CHAPTER ONE: BROKEN VOWS
I was smiling when I pushed the door open.
It’s my fifth year wedding Anniversary… I have always been waiting for this day to come. I'm four weeks pregnant and wanted to tell jade about it but had to wait for this day to come to surprise him all together.
The cake box was warm in my hands, and I held it carefully like it mattered, like today mattered, like five years of marriage meant something worth celebrating.
I even paused at the entrance for a second, adjusting my hair with my free hand, my lips curving into a soft smile because I wanted to look good when I walked in… I wanted him to look at me and remember why he married me in the first place.
“Jade?” I called out, stepping into the living room, my voice light, almost playful. “I came home early, you won’t believe what I…. ” I stopped.
At first, it was the silence that felt wrong.
Everywhere was quiet
First time coming back and jade isn't seeing a match and talking to himself, predicting who would win as usual
Then I heard it.
A soft laugh came from upstairs, followed by a low moan that made my steps stop immediately, my fingers tightening around the cake box while my heart started beating so hard it almost hurt.
“No…” I whispered, shaking my head quickly as I climbed the stairs faster, trying to convince myself I was imagining things until I reached our bedroom door.
It was slightly open.
And the moment I pushed it wider, everything inside me went still.
Jade was on the bed. With a lady of my age beneath him.
The cake slipped from my hands and hit the floor, but neither of them looked surprised enough.
Even jade didn't notice the cake, I guess he's forgotten what today was.
His hands were on her body like he had done it a hundred times before, like it was normal, like it was something he had gotten used to. His voice was low, his face buried against her neck, and the way he held her… it wasn’t something new, Jade has never held me like this.. My heart raced faster as I saw the intimacy.
And her voice, I knew that voice it sounds familiar
“Serena…?” Jade turned first and was familiar.
And her face
I knew that face.
“Serena…?” My voice came out broken, small, like it didn’t even belong to me. They both froze and his eyes met mine.
I paused for a second to see if there could be any form of guilt, panic or something.. I waited for an apology instantly,
But all I saw… was annoyance.
“Luna?” he said, like I had interrupted something important. “Why are you back early?”
My chest tightened, my throat closing up as I stared at them, my eyes moving from him… to her… back to him again, trying to understand what I was seeing, trying to wake up from what felt like a nightmare that refused to end.
“Why…?” I took a step forward, my legs weak but still moving. “Why is she in our bed?”
Serena slowly sat up, not even rushing, not even trying to cover herself properly, her lips curling into a small smile like this was all a joke to her.
“Our bed?” she repeated, tilting her head slightly as she looked at me. “You’re still calling it that?”
I stared at her, my eyes burning as I took in every detail, realizing that on the day I was meant to celebrate my marriage, she was the one in my place.
The girl who used to share clothes with me, laugh with me, sit with me during family dinners like we were sisters.
“Serena…” My voice shook, my hands clenching at my sides. “Get out.”
She laughed.
Actually laughed…
“Wow,” she said, looking at Jade like she was entertained. “She still thinks she has a say here.”
“Luna,” he said calmly, “stop making a scene.”
A scene?
A dry laugh escaped my lips, but it didn’t sound like me.
“A scene?” I repeated, my voice rising now, my emotions spilling out before I could stop them. “You’re in bed with my cousin and I’m the one making a scene?”
“it’s been five years, Luna,” Jade said firmly, his eyes fixed on me while Serena stood beside him with a smile on her face, “five years and nothing changed. I kept waiting for you to give me a child, but I’m tired.”
My fingers tightened around the divorce papers.
“So that’s why you cheated?” I asked, trying hard to keep my voice steady even though my chest already felt tight.
Serena laughed softly and walked closer. “Don’t say it like that,” she said smoothly. “A man has needs, Luna. He wanted a family. You couldn’t give him one.”
I turned to Jade quickly, waiting for him to stop her, but he only sighed and rubbed his forehead.
“She’s right,” he said.“She can give me the life I want.”
The words settled heavily in the room.
Serena folded her arms and tilted her head slightly. “You should just sign the papers and leave peacefully before things become messy.”
“And if I don’t?” I asked.
Her smile widened slowly. “Then don’t blame us for what happens next.”
I looked back at Jade one last time. “You’re really choosing her?”
“She can give me the life I want,” he replied softly.
I swallowed hard, forcing the words out even though my throat already hurt.
“What happens if I tell you there’s already a baby?”...
Then a sharp pain hit my stomach.
I froze immediately, my other hand moving to my belly.
“…Jade…”
Serena rolled her eyes. “Oh please.”
The pain came again, stronger this time, making me bend slightly.
“I don’t feel okay…”
Before I could finish, Serena stepped forward and punched my stomach hard.
Pain shot through my body.
I gasped and grabbed the table quickly to stop myself from falling.
“Serena!” Jade snapped.
“She’s acting!” Serena shouted back.
My breathing turned uneven.
Then I felt something warm slide down my leg.