Divorce By All Means

Chapter 6: Hospital

Alice and I were in the stark white waiting room, inside the same hospital as Oliver.It also happened to be the same hospital I used to work before Left only to me, I would have scooped her up and taking her miles away from that disgusting vile waste of space, but since I wasn't her legal guardian it would be regarded as k********g.

I was too disgusted to even feel betrayed, Alice told me everything how he would always make the most inappropriate comments when he knew I was out of earshot. Saying stuff that she was really growing into her body and looking more and more like her mom everyday.

"Aliceyou should have told me,"I said not in a tone of blame, but rather one of regret for not noticing this soon enough.

But it was just so inconceivable, I had always gotten used to receiving the very bare minimum from my marriage so it was hard for me to tell when something was amiss. The only thing that looks like a silver lining in this situation was that he stopped at those comments alone which he liked to brush under the carpet as jokes and tonight was when he really wanted to take it far but it didn't get the chance because I showed up.

"I'm so glad you came Ashley," she said hugging me close, "I was so scared... He told me that I was born to take my Mom's place, and I would love him the way a real woman should..."

Every word that came from my stepdaughter made it harder for me not to just march into Oliver's ward and kick him off the hospital bed.

The worst part was when the apologies came.

"I'm sorry... If it wasn't for me... I ruined your marriage with him..you must hate me..."

She looked so fragile in that moment, I was almost scared to embrace her so she wouldn't c***k into a million pieces. I told her that it wasn't her fault, she was a child and it was only misfortune but if people father's like that.

Her tears began to subside, that was when Oliver's family showed up, his mom and a couple of other relatives. She was already teary and panicking, I didn't tell her about what Oliver did he has because I wanted the tension to die down. Everyone in his family mostly ignored me anyways.

Except his brother.

Edward Gale.

It was strange how both were Brothers and shared the same blood yet Edward carried this naturally magnetic and charismatic air that just drew everybody into him, he was also the only one that cared about the sniffling Alice and myself.

That was what moved me to open up to him.

"There is something I need to tell you," I said, fortunately, an aunt came to check on Alice and we left her in her care while Edward and I went aside to talk.

I told him everything, from the party to The vacation plans and how I have tracked Oliver over to the hotel then finally concluding with how the hotels staff called 911 for him.

He listened his breath becoming deeper as the story progressed then when I was finally done he looked half ready to punch a hole through the wall.

"This is exactly why I told our mother that he needed to be admitted into a psychiatric ward"

My eyes widened, this was the first time I was hearing anything of such. Again it was no surprised since I was never really close with Oliver's family.

Edward saw in my eyes that I needed explanation, so he came closer since we could not go out of eyesight of Alice. We had to leaning to whisper so we wouldn't be overheard. He told me about Miranda's mother, Nelly, how she was the life of every party and the natural chemistry between her and Oliver.

Hearing about the romantic things that Oliver did for the woman he really cared about made my stomach twist.

All these years I had convinced myself that I just wasn't working hard enough to be loved by him but now I realized just how clownish I had been. Giving up everything for a man to love you wasn't love, it was simply self manipulation.

But then Oliver story with Nelly took a dark twist.

"I knew he 'loved' her... But as time passed his affection for her became disturbing, he made her quit her job, isolated her from family and friends and eventually he wouldn't even let her leave the house,"

My chest tightened, I guess in a way Oliver hated both me and this woman just on different sides of the spectrum.

"... Because of this there is something I suspect concerning Nelly..."

Edward suddenly paused pulling me to his side, that was when I noticed my mother-in-law steam shooting out of her ears and her face flushed with anger.

"What have you done to my son?!" She wailed, "Tell me you shameful wench! I heard that he passed out in a hotel room, he caught you cheating on him didn't he?"

I didn't know if I was supposed to be angry or surprised.

I chose to be angry.

"That's not what happened, I've never cheated on him," the truth remained sealed beyond my lips if she was able to twist the situation like that and conclude that I was the one with extra marital plans then she didn't look like the type who would believe what her son was planning to do to her granddaughter, she had barely even spared Alice a glance when she saw the poor girl crying.

"Mother, you're misunderstanding the situation," Edwards told her firmly.

"Then tell me what really happened? Why were all of you in a hotel?"

"That's not something I can explain in public like this," I said and she just got even more riled up.

One of their relatives rushed towards us, panting before he announced.

"Olie just woke up,"