signed in silence

Chapter Three

Sofia spent the rest of that day alone, Damien did not come back, nor did he give her a call. The next evening, she was discharged. And only a driver and a maid came to pick her up.

“Where’s Damien?” She asked the maid, as they rode back to the house.

“Sir is at home.” The maid replied honestly. 

Minutes later, the car stopped in front of the mansion. The maid assisted her into the house, but Sofia needed more than physical assistance, she needed more.

She was not even seated when Damien emerged out of the living room with an inscrutable look.“Excuse us.” He said to the maid who bowed and left immediately. 

He held  a folder in his hands, and said, “Sofia, it’s good you are back home. There would be no need to prolong this any further.” 

Her stomach sank. “Wh-what is that?” She managed to ask.

He approached closer and placed the folder on the table. "These are the divorce papers. It's for the best... for both of us. Let us go our separate ways. Let’s end this mate bond… the same way we started it….legally.”

Sofia stood motionless and glared at the papers as though she received a physical blow. She could have detected her heartbeat increasing. "Divorce? You... you're serious? You are ending our mate bond with a divorce?” 

“Yes, your body is already weak enough. If I were to reject you, it would only make things worse. Hence I decided to take on a more a legal approach.I've signed my portion. You should do the same. It's what's best--for both of us."

The fingers trembled. One part of her felt she should refuse , and shove them off, and shout that she was not done  fighting, and remind  she had given him everything, she had sacrificed everything to be in a union with him. "I... I can't. I won't sign. I--"

"You won't?" he came in with the cool and decisive tone. "Sofia, you've seen the risks. The doctor's warnings. You've lost five pregnancies. This isn't safe for you. This isn't fair to either of us."

"I don't care about fair! I do not care about warnings!" She screamed.  "I care about this! The bond that we swore to each other!I gave up all that such as my career, my family and half of my  life just to be a part of this marriage. You are ready to get rid of it because of what?”

Damien did not reply at once. Instead, he only stared at her and his eyes were not moved, but stood straight as he stared her desperation. “ this is not only about you, Sofia. It's not just about me. It is... complicated but you’re too blinded by emotions to see reason.”

Sofia took  a deep breath, her eyes full of tears, and the tensions, and the loss of blood by the miscarriage made her light-headed. She tried to get up, to go on arguing, to fight   to defend the only life she had been left with but her legs gave way. The world was bent forwards, her knees turned in, and then she was on the floor.

"Sofia!" Damien’s shout was the last thing she heard.

 Days passed, and Sofia spent them all in the hospital. She heard the beeping  of machines, nurses and fussing over blankets, and talking doctors in the background. But there was a voice she did not hear. Damien. He did not  come.

When he at last came she was a weak and trembling woman in the hospital bed. Her hair disheveled, her eyes full of the tears, her entire body sore and bruised. She  wanted him to hug her , to hold her, to comfort her that it will be all right. To tell her he was not giving up on them.

Instead he went to the bedside table and placed a folder with a tenderness.

“You… why … why are you just coming?” She managed to ask. 

He didn't look at her. "I came to drop this. The divorce documents. Everything's signed. Sign your part and let’s end this.” 

She slowly picked the folded up. "Why? Why do you want to leave me?”

Damien lifted his eyes upwards at her. “Due to the reason that I have another family, Sofia. You should accept it."

Her chest tightened so much that she found it hard to breathe. She gently dropped the folder, her ears refusing to believe what she just heard. She could not move, to talk. Words failed her. Everything that she hoped, everything she believed in, everything all had to be shattered in one sentence.

"You... you have another... family?" A whisper of her voice, incredulity and heartbreak were combined. “What… what do you mean? There is another woman… in your life? You love another woman?”

"Yes," he said simply. "And this... this is what's best. Sign the papers. We can move on."

He jerked, and strode away to the door. Her voice cracked, fragile. "Damien... please... don't go..."

But he didn't stop. He didn't look back. He closed the door behind him. Sofia could only watch the door, tears running down her cheeks, a bitter feeling rising up in her throat, denial settling down in her chest. 

She recalled the lost baby, life that she could have lived, the man was promised  to be by her side at all times. She did not know how to explain the pains of her heart, and the room seemed to be empty and the air was choking her.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to fight. She wanted him to stay. But she could just sit there. Watching the end of it all by her bed side, the folder with the divorce papers, a cold reminder of life and love she was losing.

“He… he has another woman?” She asked herself the question, despite knowing the answer.