All Chapters of I Want A Divorce: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

225 Chapters

Chapter 21 - Every Word

DARIUSI found Cathy in our mother's study, refilling her wine glass from the bottle she'd apparently brought with her. Her hands were shaking slightly, whether from the alcohol or the confrontation at dinner, I couldn't tell."Cathy." My voice came out sharper than I intended. "We need to talk."She turned around, her chin lifted in defiance. Even drunk, she looked ready for a fight. "What about? How I told your precious wife the truth?""You mean how you were cruel and vicious to the mother of my child?" I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me. "In front of Luna, no less.""Luna needs to see the truth too." Cathy took a large gulp of wine. "She needs to see that not all women are weak like her mother."Something hot and dangerous flared in my chest. "Weak? Sera is the strongest person I know.""Is she? Because from where I'm sitting, she looks like she's falling apart.""Because of what you just did to her!" My voice rose despite my efforts to stay calm. "Because of th

Chapter 22 - Better

SERAThe ride home from Mary's was quiet except for Luna's sleepy chatter from her car seat. She was telling us about the story Vivienne had read to her while we were all talking downstairs, her little voice getting softer as exhaustion took over."And then the princess found her prince and they lived happily ever after," Luna mumbled, her head dropping against the side of her seat.I turned to look at her, my heart squeezing at how innocent she looked. How simple her world still was, where princesses always got their happy endings and love conquered everything."That sounds like a beautiful story, baby," I whispered.By the time we pulled into our driveway, Luna was completely asleep. Darius carried her inside, her little arms wrapped around his neck, her face peaceful against his shoulder. I followed behind them, my heels clicking on the hardwood as we made our way upstairs.Watching Darius tuck Luna into bed, smoothing her hair back and pulling her favorite blanket up to her chin,

Chapter 23 - Won Again

SERA"Let's talk about us. About how I want things to be okay between us again and maybe..." His green orbs darkened, "Better.""Darius—""Don't shut me out, Sera. Please." His lips brushed against my jaw, making me shiver. "I know I've hurt you. But I want to fix this. I want to fix us."Mary's words from earlier came rushing back to me.Maybe she was right. Maybe I didn't have to give up on us. Maybe we could work through this, find our way back to each other despite everything that had happened."I want that too," I whispered, and his whole body seemed to relax with relief.Then his mouth was on mine again, and this time I kissed him back with everything I had. My arms went around his neck, my fingers tangling in his dark hair, and I felt him groan against my lips.He backed me toward his bedroom, his hands roaming over my body, reacquainting themselves with curves he probably didn't remember touching that drunken night years ago. When my back hit the door, he pressed himself again

Chapter 24 - Like A Stranger

DARIUSThe hospital fluorescent lights had given me a headache that pounded behind my eyes as I finally walked through our front door. Dawn was breaking through the windows, casting everything in a gray, exhausted light that matched how I felt inside.I'd spent the entire night in that sterile waiting room, then by Vivienne's bedside once they'd stabilized her. The doctors said it was severe dehydration combined with her medication, nothing immediately life-threatening, but they wanted to keep her for observation.Every hour that ticked by, I'd thought about Sera. About how I'd left her in our bed, vulnerable and wanting, to rush to another woman's side. About the look on her face when I'd grabbed my clothes and walked out on what could have been the beginning of us finding our way back to each other.I was an ass. A complete and total ass.My feet felt heavy as I climbed the stairs to our bedroom. The door was closed, and I could hear the shower running. Part of me wanted to knock, t

Chapter 25 - What It Takes

SERAThe hospital room was filled with flowers and get-well cards when we arrived. Vivienne looked pale against the white sheets, but she managed a weak smile when she saw us in the doorway."Luna!" she said softly, her voice hoarse but warm. "You came to see me.""Miss Vivienne!" Luna broke away from my hand and ran to the bedside, her yellow dress bright against the sterile hospital room. "I was so worried about you! Are you feeling better?""Much better now that you're here, sweetheart." Vivienne's eyes filled with tears as Luna carefully climbed onto the chair beside her bed. "You look so pretty in that dress."I stayed by the door, watching the interaction with a hollow yet aching feeling in my chest. Darius moved to the other side of the room, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, looking uncomfortable."Daddy brought you flowers," Luna announced, pointing to the bouquet in Darius's hands. "And I drew you a picture!""Did you? I can't wait to see it." Vivienne accepted the drawi

Chapter 26 - A Few More Days

SERA"Why?" I asked quietly. "After everything you've put me through, after the humiliation and the pain and the way you've made me feel invisible in my own family, why are you fighting this? Why won't you just let me go?" I hated how my voice shook, how obvious it was that I was holding back tears. He was quiet for a long moment, just looking at me with those intense green eyes that had once made my heart race. Now they just made me tired."Because I care about you," he said finally. "I care about you more than I've ever cared about anyone except Luna. I care about our marriage, about our family, about the life we've built together."He was quiet for a moment, like he was gathering courage for what he was about to say."I meant what I said about New York," he said finally. "I want to move there. With you and Luna," He admitted with an honesty I hadn't heard from him in a long time. I let out a slow breath, studying his face. "You're serious.""Completely serious. I've been thinking

Chapter 27 - Hurt

LUNA Daddy picked me up and put me on his lap in the big chair. His face looked serious, like when he had to tell me that Grandma's dog went to heaven, but also happy, like when I got a good report from preschool. "Princess, I have something exciting to tell you," he said, smoothing my hair back. "How would you feel about moving to New York to be with Mommy?" I tilted my head, confused. "But we already live with Mommy." "Well, yes, but Mommy has been working in New York, remember? And we've been here without her." I thought about this. Mommy had been gone a lot lately. She used to tuck me in every single night and read me stories, but then she started going away. Sometimes for just a few days, but the last time felt really, really long. "We're going to live in New York?" I asked. "That's right. We'll get a new house there, and you'll go to a new school, and we'll all be together every day." My tummy got all fluttery with excitement. "Every day? Mommy won't go away anymore?" "N

Chapter 28 - Face Them Instead

SERAI stood outside Luna's bedroom door for what felt like hours, my hand pressed against the wood, listening to Darius's low voice trying to comfort our daughter. My daughter. The one who had just said she hated me.The words kept echoing in my head, sharp and cruel despite coming from such a small, innocent mouth.I hate Mommy.My legs finally gave out and I slid down the wall in the hallway, pulling my knees to my chest. The tears came hot and fast, silent sobs that shook my whole body. I pressed my fist against my mouth to keep any sound from escaping, not wanting Luna to hear me crying.What kind of mother was I that my own daughter hated me?I thought about all the nights I'd spent rocking her to sleep when she was a baby, singing lullabies until my voice went hoarse. All the scraped knees I'd kissed better, all the bad dreams I'd chased away, all the bedtime stories I'd read until the words blurred together.And somehow, despite all of that, I'd still failed her.It wasn't jus

Chapter 29 - A Thief

SERAThe next morning, I woke up with a plan forming in my mind. Luna loved music, just like I did. Maybe that could be the bridge between us, the way back to each other.I left early, before Luna woke up, leaving a note for Darius that I'd be back in a few hours. The downtown area was quiet at this hour, most shops still closed or just opening their doors.Miller's Music Shop had been there since before I moved to this city with Darius. It was tucked between a coffee shop and a bookstore, its windows filled with instruments of all kinds. I'd walked past it hundreds of times but never gone inside.The bell above the door chimed softly as I entered, and the smell of wood polish and old paper hit me immediately. Sheet music was stacked on every surface, and instruments hung from the walls like artwork. It was a rather calming sight and I found the corners of my lips curling up slightly. "I'll be right with you!" a voice called from somewhere in the back.I wandered through the aisles,

Chapter 30 - Real Talent

SERA "That piece you were playing," Cathy said again, her voice getting louder. "It's Vivienne's composition. Everyone who knows anything about music would recognize it." I opened my mouth to protest, but before I could speak, Cathy turned to Vivienne. "Tell her, Vivienne. That's your piece." Vivienne stood there in silence, her eyes fixed on me. She didn't nod, didn't confirm Cathy's words out loud, but she didn't deny them either. She just stared with a look that said everything it needed to without words. That silence felt like confirmation enough. "I didn't steal anything," I said, my voice shaking but clear. "That piece is mine. I wrote it." "Oh please," Cathy laughed. "You expect anyone to believe that? You, who's never shown an ounce of musical talent, suddenly composed something that sophisticated?" The other customers in the shop had stopped browsing. I could feel their eyes on me, watching the drama unfold like I was some kind of entertainment. "It's true," I insist

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