Married To My Ex-Husband’s Ruthless Uncle

Shattered Vows

The sound of cutlery filled the air as I searched through the utensil holder. My smile brimmed as I finally saw the small knife I was looking for. Julian will be home soon, and I wouldn't want him to yell at me for the second time today.

"Ta-da!" I raised it up and then slowly moved the remaining scattered items to their various spaces. As I reached for the carrots on the table, my phone beeped. I rolled my eyes because I wasn't expecting a text or call from anyone. I hesitated, dropped the carrots but later thought of Julian's reaction if he gets home without seeing his meal on the table.

"The sender needs to wait," I whispered, hurriedly chopping the carrots on the tray, the sound resonating throughout the room.

"Ding!" The phone buzzed again, this time ringing twice. My heart began to race. I turned toward the phone, dropped the knife onto the tray, and quickly looked for the kitchen towel to wipe my hands. Spotting the towel on the other counter, I felt a surge of anxiety as I made my way to the center of the kitchen. I grabbed the towel and cleaned my hands before picking up the phone. As I scrolled through it, I tapped on a text message from an unfamiliar number.

"[A fully grown housewife daring to think she can have Julian for herself; your husband belongs to me and me alone.]" I gasped, my chest constricting, as I staggered back to stabilize myself against the kitchen table. My fingers shook as I read the message once more, it felt like a game. Perhaps it wasn’t about Julian, or maybe it was just a wrong number.

I've been feeling ill for the last two weeks, despite undergoing tests and receiving the doctor's report about my pregnancy. I thought Julian had genuine feelings for me. Coughing, I picked up my phone to respond to a message from an unfamiliar sender, my eyes already filled with tears. Who could this possibly be? I noticed I had received a notification twice, but I only found one message in my inbox.

I got up from the table and quickly made my way to the living room, feeling overwhelmed and anxious. I felt an urge to hit something; I had sacrificed everything for this man. I paced back and forth like someone losing their mind, my thoughts spiraling through painful memories. Just then, another message arrived on my phone, and when I looked at it, my heart sank. A sharp pain shot through my side. The message came with a photo of Julian, his calm expression and smile directed toward a woman I recognized. Julian's hand was resting on the lady's stomach.

Freya was the lady's name, the childhood sweetheart of my husband, who appeared to be enjoying a happy moment, likely at a baby shower celebration. I was expecting a child, and another woman was also pregnant with my husband's child, which explained the gathering. As I continued to examine the picture, a new notification appeared at the top of my screen. My heart raced, and my hands shook as I hurriedly opened it.

What?! I felt a wave of sorrow as I saw my mother-in-law alongside Freya, with Julian standing next to them. Freya was in the center, wearing a lace gown that highlighted her pregnancy. I was still in shock when my phone rang—Julian was calling, and I hesitantly answered.

“Rose, sweetheart, I’m on my way home. Please set some fruit out on the dining table, we have a guest who needs a fruit salad for lunch.”

I let out a faint giggle as I listened to him. I didn’t want to mention anything concerning the situation right then, but then a thought struck me—did he just refer to her as “she”?

Julian interrupted my thoughts.

"I'm not finished speaking yet, Rose," he said sharply. My heart broke into pieces, and a sharp pain surged in my stomach, more intense this time. I let out a soft moan and made my way to the couch, where I carefully sat down, pushing the throw pillow to the side. He remained silent, and I looked at the phone; the call was still active.

“Come on, Julian, you’re driving, we've been kissing since we left the office. I don't want us to risk losing the baby or our lives.” I recognized a familiar voice at the other end—it was Freya's.

"Julian?" I called out, frustration and anger seeping into my tone as I spoke his name, and the pain in my abdomen grew stronger.

"You've been cheating on me, you bastard," I stumbled over my words, recalling all I had sacrificed for him, the rejection from my family, the warnings from my father. I collapsed to the floor, my knees giving way under me.

The echoes of their laughter lingered in my ears, Freya didn't stop talking, her words only served to provoke me further.

I didn't hang up the call until she said something to Julian, and his reply broke me. At that point, I had reached my limit; my years of marriage to Julian meant nothing to him, so I had to end it.

“The divorce papers are already on their way to my house, Freya. Finally, we will have our family together.” Julian assured Freya in a calm, soothing voice that he had hardly used on me for the last three years.

“I love you, Julian.”

Why was I even listening to them? I ended the call. A loud, frustrated scream erupted from my lips; I clenched my fist tightly and slammed it on the table, tears streaming down my face.

I trusted him. I got up from the ground but felt the coldness on my thighs, it was thick yet felt like water. Did I wet myself? I wondered as I looked down at my legs, only to see blood flowing down my thighs.

“Jesus Christ! No! No!...”I lifted my gown; it was already stained, tracing the blood with my trembling fingers. I know what the blood means. Although the joy I felt when I learned about my pregnancy flooded my heart, I couldn't stop the tears from falling down my cheeks. I quickly grabbed my phone from the table, scrolled through it, and without hesitation, I sent Julian a message.

[Let's get a divorce, you will hear from my lawyer.]

Immediately, Julian called, and I didn't hesitate to answer.

“Allow me to make that decision myself.” His voice was harsh and cold, speaking to me as if I were a stranger.

"I don't have time to discuss this with you, you've made your choice, and I assisted you in finalizing everything smoothly, so prepare to sign your documents." As I spoke, a chill ran down my spine, I was fighting back tears, not wanting him to see my vulnerability.

"Let her proceed with the divorce, Julian, or were you just joking about it the whole time?" Freya exclaimed, her fury palpable in the atmosphere.

"She'll demand a portion if she initiates the divorce first..." I interrupted forcefully.

"I don't need anything from you. JULIAN HILLS, just need to put your signature on the papers, and that's it."

I ended the call after making that statement, shaking my head as I witnessed my own suffering.