CHAPTER ONE
993 Words
“Get that damn table set!” my husband, Jason, barked.
My hands shook as I arranged each plate. Each clink of china against the table made my chest tighten. I swallowed hard, afraid a single misstep would trigger his wrath.
Earlier, I had asked about the guest he had mentioned. He hadn’t even looked at me, his gaze sliding past as if I didn’t exist.
“Let them in!” he snapped at the servant, his voice cold and final. A knot of dread twisted in my stomach at the thought of what might happen next.
My eyes darted to the door. Cassy, my sister, and Mother, Isabella, stood there. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. Should I laugh? Cry? I had no idea.
I stepped forward, my heart pounding. Four long years apart, her absence stretched by my marriage and her surgery, had unleashed a storm of emotions I couldn’t sort. I raised my arms for a hug, but Jason’s low, sharp voice cut through the moment.
“Don’t hurt her.”
“I… I’m sorry,” I whispered. It wasn’t shock, just the cold realization that his favoritism toward her would never end.
Cassy placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay. I know you’re not happy to see me,” she murmured.
I hesitated. My body wanted comfort, but with them here, I could only imagine pain.
I turned to Mother. “Good morning, Mother,” I whispered, unsure where to look or what to do next.
“Stay where you are. Not a step closer,” she snapped, her voice slicing through me.
Their presence pressed down on me like a heavy fog. My steps slowed, my eyes flicking to Jason. It was better to wait for him to sit first. One wrong move could unleash chaos.
I lowered myself into the chair, careful to breathe quietly.
Then Cassy coughed violently. Before I could react, Jason's sharp hand struck my cheek.
Cold water splashed over me as Isabella grabbed a glass and poured it on my head, soaking my clothes and stealing the warmth from my bones.
“Didn’t I tell you not to make the food spicy?” Jason roared, gripping my arm. Pain and fear surged through me. I collapsed to the floor, trembling.
Jason hurled the plate across the room, food splattering everywhere. “Taste it, you fool!”he commanded.
Hands shaking, I gathered the food from the floor. It wasn’t spicy, just bland, but my eyes caught Cassy’s smirk. She had done it on purpose. Some things never change.
“I… I’m sorry,” I whispered. My words felt meaningless.
“Shut up!” Mother snapped. “You’re nothing but a burden.”
Every motion felt dangerous. I stayed crouched on the floor, terrified of making another mistake. I picked up my spoon again, trying to eat, when Jason hurled a paper toward me.
It landed at my feet. My hands shook as I picked it up, dread coiling in my chest.
DIVORCE PAPERS
My heart lurched. I could endure slaps, glares, even physical pain, but a life without him? That thought shredded me more than anything else.
“Sign those papers,” Jason said coldly. “And leave. Your sister is ready to take your place.”
My sister? She had rejected him once, yet here I was, trapped by Mother’s insistence.
“Jason…” My voice broke. “Please… I’ll do anything. Just don’t leave me.”
He ignored me completely.
I sank to my knees and looked up at Mother. “Mom… help me, please.”
Her glare was sharp. “Shut up, you selfish girl. Your sister wants him, and you are still clinging?”
“She said no… and still… you forced me to marry him… and now… I love him,” I whispered, trembling. My words caught in my throat.
“Sign that damn paper!” Jason’s voice pierced me.
Tears blurred my vision as I lunged toward him. “Jason… please… I can change, I’ll do anything—”
His hands clamped around my neck. I gasped for air as he shoved me toward the table, pressing my hand to the papers.
I signed, each stroke tearing my heart apart, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
I thought it would end, but he pulled me up and hurled me down. My head struck something hard, and a ringing filled my ears. Warm blood pooled beneath me, searing against my skin.
“Forgive me, Jason,” I whispered as darkness claimed me.
---
Six months later, the hospital had become a memory, though the scars, inside and out, remained. My chest ached with old pain, and hope felt like a fragile thread, but a stubborn part of me clung to the thought that maybe, just maybe, he could be mine again.
Every day, I found a reason to watch him from afar. A shadow of him was enough to make my heart race. Loving him from a distance was all I had left.
In the midst of this, I stumbled upon a job I never imagined I would take: a surrogacy opportunity. Today was the day of the implantation.
The receptionist led me into the procedure room, and my stomach knotted with unease. The doctor arrived, calm and professional. The procedure itself was quick and painless, but my mind refused to stay still. Whose child would I carry? Would I ever meet them? What would this mean for me, for the fragile life I was slowly trying to rebuild?
The doctor returned. “There’s been a change. The intended parents want to meet you.”
I hesitated. “That’s… fine,” I murmured, forcing calm into my voice. Money
was all I cared about. Nothing else.
The doors opened.
And there they were.
Cassy. Jason.
Why now? Why th
em? My hands shook violently, and my heart slammed against my ribs. That nightmare wasn’t over.
- Writer
