only one who kept those vows.

"I'm not making a scene, Julian Drake." I took a deep breath, forcing my hands to stop shaking. "I want a divorce.”