New year, New man... me

Chapter 1: The Fireworks That Broke Everything (Tessy’s POV) The air smells like champagne and cold December night, crisp and sharp with a hint of distant bonfire smoke. Laughter and music swirl around me as people dance, hug, and count down the final minutes of the year. I stand at the edge of the balcony, my hands wrapped around the warmth of a cider cup. Fireworks wait patiently in the distance, ready to light up the sky. "Hey, beautiful," Jack's familiar voice draws me from my thoughts. I turn, and there he is — my husband. My heart still flutters at the sight of him, even after all these years. He walks toward me with that easy smile, his sharp suit fitting him perfectly like it was made just for him. His dark eyes, the same ones I used to get lost in, shine under the string lights above us. "Hey," I say, smiling softly. My fingers itch to reach for him, to tell him the news I’ve been holding in all evening. I press my palm against my stomach instead, feeling the tiniest swell that only I can notice. Jack leans in, brushing a kiss against my cheek, his cologne a mix of spice and something cool, like mint. "You’ve been quiet tonight," he says, his brow raised. "Not like you." I shrug. "Just thinking." "Thinking about what?" He tilts his head, his grin widening. "About me, I hope." I laugh, rolling my eyes. "You wish." But I am thinking about him — and our future. I imagine his face when I tell him about the baby. I’ve played it out in my mind a hundred times. The fireworks will explode, and I’ll lean in close, whispering, We’re going to be parents. He’ll look at me with wide, joyful eyes, lift me in his arms, and spin me around like we’re in one of those cheesy holiday movies I pretend not to like. "Two minutes left!" someone shouts from inside the party. The crowd's energy rises, voices blending into a countdown that feels like it’s already started. This is it. This is the moment. I take a breath, heart thumping against my chest. I step closer to Jack, reaching for his hand — but he’s already walking away. “Jack?” I call, confused. “Be right back, babe,” he says over his shoulder, not even glancing at me. “Need to say hi to a friend.” I watch him weave through the crowd, his broad shoulders cutting through the sea of bodies. My hand falls back to my side, fingers curling into my palm. I swallow the knot forming in my throat. It’s fine. He’ll be back before midnight. He has to be. Minutes tick by slower than molasses. I stay where I am, eyes on the door, waiting for Jack to reappear. People around me sway to the music, clinking glasses, laughing, completely unaware of how tightly my chest is wound. "Fifty-nine! Fifty-eight! Fifty-seven!" The crowd’s voices grow louder, each second dragging like an hour. Where is he? I push through the crowd, murmuring apologies as I search for him. The kitchen, the bar, the lounge — all places Jack likes to linger. He’s nowhere. My pulse quickens. He wouldn’t leave me, not on New Year’s. I make my way toward the hallway near the guest rooms, and that’s when I hear it — a giggle. A woman’s giggle. I freeze. It’s soft but sharp enough to cut through the music and the sound of people counting down. My eyes narrow as I turn toward the sound. “Jack, stop,” the voice says, playful, teasing. My heart drops. No. It can’t be. Not tonight. I step closer, walking slowly, my breath shallow. The door at the end of the hall is slightly ajar, and I hear his voice next. Smooth. Charming. Too familiar. "Come on, don’t be like that," Jack says, his tone light but suggestive in a way that makes my blood run cold. My hand grips the doorframe as I peer inside. I wish I hadn't. Jack is leaning too close to her — a woman with long, straight hair and a red dress that clings to her like it was painted on. Her back is against the wall, her head tilted up toward him as he whispers something in her ear. Her giggle spills into the air again, sharp and sweet, like poison in honey. I feel a c***k inside me. A quiet snap that echoes louder than any firework ever could. “Jack,” I say, my voice low but firm. He jolts back like I slapped him. His eyes dart to me, wide with shock — but only for a second. His face smooths into that cocky smile I’ve seen him use on too many people to get his way. “Hey, babe,” he says, shoving his hands into his pockets like nothing happened. "You looking for me?" I stare at him, my eyes burning with a heat I can’t name. My gaze shifts to the woman, who looks me up and down, her red lips curling into something too smug for my liking. “Seriously?” I say, voice cracking with disbelief. “This is what you’re doing right now?” Jack tilts his head, feigning confusion. “It’s not what it looks like, Tess. We were just talking.” The woman raises an eyebrow, her grin widening like she’s in on some private joke. She pushes off the wall, gliding past me with a glance so brief it might as well be a knife. “Happy New Year,” she says sweetly, eyes dancing with mischief as she walks away. My fingers twitch, itching to grab something — a glass, a vase, anything to shatter like the pieces of my heart on the floor. But I stay still. I stay calm. I stare at Jack, the man I swore I’d love forever, and wonder how I ever trusted him with my heart. The crowd’s countdown echoes louder. “Ten! Nine! Eight!” “Tess,” Jack says, stepping toward me, his smile faltering. “Don’t make this a big thing, alright? You know how I am. It didn’t mean anything.” Seven! Six! I stare at him like I’m seeing him for the first time. His face is the same. His eyes are the same. But everything feels different now. I feel different now. “Don’t do this, Tess,” he says again, his voice softer, like he’s coaxing a child not to cry. "It's New Year's. Let's not ruin it." Five! Four! “Don’t worry,” I say quietly, swallowing the bitterness in my throat. “It’s already ruined.” I walk past him, letting my shoulder bump his hard enough to make him stumble. I don't look back. Three! Two! One! The fireworks explode outside, lighting up the sky with flashes of red, gold, and blue. The crowd cheers, horns blow, and the world erupts with joy. But all I hear is the pounding of my heartbeat. I walk back to the balcony, but I’m not holding my cider anymore. I’m holding something heavier. The weight of realization. He’s not going to change. Not for me. Not for us. I glance down at my hand, pressing it gently to my stomach. A baby. Our baby. My baby. I lean against the railing, staring at the sky as the fireworks explode in bursts of color. Everyone around me cheers, hugs, and kisses their loved ones, welcoming a new year. But me? I stand in silence, watching the sky burn, my heart quiet and still. This is the year I stop waiting for Jack to be a better man. This is the year I choose myself. And this is the year I leave.