Ruins
1488 Words
It was apparent that his anger towards me had not abated, and he was trying to crush my mood with his words again by resurrecting past conflict.
I had envisioned a peaceful reconciliation, free from bitter recrimination, just two people genuinely seeking a new beginning.
“I know where you're headed, but can't we move past this? You’ve already expressed your feelings clearly the last time. Why do you keep blaming me for the outcome? Let me remind you: I was willing to sacrifice for your mother. The rigorous testing, endless appointments with the medical team—all for your mother. I volunteered willfully, didn't I?”
Donald’s face reddened. “Volunteered?”
“Yes. You want to ignore that fact? Unlike your sister, who was a match but cited age as a reason not to.”
“You never intended to go through with it. You stalled at every step,” he yelled, ignoring my statement about his sister, Riley. “That's not true. It stalled because I was confused. I wanted us to ta—”
“Enough!” he barked.
I drew closer to him, eager to whisper passionately to him that I was confused because I was with a child. I genuinely wanted to explain, but his fury was shutting me down, like it always does.
And right now, I was uncertain whether telling him about my pregnancy would flare him further. What if he accuses me of getting pregnant because I still didn’t want to donate?
“Can you hear me out, please—”
“No, Adeline,” he barked, withdrawing from me.
“It's clear where your priorities lie. And it's not with me. If it were me, would you or would you not have done anything to save me?"
Silence. How could he even bring this into his argument?
"Your selfishness didn't allow you to show that you were a part of the family.”
His words cut through my heart like a war sword, and I felt a surge of rage rush through my veins.
“But you knew your mother well; she would have rather died than accept the donation of a good for nothing, low-class daughter-in-law.”
He scoffed, and his face twisted resentfully. “That's the point, Adeline. You let your hatred for her cloud your humanity. And you became the opposite of whom I thought you were.”
He moved closer to me, closing the gap between us as he fumed. “The best you could do was to at least do it for my sake. And keep the information to yourself. Why would you tell her about it?”
“I didn't. I never did. I have told you that many times. And I have never hated your mom. In fact, I thought donating would improve my relationship with her. If I had known it would cause chaos, I would never have brought it up.”
“Stop pretending. We all know you sent her that silly message.”
“I never did.”
“A message clearly from you? But it doesn't matter now. It's clear how you really feel towards me,” Donald uttered, his voice icy. “You’ve done what you wanted, right? We talked about this, and I pleaded with you to ignore her words and help me save her. But what did you do in return? You sent her a message to provoke her while on her sick bed instead.”
“Stop blaming me, Donald. Stop the accusation!”
“You only think about yourself, Adeline. You never consider me or my family.”
His words gave me a pang of pain. For someone I have sacrificed so much for, even as far as considering donating my kidney for his mom to live, I didn't expect those words from him.
I staggered back, bitterness rising through my veins. None of my efforts were worth it after all. Donald never loved me; he only fulfilled his father's wish.
For the first time since I got married to him, I was regretful and wished my path never crossed with his. “You're right, Donald. I don't think I belong here because no one acknowledges my efforts to make things work. I've been a big fool trying to make you love me all these years.”
Tears trickled down my face as I continued, my voice quivering. “Your family believes I'm a gold digger, milking from Don Morris’s household. And you? You've failed to see through my genuine heart how unconditionally I care for you.”
My tears rolled down in torrents, regardless of how much I tried to keep it in. Donald stood in place, unaffected by my cry.
“Now you understand, this whole marriage is absolute fantasy,” he said.
Ignoring his statement, I continued, not letting him shut me down again, “I paused my career just to please you and your family, yet I’m the one who never tried. Always at their beck and call, running errands for your mom, who hates me and never wanted me around. Yet, I never tried.”
“Stop Adeline. This marriage was a mistake, and we should end this amicably.”
I stared at Donald, my heart aching. What was he insinuating? End what? I'm carrying his child. We can talk it over.
“Catherine, the papers, please,” he called out.
“Catherine?” My eyes flickered as I wondered if I heard right.
“Yes, she has been here for me through this storm.”
“Catherine?” I repeated, my heart sinking. I couldn't believe that he came with his ex—his manipulator.
My eyes widened as she emerged from the shadows, a smug smile spreading across her face. I noticed her bump too! A bump?
I never heard that she was married. What in the world was going on? I've been a dummy! What have they been up to?
It began to dawn on me that our marriage got worse when she returned to Minneapolis, always seeking unending favors from Donald. I never liked her, but Donald wouldn't put her in her place. Why would Donald choose to rub it in my face that they are now a thing?
“Here, sign these,” he declared, handing me some papers.
A wave of despair washed over me as I realized what they were—divorce papers.
Three years of struggle down the drain. And I wouldn't even get an explanation for Catherine. I paused for seconds, trying to wrap my head around his request. A divorce? And why was Catherine with a bump?
“Are you pregnant for him, Catherine? Have you been seeing Catherine?” I asked, my voice trembling. I wanted closure at least.
Catherine scoffed. “This baby has nothing to do with this. Mind your business, Adeline. I would never do what you did to Donald. I believe your concern now is signing those papers so he can get his peace of mind back.”
I felt a ball of anger lodged in my throat. I wanted to tear Catherine apart but I couldn’t. It wouldn’t change what Donald feels towards me. I felt the urge to go on my knees and beg him for the sake of my baby. How would I raise a child alone? Even if I didn't belong here, my baby was his.
But a rush of self-realization held me back. Wasn’t I the girl who survived without parents in my life? I had only been clinging onto this marriage because I cherished family—something I never had.
I felt a surge of determination sweep away the desperation that had clouded my heart since I met him.
Sign! My instinct screamed.
I looked at Donald, but he couldn't bring his eyes to meet mine—his head was down.
“Your silence says it all, Donald. But it didn't have to end this way. Not with you embarrassing me before her. I won’t be broken; I will rise above this,” I declared, my voice firm and resolute.
“I can't be where my presence means nothing. You've never considered how I feel; it has always been about you and your family.” I sniffed.
With my renewed confidence, I wiped away my tears quickly and signed the divorce papers, sealing my liberation from the toxicity that had drained my spirit for a long time.
As I turned to leave, Donald’s hand suddenly encircled my arm gently, halting my exit. “You can still stay, Adeline,” he said, his voice surprisingly a blend of calmness and pity. “Until you find a place, at least.”
His words, filled with an unexpected gentility, stirred a familiar longing within me. This was the Donald I knew at the beginning of our marriage and had desperately yearned to reclaim. But stay, did he say stay?
- Writer
