Twisted Chances

‘My yuroshima’ played from the radio of Evie Mendes’ Audi Q8, and she hummed with it, tapping her fingers to the beat as she waited for the traffic light to turn green. She glanced at the white envelope beside the lunchbox on the passenger’s seat and purred. Her happiness knew no bounds. This was the perfect way to announce the news to him after keeping it to herself for weeks; thank God he forgot his lunch; she couldn’t hide it anymore. Their family would increase from three to five, at once! Oh! “Hey girl, you are the yuroshima in my world…” she sang along as she pulled into the VIP parking lot of her husband’s International Firm. She stepped out of the car with the lunch box in her hand and walked to the private elevator in the garage. Her silver heels clicked loudly on the tarred floor, but she couldn’t help it. She pushed a button, and the elevator doors closed. With her inside. Then she turned to look at her reflection on the mirrored walls; fixing her shiny black hair and glossy lips. She wore a lacy peach gown, that reached her ankles and held her frame elegantly. Then placed her hand on her stomach, and her smile widened. The elevator dinged open and she floated out, onto the quiet VIP floor, belonging to the CEO. She turned to the large desk, where Lianne, her husband’s secretary usually sat, which was now empty. The girl was good at her job but had a mean streak in her. Evie cared less about her, why, because she was only a secretary, and could be replaced anytime. Evie was still holding out since she hadn’t had any direct encounter with her. When that glorious day comes… Evie stopped in front of her husband’s door when the sounds of moaning came to her ears. No, no, Lord. Let it not be… I’m only imagining things. I’m only… The door was slightly ajar, Evie pushed it open to see her husband’s secretary, straddling him on his seat with her blue shirt undone and her skirt raised above her hips. The two of them, oblivious to her presence, kissed loudly. The lady bounced on him and her husband’s hand disappeared inside the shirt of the woman. Storm—black, violent, tree snapping, house-dividing storm, circled over Evie’s head, as she stared at them, eyes wide, her lips trembling. Her chest ached so much; that the lunch box in her hand fell, clunked on the floor, spilling its contents. The two unregistered love birds were alerted of someone’s presence and they scampered away, undecided, whether to hide or look presentable. “Andrew… Andrew,” came Evie’s voice in an audible whisper of pleas, tears streaked down her lovely face, and her eyes were as big as saucer’s. She stood frozen on the spot. “Andrew.” “Evie,” Andrew was partly relieved to see it was his wife and not the business associate he was scheduled to see later that afternoon. If that were the case, the blackmail would be unbearable. “I can explain.” Evie let out a dark chuckle, controlling the turbulent storm she felt. “Explain? Alright then. Explain.” She folded her hands. “Explain why?” the last part she said in a whisper. Geez, she was always playing the victim, Andrew thought. His lips curved into a cheeky smile, and he slipped his hands into the pockets of his rumpled suit, refusing to be bullied into this. “Evie, are you stalking me?” “Wha-what?” “You know, I’ve been putting up with your attitude for a long time. I found you on the streets remember? I put a roof over your orphan head even when you are, clearly, still ungrateful. You have no right to question me or what I do.” His voice rose with anger. She tilted her head, wondering if it was her husband talking or an evil spirit. But the evil spirit wasn’t done. “I can do as I please, Evie. Especially when you can’t give me children. Don’t play the victim with me.” Lianne who was done fixing herself in the bathroom, happened upon the part where Andrew said his wife couldn’t bear him children. She smiled cynically. “You, you bastard…” Evie said and charged towards him. Just when Evie raised her hand to witness the storm on her husband’s face, Lianne, wanting to do something, so her presence would not be that of a speck, shoved Evie away. Unable to balance herself and the force, Evie fell into one of the cushions in the office. Evie stared at the short, pot-bellied man that she practically spoon-fed, to grow his company with her own money, all in the name of love. Here he was, throwing insults and allegations at her. Her heart broke when she saw him and his secretary siding together against her. “You and your barren womb can’t give me a son; you are no different from a rotten tree.” His thumb grazed the tip of his nose. “You know, only rotten trees produce rotten fruits, you barren woman.” Dumb stupid man; rotten trees can’t even produce fruits, she wanted to say but held herself. She hoped the news of her pregnancy would quell the little arguments they’d been having recently, but as she continued to look at his face while he brazenly insulted her, she thought he was underserving of her. After all these times, all they had been through hadn’t made him see that she could do anything for him. That she loved him. “What you can’t do in a hundred years, Lianne has done in a heartbeat. She is pregnant with me, with a son. Do you hear? I have a boy on the way.” “I gave you Vivian!” “You gave me a rotten fruit.” He shot back. Evie wanted to ride a hot iron on his face to seal that mouth from ever speaking down on her. She swallowed the painful lump in her throat, bottled her emotions, wiped her eyes, and looked up at the man she thought she loved. Since he wanted to break his family and destroy what they had built for years, so be it. She rose to her feet and looked at the two of them, he would regret this for the rest of his life. She would make sure of it. “I’m getting a divorce!”