Ex husband’s regret

Chapter 4

“Oh my God! You’re pregnant? Congratulations! " Mandy gushed out after we were back from the hospital. Luckily, it wasn't anything serious or related to the baby, I had just fractured a bone.

She sounded genuinely happy for me, but I couldn’t match her excitement. A small, sad smile tugged at my lips as memories of the night before and the events of today came crashing down on me. I hadn't even told her why I was lying helplessly on the floor. I just lied and said that I fell. I'm glad she was here, I needed someone to speak to. And she was the only one I could talk to, who might understand what I was going through without judging me.

“You were right about what you saw last night,” I said quietly, my voice sounding distant and weak.

Mandy frowned, she swiped back at the hair blocking her eyes “What do you mean?” I swallowed, not looking at her.

“The man you saw… it was Jack.” My voice faltered, barely above a whisper. “And the woman he was with… she’s the woman he’s always loved.”

Mandy’s expression shifted instantly. Concern melted into disbelief, then into a kind of anger that made her eyes spark.

“What the hell?” she spat. “Are you telling me he’s cheating on you with her?”

“I don’t really know,” I admitted honestly. After all, they could just be friends right? “But I do know one thing…" I stared into her eyes and shook my head. "Jack has never loved me.” My voice broke after I said it.

Saying it out loud hurt more than I had expected. The words felt like shards of glass, slicing through a fragile hope I hadn’t realized I was still clinging to.

I lowered my gaze to the table. The morning sunlight streaming through the window caught on the edge, glinting off the glass surface and illuminating the tension in the room. “Maybe I should just do what I’ve been thinking about,” I murmured.

“What do you mean?” Mandy’s voice was wary, tight with unease.

I inhaled deeply, lifting my eyes

“I think I should leave the marriage.”

“What?!” Mandy nearly jumped out of her seat, slamming the table. “Are you crazy? Why would you leave your marriage, especially now that you’re pregnant?”

She pointed at my stomach, eyes wide with alarm, her fingers trembling slightly.

“You’re about to have his child,” she continued, her voice sharp, tinged with frustration. “Do you know how hard it is to raise a baby alone?”

“If you ask me,” she said, leaning closer, her voice dropping, “you shouldn’t be the one leaving. That other woman should be disappearing. You are the legal wife. That woman has no right to come between you and your husband.” Her voice softened slightly, just enough for me to feel the sincerity behind her anger. “If you can’t deal with her… I will.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “And then what happens next, Mandy?” I asked resignedly. “You weren’t there when he pushed me,” I whispered, the memory tightening my chest into a knot of fear and fury.

“What do you mean?” “He didn’t even ask me what happened,” I said, my voice almost breaking. “He believed her instantly.”

I paused, trying to steady my trembling hands.

“He pushed me down without even thinking twice,” I continued. Mandy’s eyes widened in shock, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something, but no words came.

“He didn’t check if I was okay,” I went on, my hands wringing in my lap. “He didn’t ask if I was hurt… what if I had fallen badly? What if it had harmed the baby growing inside me? After four years of waiting, I can’t let that happen. I can’t risk losing my baby because of a man who has never loved or cared for me.”

“I can’t stay with someone who would defend another woman like that,” I continued, my voice breaking. “I can’t allow my child to be born into a marriage without love. I’ve endured so much. I wanted to feel love from him… but it can’t happen. The best I can do now is walk away—before it’s too late.”

Mandy leaned back in her chair, letting out a long, heavy sigh. "I really didn't know it was this bad,” she muttered, her hand running through her hair. Then she looked at me again, softer now. “Have you told him about the pregnancy yet?”

"No."

“No?” she asked, her voice high. “Maybe once he knows he’s going to be a father, things will change. The baby might bring the two of you closer.”

I placed my hand gently on my stomach, feeling the tiny life growing inside me.

What if he didn’t want the baby? What if he asked me to get rid of it? What if all he wanted was Annie Maddox?

I shook my head firmly. “I’m not going to tell him,” I said, my voice steady, though my heart was pounding.

Mandy stared at me, disbelief etched across her face.

“Jack never wanted to marry me in the first place,” I continued quietly. “If not for his grandfather’s insistence, he never would have. So I doubt he would want a child with me—and besides, he tried to hurt me by pushing me. What if he does it again?”

The room was silent again, only our breathing breaking the stillness. Mandy’s gaze softened as she reached across the table and held my hand.

“Listen,” she said gently, “no matter what you decide, I’ll support you.”

I looked up at her, tears threatening to spill.

“I’ll always have your back,” she added. “You’re not alone.”

Hearing that brought a small measure of relief. Right now, she was the only person I could rely on. Just Mandy… and the baby inside me.

A little while later, the front door clicked open. Jack’s presence filled the room instantly, his footsteps echoing against the hardwood floor. He looked tired, the loosened tie hanging awkwardly around his neck, his suit jacket slung over one arm. His eyes met mine briefly, a flicher of guilt flashing before disappearing.

“Ivy… about what happened earlier—” he started.

“There’s something I want to tell you, Jack,” I interrupted.