Laura
He paused for a minute. "It's too late, Laura. If you are pregnant, I'll take the child from you and have Victoria raise the child with me."
The hope shattered as quickly as it had come.
My breath hitched as I realized there was no saving this. Not for me. Not for our unborn child. I couldn't tell him about my pregnancy. I'd never be able to fight for my child's custody because he had wealth and power which I didn't have.
A sob escaped my throat as I stared back at the divorce papers. I had to be strong. It was obvious the five years we spent together meant nothing to him, he had already chosen Victoria.
I wouldn't sit here and cry in front of him. I wouldn't let him see how much he had broken me.
I stared at the alimony. A house, a car and a hundred thousand dollars.
"I married you not because of your money," I said through gritted teeth, tears welled in my eyes but I wouldn't let them spill. "I married you because I love you. However, I deserve more than this. If you're going to discard me, discard me properly."
My unborn child at this point came first. He deserved a good life. I had invested in his company with the money I had earned from my business before he had me shut it down.
I'd need to start a new business and get a comfortable house for my child and I and this alimony was nothing compared to everything I did for his company.
"I need more money," I said firmly.
"This is all you'll be getting," Victoria said, walking in.
"I'm speaking to my soon-to-be ex-husband, not to his mistress who has no value for her body."
"How dare you?" she lunged at me and grabbed my hair.
Lorenzo did nothing to stop her. That forced the tears out. He could have said something. He could have defended me.
"Let go," I said, sniffling.
Her grip tightened. "Perhaps, if you sign the papers and get ready to leave, I'll consider."
I turned around and pushed her. "I won't let you treat me like that, Victoria."
"Ouch!" she stumbled back.
Lorenzo rushed at her and held her before she could fall.
"Laura, you won't treat Victoria like that!" he snapped. "Our divorce isn't Victoria's fault. You have no right to be mean to her."
She had attacked me first, but I was the one to be blamed for it?
Without uttering a word, I scrawled my name across the line. With each stroke of the pen, I felt like I was signing away a piece of my soul, my love, my life.
When I was done, I let the pen slip from my fingers, watching it roll away as if it symbolized the last bit of hope I had left.
Lorenzo stepped forward, taking the papers from my hand without so much as a glance in my direction. "This is for the best, Laura," he said.
I couldn't bear to look at him. The pain was too raw, too overwhelming.
"You can stay here a little longer. When you feel better, take your things and leave," he said, as soon as possible. "I did this because I care for you."
My head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief. "Care?" I breathed, barely able to process what he was saying. When you care for someone, you betray the person?
I stood, my grip tightened on my phone. My head was aching and I felt a bit dizzy but I didn't want him to know or feel pity for me. I began to leave the room.
The finality of it all had sunk in. I was no longer his wife. I was no longer anything to him.
I turned back to look at Lorenzo and Victoria, my chest tight but my voice steady. "Congratulations, Victoria. You didn't win him—you inherited a man who betrays the people who love him. I hope you enjoy wondering when it's your turn."
My gaze shifted to Lorenzo, something in me hardening. "Take care of your choices. You'll have to live with them."
Then I walked out.
I rushed to the wardrobe and packed my things into a bag. It felt like if I didn't leave the mansion any sooner, I'd suffocate.
I began walking to the exit door of the mansion with my luggage.
Lorenzo was there. He didn't glance at me. "I'm sorry."
Sorry for infidelity? Or for surprising me on our anniversary with a divorce?
"Sorry?" I let out a hollow laugh. "That word must be convenient for you—small, easy, and completely useless."
I dragged my luggage and hurriedly left the Mansion. There was nothing left for me there.
I used to run a little cupcake shop but Lorenzo made me close it because of what the Media would say. He made everything available for me and said to me, "you don't have to worry about anything, Laura. You don't have to work. Everything you want will be placed at your feet."
"No, Lorenzo. Please let me work. I don't want to be a burden to you. I don't want to depend on you."
"You have been through a lot, Laura. As long as I live, you won't have to work or struggle."
Tears rolled down my cheeks. Here I was. Back to square one.
I couldn't go to Paula. What could I possibly tell her? The man who I loved so much and gave up everything for divorced me?
I didn't want to ruin Lorenzo's reputation. If I told Paula about this, she'd drag Lorenzo to filth and that was something I didn't want.
I had no one to go to. I was alone. Perhaps, this was karma for what my mum had done. My dad had been married to Victoria's mum but he left her mother for mine.
Honk!
Bright headlights flooded my vision. My body froze. Then impact.
I felt a terrible ache in my abdomen as I fell to the ground. Darkness engulfed me.
—
I smelled antiseptic and syringes. Where was I? My hand slowly found my forehead and pressed on it as I opened my eyes. It felt like I just recovered from a bad headache.
An IV was attached to the back of my hand.
"You are awake?" a woman in a doctor's coat asked with a smile. "How are you feeling, ma'am?"
"I…" my throat dried. I remembered I had a terrible ache in my abdomen before falling unconscious. What if something happened to my baby? "M-my baby. How is my baby?" I was worried as well as scared.
The lady smiled, touching my arm and spreading a sense of comfort. "Your baby is fine. But you need to rest. You shouldn't be anxious or worried about anything. It can affect you and the baby's health."
Relief washed over me. The heavy stone that had taken residence in my heart disappeared at her words. My baby was alright.
However, my relief dissipated when I realized I was in a place I had no idea of. I had no idea who hit me or brought me here.
"Who brought me here, Doctor?" I asked, trying not to panic. I had to heed to the Doctor's warning. I couldn't risk my child's life.
"I'm the one," said a deep husky voice.
I lifted my head and found a man standing there—tall, easily over six feet, with an aura I couldn't quite place. His bright green eyes held mine, sharp and unsettling. He was neat, almost too put together, yet there was nothing soft about him. The white T-shirt clung to his frame, outlining the strength in his arms, while the top buttons hung open, revealing a glimpse of his chest.
A momentary confusion passed over my face.
"I hit you with my car," he glanced at his wrist watch. "I was speeding. I didn't want to miss ny flight which I just missed, because I couldn't leave you in your unconscious state on the road."
"I wasn't paying attention," I said quietly. "That's on me."
He started approaching me. "It's my fault. I should have honked, earlier. I got a call from uncle Roberts and was trying to grab my phone when my car hit you."
His voice was calm—but there was impatience underneath it, like a man who wasn't used to things going wrong.
He took a cup of tea from the tray next to me. He stretched it to me. "Drink this. It'll help you."
I sat up. "No, thanks, I'm fine. I should take my leave now."
"You shouldn't be alone right now," he said, studying me. Then, more quietly, "Especially after… what happened back there."
I raised an eyebrow. How did he know?