What Loving You Cost Me

Chapter 2- His Fiancée

Elizabeth’s POV

My husband got engaged last night… and I still woke up in his bed like nothing had changed. I had spent the whole night crying, alone in the cold bed.

Daniel left not long after what he said.

I had hoped it was all some kind of nightmare, that I would wake up and the pain in my chest would disappear.

But it didn’t.

Slowly, I made my way to the bathroom, letting the warm water run over my cold, shivering body.

Maybe I’m being too dramatic.

It’s not like he said he wanted a divorce. He only got engaged to secure a billion-dollar deal.

Those thoughts kept running through my head as I sat in front of the mirror, getting dressed for the day.

I stared at the only photo from our wedding sitting on the drawer. Tears slipped down my face, but I quickly wiped them away. I shouldn’t let him come home and see me like this.

I don’t want him to ask for a divorce.

I love Daniel so much.

That would break me completely.

I quickly got up and went on with my daily routine as a housewife, living all by myself in a mansion with only a security guard and a driver.

He wouldn’t let me get help. Not even my family was allowed to stay with me for more than a day.

As I worked with shaky hands, my phone rang on the kitchen counter.

It was my mom.

“I need you to thank your husband for me,” were the first words she said when I picked up.

I said nothing.

“You know I told him about Kelvin’s heart condition even though you didn’t want me to.”

My grip on the phone tightened.

“And he didn’t even hesitate,” she continued. “He said he would handle everything. Elizabeth, do you even understand the kind of man you married?”

I swallowed hard.

“I didn’t ask him to do that,” I said quietly.

“But he still did,” she replied immediately. “That’s the point.”

For a moment, I almost told her. Almost said everything that happened last night. The engagement. The humiliation. The way I felt like I didn’t exist in my own marriage.

But the words wouldn’t come out.

“Mom…” I started, my voice shaky. “If… if something happened, would you still tell me to stay?”

There was a brief pause.

“What do you mean, something happened?” she asked, her tone already changing.

I closed my eyes, taking a slow breath.

“He’s… getting married,” I said, the words barely above a whisper. “To someone else.”

She went quiet on the line, so I continued through my sobs, telling her everything.

There was a long pause before I heard her again.

A small, confused laugh… then she cleared her throat.

“Elizabeth, don’t be silly,” she said. “Men like your husband… they do things for business.”

My heart sank.

“It doesn’t mean anything,” she continued. “You’re still his wife. You’re the one in his house.”

I leaned against the counter, my legs suddenly weak.

“He is a good man. I trust whatever reason he gave you.”

“So you’re taking his side?” I asked, unable to believe the words coming out of her mouth.

“No… I’m not taking sides. I’m being honest with you as your mother.”

Then she went on, explaining why I should trust my husband. Listing everything he had done for us—her cancer treatment, my younger brother’s career, even helping my late father’s family back in Colombia.

“Elizabeth, don’t let me get started… I did not raise an ungrateful child. You know our lives would be nothing without him.”

Tears slid down my face.

He had my mother… and my entire family on his side.

She hung up after making me promise I wasn’t going to leave the marriage because of this.

I dropped to the floor, tears burning down my cheeks. I stayed like that for a while, my head resting on my folded arms.

My mom’s words kept replaying in my head.

And it wasn’t like I was going to leave him after this.

I was just scared… scared that the worst was about to happen.

That he would leave me while I’m carrying his child.

So maybe my mom was right.

I’m not an ungrateful person.

I’m going to treat this like a business deal, just like he said.

After all, he told me about it. He didn’t hide it from me.

That has to count for something.

I felt a little better throughout the day, distracting myself from thinking too much about it.

I took a few naps, and the last one… I woke up to it already being night.

I was so stressed, I forgot to make dinner.

He sat on the edge of the bed, still in his suit, already uncuffing his sleeves.

“You took a long nap, Elizabeth,” he said in a low voice, his back still facing me.

Not even a greeting.

“You forgot dinner,” he added.

I nodded, as if he could see me, quickly wiping my face.

“I—” I started.

“It’s fine,” he cut in. “I know you’ve been stressing yourself lately.”

“Yes… but I feel better now,” I managed to say.

“Hm.” He nodded slightly. “That’s good. Because I need to talk to you.”

He stood up, taking off his shirt and finally turning to face me.

I already knew whatever he was about to say had everything to do with the engagement, and I braced myself for it. I walked over to him, taking his clothes from his hands.

“Before I get into it, Elizabeth…” he paused, his hand coming up to cup my face.

“Everything I do is because of you. It’s for us.” He searched my eyes.

A lump formed in my throat. I could barely breathe.

His thumb brushed against my cheek. “I want you to understand that you will always be my only wife.”

Your only wife… or you just love the idea of having one, without actually treating her like one, I thought.

I only nodded.

He released me, and I quickly moved to the closet to get him a fresh set of clothes.

Once he was done changing, he took my hand and led me to sit on the bed.

And like always… he cut the story short.

“She’ll be staying here for a while,” he said calmly. “So I need you to move to another room.”

I froze.

For a second, I thought I heard him wrong.

Then I shook my head, stepping back as I stood up.

“No.”

He looked at me, his expression tightening slightly.

“Elizabeth—”

“No,” I said again, my voice unsteady but firm as I moved away from him. “You can’t just tell me to leave our room.”

“It’s only temporary,” he replied, his tone still controlled. “You should listen to me.”

I let out a small, disbelieving laugh, turning to face him fully now.

“You’re bringing her into our home… and you expect me to just move out like I don’t matter?”

He didn’t answer immediately.

Then he said she wouldn’t be staying long, like that was supposed to make it better, and started walking toward me.

I shook my head, sobbing, stepping back again.

“No… no, this isn’t right,” I said, my voice breaking. “This shouldn’t be the way.”

He stopped in front of me, his expression hardening.

“Are you really going to let everything I’ve worked for all these years slip away?” he asked.

My chest tightened.

Then he continued, his voice steady but cold.

“Everything I’ve built in my name… the only reason you’re here with me. Don’t be selfish Elizabeth.”He stepped closer, grabbing my wrists, forcing me to look at him. “When I met you, you had nothing. I gave you this life. I chose you, even when you doubted yourself.”

“No,” I cried, shaking my head. “That’s not true, and you know it.”

Tears slid down my face as my voice rose.

“I’m not with you because of your money,” I said, my words breaking. “It’s because I love you. That’s why I stay. That’s why I’m still here.”

The words hung between us.

It was only the second time I had ever said it out loud to him.

I pulled my hands from his grip.

Because in my husband’s world… love didn’t exist.

He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a breath.

“Well then,” he said, his voice turning sharper, louder this time. “If you love me, you’ll do it.”

I froze.

He stepped closer again, his eyes dark.

“You say you love me, Elizabeth?” he said quietly.

“Then prove it to me.”

His gaze held mine.

“You’ll prove it by doing this one thing I’m asking of you.”

My lips parted, but no words came out.

Because deep down… I already knew.

I was going to do it.