Kept Secret After Divorce

CHAPTER 3

I quietly walked into the mansion. Mom was in the living room, sitting beside the suitcases we had packed for the trip back to the province.

My eyes wandered around the house. From now on, this place is Kash’s responsibility. As for Mom and me, we were going back to the life we used to live. We were never rich—just had enough to get by. Middle class. It was only Kash who had real wealth.

I first met Kash in our hometown, when he came to visit his childhood friend—the son of his former nanny.

It started with a single glance. Something unspoken passed between us, like we both felt a spark neither of us could explain. He struck up a conversation, and in the five short days he spent in the province, we grew unexpectedly close.

When he returned to the city, I didn’t expect much. But five months later, he came back—this time with clearer intentions. He was there to win my heart.

Seven months after that, we were married. And we were husband and wife for two years.

We shared a long journey together, and for that, I'm truly grateful to him. Because of him, Mom and I experienced a comfortable life—even this grand mansion, a cozy home, and financial stability.

But now that it’s over, I guess I’ll have to start working again after I give birth. I still have some savings—just enough to cover the costs of my delivery. I’ll start using my share of the money we divided once his child is born.

Once again, I felt that heaviness in my chest as the memory of what I saw earlier came back to me. It hurts. But I don’t have the time—or the energy—to keep hurting myself because of him. I’m done. I’ll forget him and pour all my love and attention into my child and my mother instead.

“Irish? Are you okay?”

Mom’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts as she walked over and gently held my arm.

“Hey, Mom,” I said softly, my head slightly bowed.

“How was your check-up?”

“All good. The baby’s doing fine too. Just five weeks in.”

Mom's smile lit up the moment she heard the news. She was truly happy I was pregnant again. Honestly, she looked more excited than me.

“That’s good to hear. Don’t forget to take your vitamins, okay?” Mom said with a gentle smile, her tone wrapping around me like a hug.

“I won’t, Mom.” I gave her a soft smile, letting a bit of warmth show through.

“So, are we heading out? It’s a long ride—five hours. Do you think you can manage?”

“Yeah.” I nodded slowly.

Mom and I grabbed our suitcases, and our family driver, Troy, helped us load everything into the trunk.

He was only driving us to the bus station, where we'd catch our ride to the province.

“Did you leave anything behind?” Mom asked from the other side of the car door.

I took one last look at the mansion. I know I’ll miss this house—and Kash, too. But I’m leaving it all behind now, along with the pain and all the heavy memories tied to it.

I looked down, feeling that familiar heaviness in my chest. But I took a quiet breath, steadied myself, let go of the thoughts in my head, and gave Mom a slight shake of the head before finally getting into the car. Mom got into the car too, settling into the seat beside me.

"Sweetheart, you're going to love our house there! It's a two-storey now, and Kash had it renovated--"

Mom immediately stopped mid-sentence the moment she mentioned Kash. I didn’t react much either, knowing she realized right away what she had just said.

"I'm sorry," she said, gently taking my hand to comfort me. I forced a small smile and held her hand in return.

"Can we please not talk about him anymore?" I gently asked Mom, and she nodded in response.

"Of course."

Our car finally started moving away from the mansion and left the estate. Even before we exited the gates, I had already noticed a car that seemed to be following us. But I chose to ignore it—at least until we reached the bus station.

"Thanks so much, Troy, for helping us with our bags," I said, grateful for how he brought us to the station and helped load our things into the luggage compartment of the bus.

"No problem, Irish. Are you sure you’re getting off here? I can still drive you all the way to the province if you'd like."

"That won’t be necessary. But thank you."

"Alright then, I’ll get going. Take care, Irish."

I nodded at Troy, and he finally drove off.

"I can’t wait to go home, sweetheart! The neighbors have been asking about you!" Mom said cheerfully.

I only gave her a faint smile in return. I was looking forward to going back with her too. After I lost the baby, I never got the chance to return, so now, I truly longed to rest in my old bed again.

So Kash actually had that house of ours renovated, e? It had always been our plan—to fix up Mom’s place so we could spend our vacations there every six months. We also wanted her to have a comfortable home.

Mom doesn’t visit the city often. She’s been busy taking care of her piggery and poultry back in the province, so she only comes by once in a while. And truthfully, she had no idea that my relationship with Kash was already falling apart.

She came this time because I asked her to—I needed someone to lean on after the argument I had with Kash the other day. That’s when I finally told her everything.

What I didn’t expect was Jones showing up too—with bad news in hand.

"Let's go, Irish. Let's get on the bus now."

"You go first, Mom."

Mom boarded the bus first, and I was just about to follow when something caught my eye—a black car parked in the distance.

Its windows were heavily tinted, making it impossible to see who's inside. But I had a strong feeling—it was the same car that had been tailing us back at the estate. And somehow, I knew... someone inside was watching me.

Who could be inside that car? Could it be Kash? Impossible. He’s obviously busy with his work. And why would I even expect anything from him? We’re over.

A dull weight pressed against my chest again, along with a slight ache brought on by my thoughts.

I knew it was impossible for him to be the one inside that car, but my heart couldn’t help but hope—even if deep down, I knew I was hoping for nothing.

Annoyance quickly took over me. My chest tightened, and I felt a heat rise within me— I threw one last sharp glare at the car in the distance before storming up the steps of the bus, with heavy, irritated steps.

I sat next to Mom, annoyed, a deep frown on my face. She noticed right away and looked at me closely.

“What happened?”

I didn’t answer. I just crossed my arms and stared ahead, stewing in silence. The irritation was bubbling inside me, mixed with a kind of hurt I didn’t really know how to explain.

“Nothing,” I still replied to Mom, frowning.

She gave me a look—gentle but firm. “Drop that attitude. From now on, think about your child.”

Her words hit me like a splash of cold water. Just like that, my thoughts were dragged back to what really mattered. I was being selfish again. For a moment, I’d let my emotions take over and forgot about my child. Whatever bitterness I was still holding onto… it was time to let it go. For good.

I gently placed my hand on my belly, a quiet sadness tugging at my heart.

I’m sorry, baby. Mommy’s still going through a lot right now. Everything’s still a bit messy in my head. But starting today, I promise—I’ll be stronger than ever for you. I love you, my baby.

“Stop those tears already,” Mom said softly, her voice filled with concern.

It was only then that I realized I was crying—her gentle hand brushing the tears from my cheek made it clear.

“You understand me, right, Mom?” I asked, my voice soft and full of emotion, as the tears continued to fall, one after another.

“Of course. And I know that you’re strong. Maybe not now, but maybe 4 months from now—you’ll forget the pain you’re feeling today. Your heart will heal.”

I wrapped my arms tightly around Mom, the kind of hug that told me only in her embrace could I truly feel safe… and lighter.

The bus finally started moving. Through the window, I caught one last glimpse of the car I had seen earlier. But I pushed away every thought that tried to follow. We drove off, and eventually, the black car disappeared from sight—just like everything I was finally ready to leave behind.