After the Divorce, He Begged Me Back

Chapter 2

Elena’s POV

“What?” His voice is a mix of challenge and disbelief.

I gather the courage to repeat what has been going through my mind ever since I got home from the hospital. Not only did he show up empty, but his lips smelled of liquor and her awful strong scent.

I knew he forgot because he would have wished me a happy anniversary first thing in the morning, or at least when he walked in.

“You forgot our anniversary.”

He cuts me off dismissively. “I didn’t forget. Why would you say that?” I don’t believe a word coming from his mouth.

“Where were you?” I pry, waiting to hear him lie again. He rolls his eyes and then smirks.

“Buying a gift for you. That’s what I was doing all day—finding the perfect gift.” The lie stings even more. He should have come clean and told me he was out with Vivian Carter, the same woman he had doted on.

It took me a moment to remember, but given the comments on the net and my memory of her in the house and at parties, Vivian is Adrian's ex-girlfriend, not just a close friend. And according to the internet, his soulmate and first true love. If there was nothing going on between them, why lie?

“Baby.” He catches me off guard with a passionate kiss, one that has me moaning in his mouth and leaning in for more. But the familiar scent of Vivian’s perfume on his suit repels me.

I shove him away with my lips. “Don’t kiss me with the same mouth you used to kiss Vivian. The disrespect is too much.” I finally dare to say her name. My eyes hold his gaze, and in that moment of confession, I hope he will lie and clear my doubts.

But his eyes are prideful, not sad or confused; they’re dreamy, as if I just mentioned the most precious thing in his life. “Since when does kissing Vivian become a disrespect to you? Like you didn’t know we were together.”

“What?”

“Stop pretending. You can drop the hurtful act now. Vivian this, Vivian that. When are you going to see it’s all in your head? I understand you are emotional, but remove Vivian from your train of thought.”

My heart deepened. “Who is she to you, Adrian?”

“A friend,” he muttered.

“A friend you have s*x with? Just casual s*x?”

Every moment spent was like a decade of being buried alive.

“Now casual s*x is your problem? Elena.” He looks up from his food, his face contorted in disgust.

“We are married today because of one casual s*x? And now you want to act as a saint? What do you have against Vivian? She’s good. She’s respectful about our past relationship and understands I am married. Now I am hungry, let me eat. ”

Without regard for all he said, he begins to eat the food I prepared for us. But my life is falling apart, and I can’t make sense of anything.

Adrian and I did have casual s*x, and he was right, we were friends who were swept by the moment. Soon I got pregnant, and he suggested we get married.

“I want a divorce, Adrian.” I repeat my voice, steady despite the pain bubbling within me.

“Marriage and divorce aren’t common words you can throw at me like that. I am more than that. I am your husband,” he barks, throwing the spoon on the table. But I square my shoulders, giving him the same look he gave me earlier.

Smug. Unaffected.

I would ask if Vivian was pregnant, if the reason he was with her was because of my inability to give him a child, but I don’t care anymore. He could be with his ‘close friend.’ I was done.

“Those words can be thrown freely to a man who doesn’t know the first rule about being married. “I bite back. Fury ignites in his eyes as he pushes the table forward, ignoring that I might just be at the end of it.

But I have said my piece; he should deal with it.

The moment he walks out of the house, I collapse onto the floor, the impact on my ribs only increasing the pain. I pull my knees toward me, hugging myself as tears stream down my face.

Sleep eludes me for the whole night until the next day, the weight of my decision heavy on my chest.

The next morning, with swollen eyes and a handful of pain relievers already taken, I begin to pack my things. Three years of my life are packed into a suitcase; I know staying here will only prolong my suffering, so I have to leave.

I had my lawyer prepare a document upon arrival yesterday, but I considered bringing it out at dinner. Right now, I don’t need much confirmation to know my marriage is over. I pull it out and sign the divorce papers.

I pack my things and pull them into the living room. Looking around, I bite my lips; there are no tears left to cry. After a moment’s pause. With everything arranged, I don’t linger. I grab my suitcase and walk out of this place I’ve lived in for three years but never truly called home.

~~~~**~~~~

A few hours later, after Elena boarded a cab out of the house, Adrian drove into the garage. Having spent the night in the office thinking about what Elena had said, initially, he did that to give her space to think about the ‘nonsense’ he had referred to earlier. He was certain by the time he got back home, she would welcome him with open arms like she always did.

The scent of coffee hits him, and a small part of him feels appeased, but he refuses to forgive her yet. Last night, she thought she could come up with an unnecessary attitude. He wanted to see how well she begged him.

He reaches for the coffee. Memories flicker in the back of his mind. Her coffee had the perfect blend of bitter and sweet, just the way he liked it. After she started making his coffee, he couldn’t drink it anywhere else.

And like always, Elena had taken charge of most things in his life, from his food to laundry. Even though he could afford a flock of workers, she insisted on taking care of him and not leaving his personal care to strangers.

But for a while now, she had grown lazy, no longer paying attention to the details. He noticed her reluctance, and it had irritated him so much. But tasting the coffee made him realize how guilty she must have felt and that she was ready to accept she was unreasonable and emotional.

“Betta!” He called out for the housekeeper, who eagerly came down.

“Tell Elena I know she has realized her mistake,” he said cockily as he took another sip from the coffee. But his housekeeper hadn’t left; rather, she stood there with her head bowed, like she didn’t hear him the first time.

“Are you deaf?”

“No, Sir Reed. The thing is, your wife isn’t here.” The housekeeper murmured, but he caught it. She reached out to him and handed him a sheet of printed paper.

“She said you should finish the coffee and sign it.”

Glancing over the agreement, he scoffed again. ‘She’s leaving with nothing,’ he thought, impressed by her boldness. ‘How could a girl from the countryside survive with nothing?’

His eyes darken as he reads the reason for the divorce: his “inadequate s****l performance.”

Rage fuels him as he pulls out his phone and dials Elena’s number.