My Chaotic Divorce

ALONE

Kathy

I stormed out of the Titan Corporation building, my heart pounding with a mixture of rage and disbelief.

I didn’t even look at the car Hugh had bought for me as I walked past it. I didn’t acknowledge the driver waiting by the door. I just needed to get away, to think, to breathe.

I stopped at the side of the street and hailed a taxi.

“Deluxe Avenue,” I told the driver. He nodded and started driving. The whole ride was a blur. My mind kept racing, thinking about what to do next.

I didn’t have a job. I’d given up my dreams of being a fashion designer to stay home and raise our child. Now, I had nothing. I felt lost and completely alone.

The taxi stopped in front of the modern duplex Hugh had bought for us, and a flood of memories hit me. I remembered when Hugh first brought me here, how excited I was.

He’d had me wear a blindfold during the drive, and I could still feel the warmth of his hand holding mine as he led me to the front door.

I was in awe of this beautiful house, this life we were going to build together. I had thought we were starting something amazing.

Now, standing in front of it, all of those memories felt empty. They were nothing but reminders of a lie.

I walked into the house, feeling like I didn’t belong here anymore. I went straight to our bedroom and opened the closet. As I started going through my clothes, my jewelry, all the things Hugh had given me over the years, I muttered to myself, “I don’t want anything that came from that woman’s dirty hands.”

I picked out the things that weren’t gifts from Hugh, folding them up and packing them into a luggage bag. Then I turned to the rest—the things he had given me. I gathered everything, shoved it into a large dustbin outside, and set it all on fire. I watched the flames consume it all, as if burning it could somehow cleanse me of the betrayal, even if it was only a little

After the fire burned down to nothing but ash, I went to pick up Mark from school.

When he ran up to me and hugged me, I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. As he pulled back, he noticed the luggage I was carrying.

“Mom, are we going somewhere?” he asked, his voice full of confusion.

I swallowed hard. “We’re not going to live in our home anymore, Mark. It’s just going to be the two of us now.”

Mark’s face twisted in confusion. “What about Dad?”

I knelt down in front of him, holding his hands. “Your dad isn’t coming with us. It’s just you and me now.”

He shook his head, eyes wide with panic. “I don’t want to go. I love my home, and I don’t want to leave Dad.”

I tried to calm him, holding his hands tightly. “I promise everything will be okay. As long as we’re together, we’ll be fine.”

But Mark pulled his hands away from mine, his face filled with anger and confusion. “Why do you want to take me away from Dad? I don’t want to leave him!”

My heart shattered as I tried to explain, my voice trembling. “Mark, your father… he’s not the man we thought he was. He’s hurt me, and I don’t want him to hurt you, too.”

Mark’s face twisted in frustration. “I hate you, Mom!” he yelled. “Aunty Savannah is nice to me! She buys me toys, and she’s always good to me! I wish *she* was my mom!”

The words hit me like a slap in the face. I stood there, frozen, unable to comprehend what I was hearing. My own son, rejecting me. He shoved me away and ran off, shouting, “I wish Aunty Savannah was my mom!”

“Mark, wait!” I called, running after him.

I finally caught up, but what I saw stopped me cold. Mark was hugging someone. And when I saw who it was, my heart sank. Savannah. Savannah was holding my son like he was hers.

Mark pulled away slightly and looked up at Savannah. His words hit me like a punch to the gut. “Aunty Savannah, I want you to be my mommy.”

I clenched my fists, my whole body shaking with anger. "You b***h," I spat at Savannah. "You brainwashed my I clenched my fists, my whole body shaking with anger. My nails dug into my skin, but I didn’t let go. My breathing turned sharp, ragged.

"You b***h," I spat at Savannah. "You brainwashed my son!"

Mark stood behind her, peeking out with wide, fearful eyes. His small hands clutched the fabric of her shirt like it was a lifeline. He didn’t run to me. He didn’t call my name. My own son looked at me like I was a stranger. Like I was the villain in his story.

Savannah tilted her head, smiling with mock sympathy. "I’m not holding him back," she said. "He ran to me, scared for his life. What did you do to the poor kid?"

Her words pierced me. I could feel my heart twist, my head start to spin.

"That’s nonsense!" I shouted. "I would never hurt my own son. Never!"

She turned slightly and brushed Mark’s hair with her fingers. The way she touched him made my skin crawl. Like he belonged to her.

"It’s hard to believe you," she said calmly. "Not when he looks this scared."

I swallowed hard. My vision blurred, but I refused to cry. Not in front of her. Not now. I took a slow breath and dropped to my knees. I reached out a hand.

"Baby, I’m sorry for yelling," I said gently. "Please come to me. I promise to do better. I’ll never scare you again. I love you."

Mark shifted. His eyes flickered with doubt. One foot moved forward.

But Savannah’s voice cut in again.

"You don’t have to listen to that mean and violent lady," she said, her voice dripping with poison.

Mark froze. He turned back to her, confused. His little shoulders tensed.

I saw the war happening inside him. The fear. The love. The guilt. The confusion.

Then a voice thundered across the yard.

"What’s going on here?"

I turned quickly.

Hugh.

He walked toward us, tall and steady. His eyes locked on me, cold and unreadable.

Mark didn’t wait. He rushed into his father’s arms, tears pouring down his face.

"Mom wanted to take me away from you and our home," he cried. "Why would she do that?"

My chest tightened. I reached out. "No, that’s not—"

Hugh’s glare shut me up.

He lifted Mark into his arms and kissed the top of his head. "I won’t let anyone take you away from me," he said firmly.

Then he turned and walked away.

Savannah followed him with a bounce in her step. She looked back once.

"You just made Hugh’s custody battle much easier," she said. She smiled and blew me a kiss before disappearing around the corner.

I didn’t move. I couldn’t.

I stood there, helpless, watching my son disappear with the man who once promised me forever—and the woman who ruined everything.

That was the moment I truly felt it.

Alone. Completely and painfully alone.