Tear to wither away

Chapter 13

Chapter 14: Revelations

Aria discovered she was pregnant, confronting Vincent in his office after hours. The test trembled in her manicured hand. “It’s yours,” she said, eyes hard. Panicked, Vincent paced, tie askew. That night, he confessed to Anne in the kitchen, voice flat. “I want a divorce. I’m in love with someone else.” The words hit like a slap, but also like release. Anne’s hands shook as she gripped the counter. “I’ve fallen for someone too,” she said quietly. Vincent stormed out, furious, slamming the door so hard a picture frame fell. Anne called Theodore, tears streaming down her face as she packed a bag. “It’s over. Can I come to you?” His voice was steady: “Always.”

With Sarah and Liam’s support, Anne moved out, staying temporarily with Clara in her chaotic loft filled with half-finished sculptures. Theodore offered comfort, helping her pack her art supplies into boxes labeled in his neat handwriting. Vincent, dealing with Aria’s demands—ultrasounds, baby names, her tears—regretted his haste but wouldn’t admit it. Elena, his mother, scolded him over the phone: “You threw away a good woman for a girl who’ll leave when the shine wears off.” Anne filed for divorce at the courthouse, her heels echoing on the marble floor, heart heavy yet hopeful. The clerk, a kind-faced woman named Dolores, stamped the papers with a sympathetic smile.