You Broke Me So That He Can Love Me

Andrea's POV Tick! Tick! Tick! I looked up at the clock on the wall, and it was midnight on the dot. I took a deep breath and stood up from the table. I took the lighter and lit the candle on the cake. " Happy twenty-fifth birthday, Andrea," I said to myself. I didn't close my eyes and make a wish. There was no point. Wishes don't come true, at least not mine. If they did, I wouldn't be alone on my birthday. My husband would be here with me. I blew out the candle. Only then did I feel something wet running down my cheek. With a finger, I wiped away the wet liquid on my face. " God, why am I even crying?" I said with a scoff. My phone pinged. It was a notification from one of my social feeds. I reached for it, and the first thing I saw was a post from Olivia. She was on the beach with a man. From the angle of the video, you could only see their backs. She had her head on the man's shoulder as they watched fireworks lighting up the sky. I didn't need anyone to tell me who that man was because I already knew: he was my husband. The man I have been married to for the last five years. And up until six months ago, everything was going perfectly fine. My husband and I had a blissful, happy marriage, but since Olivia came back from abroad, things haven't been the same. Olivia and Drew grew up together. They are childhood sweethearts, each other's first love. They broke up six years ago when Olivia moved abroad to further her career in the entertainment business. Did I mention that she's a well-known actress? All the years she spent abroad paid off. She has starred in some of the biggest blockbusters in the world. Last year, she won an international award. Olivia is beautiful and successful, so why did she come back, and most importantly, why is my husband with her and not with me on my birthday? I'll tell you why. Since Olivia came back, my husband has basically lost his mind, and I mean that in the literal sense. He does everything for her. No matter how small the situation is, he is always there for her. Tonight, I was supposed to have a party at one of the biggest hotels in the city, just like I had been doing for the last four years, courtesy of my husband, of course. A week ago, I was finalizing the party preparations with the party planner, and three days ago, Olivia got news that she had been nominated for an award. Now, my dearest husband decided to take my birthday celebration and turn it into a celebration for his ex. All because Olivia said that she has never had a party thrown in her honor, that she didn't feel like her talents were appreciated enough by the people around her. You see, this wasn't even a negotiation. My husband came home and told me that we had to push back my party because Olivia needed this more than I did. " It's no big deal. We do this every year. And it's not like we're canceling it. We'll just celebrate it at a later time," he said to me. " Does it have to be on my birthday?" I asked . " Come on Andrea, don't make a big deal out of this. You can have this party another day. She just got nominated, it is worth the celebration. Be gracious, let her have the party okay," he said to be. The venue was chosen by me, the decorations were chosen by me, the meals were chosen by me, even the people on the guest list were chosen by me; everything was planned with purpose. This is a special day for me, and I had to hand it over to Olivia? I didn't even try to fight it because when it comes to Olivia, I am always at the wrong end of the stick. I would have been accused of being jealous, accused that I was bitter because I didn't have a career like Olivia did. All the while, he has forgotten that I was at the peak of my career when he asked me to quit my job. Olivia is a big star now, but I was an even bigger star in my field. Before I married Drew, I was one of the youngest top architects in the country, the youngest ever to win the highest honor in my field. I am responsible for building some of the most innovative buildings and houses in the country. The same company he is the CEO of is the very company I built from scratch. In hindsight, Drew is where he is today because of my hard work. The foundation was cemented by me. I have been told so many things about myself that I didn't know in the last six months, and honestly, I am just tired of fighting with Drew. With that in mind, I took a deep breath and walked up to the bedroom. I went to my side of the bed and took two envelopes from the bedside table. I threw the contents of the first one on the bed. I took the small paper and held it in my hands. Without even realizing it, the tears came rolling down my face. I was looking at a picture of my unborn child. Drew and I have been trying for a baby for three years. It hasn't been easy trying to conceive. I went through a lot for this to happen. Two years of injections and balancing my hormones. Two years of drinking bitter tonics, two years of hormone therapy, and finally, it happened. A few days ago, I went to see my doctor. I had been feeling a little off, but I didn't think anything of it at first. At best, I thought that it was the side effects of the medication I was taking. Only for the doctor to tell me that I was pregnant. After trying for so long, the news was exciting, to say the least. I was excited, too excited to keep it to myself. From the hospital, I drove straight to the company. I used the private lift and made my way to the office. Upon arrival, I was the one who ended up with a surprise. It's like they weren't even trying to hide it. The door was slightly open, and when I approached it, I heard voices. It was the female voice that stopped me dead in my tracks. " You were too rough just now... I'm a bit sore," the female voice said in a sweet, whiny tone, obviously fake. " Don't blame me... You're too hot to resist, but I'll make it up to you," he said to her. " You will?" she asked with a giggle. " Yes. You see that nomination you have? It's just a formality. The award is yours," he said to her. " Really?" She giggled. " I told you, whatever you want, you can have it," he said to her. My curiosity got the better of me; I peeked in, and I saw Olivia sitting on top of Drew's lap. Her hands were on his neck. Now, the chair had been turned in the opposite direction; Drew couldn't see, but Olivia's eyes were on the door. She must have seen me because she smirked, then kissed his neck. Then everything clicked. All those nights he didn't come home, all those nights he came home smelling like some cheap perfume, the lipstick stains on his shirt, the lousy excuse he made to skip out on our plans, the reason he gave her my birthday celebration, all of it made sense. I have always known that there was something going on between them, but seeing them hit differently. I felt sick, too sick to stay in a place like that. I left, but I didn't go back to the villa. I called my best friend and went to her house instead. I knew that Drew would come home, and after what I saw, I knew that I didn't want to see him, but that most of all, I had a lot to think about. When Drew came home and didn't find me, he called me. I told him that I was with Hannah because she was going through another breakup, which happens often with Hannah. He didn't pry, and when I went home the following day, I had already made up my mind. I love Drew, but I wasn't going to stay with a man who still has his first love in his heart. I spent the last three days wondering if I should even tell Drew about the baby. Since I saw them together, I haven't let him touch me. He probably thinks that I am still sulking about the party. " I guess it's just going to be the two of us from now on," I said to the picture in my hand. I put it back in the envelope and sat on the bed. I took out the contents of the second envelope. It was a draft for a divorce. After tonight, I can't deny it anymore. My marriage is over. In five years, my husband has never missed my birthday, now, he didn't only miss our dinner that he suggested by the way, but he chose to spend this day with someone else. I thought that I could hold on; if not for me, then at least for my baby, but it's obvious that I can't. I have made peace with it. My marriage is over.