Fading Boundaries

Clara's POV I married my sister's man. 9 PM On a Tuesday, the fate of my marriage laid on a crumpled sheet laying on a reading table. "Sign the papers, let's put an end to this sham we call a marriage." He voice thundered. My husband, the one I had shared the past six years of my life with. The words kept ringing in my head as he walked to the cushion in the living room and sat down, he had a serious look on his face that convinced me that this wasn't a prank. The papers he threw at me landed on my feet, his signature had already been scribbled on it and the vacant space was for mine. "Damian,what are you saying?" I asked. "Let's be realistic Clara, this was never going to work,you knew that,we both knew it, why don't we just end things and avoid wasting each other's time." He had not said anything for these years we've been together, he had not told me he would never want me but then even with his cold attitude towards, he never really pushed me away. "Is this because of Stella?" I could see the shock on his face,he didn't answer, that was enough to tell me my hunch was right. Stella my sister had indeed returned, her social media pages had suddenly become active, with her dropping quotes everyday. "You know I've always loved Stella, you were just a replacement for a jilted groom, you know I wasn't over her." He said avoiding my eyes. It was the truth, my sister had been his first love, they had been so in love that they agreed to get married but on the day of the wedding, Clara didn't show up. He had been so heartbroken and my family had been remorseful, to avoid an issue, they had insisted I married him in her place, it didn't sound like a good idea at first but when he had hugged me crying, I knew I had to take up the role. "Damian, what if she leaves again? Are you going to throw everything we've had for the past six years? I've been there for you on several occasions and the first thing you thought to do when she returned was to leave me? Damian you are doing all of this on a day like this?" "Why would you think I would immediately stop loving her because you're in the picture? Clara I'm trying my best to be polite with this, you were only serving as a replacement till she comes back." A replacement till she comes back? Was that what I had been for the past six years? "It would be easier if you just sign the divorce papers, that way we won't have to hurt each other or make it obvious for the media, I'll talk to your parents." The media? He still only cared about how the public would view him. He only cared about people's opinions more than how he was hurting me. My head became heavy, my heart was broken in different pieces,each piece breaking even more. After everything I had been through, trying to make sure this marriage worked. I had been the only person who stood by him when his business collapsed and I had helped him pick everything up, brick by brick. I had sacrificed everything for him to love me; my body, my listening ears, my presence, everything to make sure his face lits up with a smile when he sees me. "You guys have been having an affair,right?" I asked hoping he would deny it, hoping he would just tell me his feelings were just confused, I would understand. I would understand that he was having those nightmares where she would hug him and then vanish, I would drop everything to cuddle him to sleep. "Yes" I held the door for support,tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. "You ignored my birthday, refused to answer my calls and spent the whole night out, just to come home to tell me you want a divorce and you've been cheating with your ex? what did I ever do wrong Damian? What didn't I do? I endured your coldness towards me, I've never heard you say you love me, you've never held me close to you after s*x but I've stayed by your side making sure you were okay, is this how you pay me back? With a divorce?" I yelled at him ,not believing his selfishness. Just like every year, I had pretended that I didn't like birthdays just to not put either of us in an awkward situation when the day eventually comes but this year, I had thought it would be different. "Clara, I didn't ask you to do those things, you wanted to and even if I had asked you not to, you would have done them regardless." "Because I love you, I did everything because I loved you and I was ready to make it work." I had grown to love him. "Well, now I'm telling you not to anymore, let's just end this while we both still have our sanity. Just sign the papers." He said picking up his coat. I watched as he walked out of the door, not sparing me a glance. I sat on the floor in my Lingerie, looking at the decorations I had made in the room, the iced cake on the table,the petals on the floor and the heart shape I had made with it on the bed, did he even notice any of it? ~•~ "Damian." I called his name as soon as he walked through the door, I had heard his car come in. He didn't reply me, he looked restless. "I've been waiting for you all night, where did you go to and why are you coming back by this time?" I asked. "Have you signed the papers?" He asked ignoring my questions, his eyes were focused somewhere else. I followed it to the door and my heart sank when I saw what his eyes were focused on. Stella. "Hey sister" she said cat walking into the living room, she looked better than she had looked the last time I saw her. "It has been how many years again? Six years, thank you for holding it down for me. I really appreciate." She said hugging me. I stood there motionless, trying to make sense of what was going on, it didn't feel like a dream, this was now my reality. "Stella is moving in, so you have to be quick with signing the papers, I really can't have two women under my roof, you know how absurd that would sound." "Sister, I can help you with your things,I have some free time to spare, then we can catch up on what has been happening in my absence, what do you say about that?" She was mocking me, she wanted to see how broken I looked, She was enjoying my pain. She had every right to react the way she did, I had tried taking her place, but Damien? He was more heartless than I had thought him to be. "Is this what you really want?" I asked, I knew pleading with him would be futile, he didn't care all those years, so why would he suddenly care now. "Yes Clara, you've not being able to add anything meaningful to my life for the past years we've been together, I've been trying to put everything behind me and love you but it has really been impossible, my heart belongs to someone else. Stella's presence has reminded me that I'm a living man, she has given me something I had yearned for in years." What he had yearned for in years? He couldn't love me? I knew what I saw, even in his coldness he still looked out for me, was that him just been nice? Had I mistaken it for his growing feelings for me? Was I only being delusional? What had he been yearning for? The question were just too much in my head. "Yes Sister, I am carrying his child." I staggered backwards,my breathe caught in my throat, my entire world was shattered. Carrying his child? How long have they been seeing each other? She moved over and hugged him, I had seen and heard enough for the day, they were deliberately trying to ruin my life. I needed to leave,I needed to talk to someone. I had shed enough tears since he brought the papers home, I didn't have the strength to shed another, my world had been turned upside down in a day, on a day that was supposed to be filled with celebrations. The thought of my dilemma,made me choke on my words,I needed to leave here, I couldn't think straight. Maybe my parents would understand, I needed to talk to someone, to cry on my mum's shoulder and be comforted by my dad, they would understand better. I walked slowly to the door, almost falling over the little stool beside the cushion. "So are you done signing it?" He asked again making me stop in my track. My heart sank.