My barrage of questions clearly overwhelmed Nathan.
He looked crushed, guilt written all over his face.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… I thought–I thought…”
But he couldn’t finish his sentence.
“What, were you gonna say you were at some company party and I was just ruining the vibe?”
“Or maybe you were too busy juggling work and taking care of our son, and just forgot your wife was in the hospital?”
“Or is it that you actually believed I keyed Sarah’s car out of jealousy, and then ran off cheating for two weeks, living it up like nothing happened?”
Nathan hung his head lower with every word, his face getting paler by the second.
I rolled my eyes, completely done.
“Nathan, I’m your wife.”
“I don’t know who that woman in Sarah’s video was or how much she looked like me, but seriously? We dated for three years.”
“We’ve been married for seven.”
Ten years together, and you couldn’t even recognize me?”
I stared at him coldly.
“I don’t know what the hell happened to you, or how you got so checked out, but I’m done.”
“You’re free now.”
“We’re getting a divorce.”
Nathan’s head snapped up, panic flooding his face.
“No, Olivia, please–I can’t lose you.”
I felt completely numb.
“Nathan, let’s not drag this out.”
“It’s over. It’ll be better for both of us. Just leave our son with me.”
His eyes were filled with tears, and he shook his head desperately.
“No. No way. I’m not signing anything.”
“I’m not letting you go.”
And just like that, he bolted from the room.
8.3%
- t. Ene to Her
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
The next day, Nathan showed up at the hospital with our son.
As soon as my little boy saw me in the hospital bed, his eyes got all watery.
He ran to my side and grabbed my hand tight.
“Mommy, I’m sorry…” he whispered.
My heart shattered. I couldn’t stop the tears.
I pulled him onto the bed and hugged him close, running my fingers gently through his soft little curls.
Nathan walked in carrying takeout bags.
“He helped pick all this out–your favorite dishes.”
“He hasn’t eaten anything yet. Said he wanted to eat with you.”
I glanced at the food and was about to say no.
But my son looked up at me with those big hopeful eyes and tugged at my hand.
“Mommy, I’m hungry. Let’s eat with Daddy, okay?”
His sweet voice melted my defenses, though I still shot Nathan a sharp look.
“Let me make this clear. You wanna use my kid to get to me?”
“It won’t work. Not you. Not Sarah. Nobody.”
Before Nathan could reply, our son interrupted, all excited: “Dad! Set the table. I’m starving!”
He jumped off the bed and brought over a bowl of water.
“Mommy, wash your hands…”
After I did, he took it back, then handed me a towel like a little gentleman.
Nathan had already laid everything out.
My son handed me a spoon and a bowl.
Nathan looked at
me,
ashamed.
“I told Sarah to leave. This was all my fault.”
“She was killing it at work, and I guess I just… trusted her blindly.”
“I didn’t know she had other intentions.”
I took a bite of the food my son picked out for me and gave a bitter laugh.
“Nathan, save it. Let
not pretend you were just clueless.”
“You knew. Or you chose not to know.”
“Everyone loves attention–that’s normal.”
“But you? You had zero boundaries.”
“Do I hate Sarah? Of course I do.”
Chapter 11
“She wrecked my family, ruined my name.”
“But you? I hate you more.”
“I loved you, Nathan. And you threw that love in my face.”
“You doubted me, blamed me, sided with Sarah.”
“She was just the accomplice.”
“You were the one who pulled the trigger.”
Nathan winced like I’d slapped him, his jaw clenched so tight it looked like it might crack.
“Do we really have to do this now?”
“Can’t we just move forward?”
“We’ve still got a life ahead of us.”
“We can fix this–I’ll do whatever it takes.”
I spooned some rice into my son’s bowl and told him to eat at the little table across the room.
Once he was gone, I looked Nathan dead in the eye and unbuttoned the top of my gown.
One by one, my scars came into view.
The one on my shoulder–red, raised, twisted.
My stomach–a roadmap of stitches and deep cuts.
Nathan’s eyes went wide.
Tears welled up, but he tried to keep it together.
I spoke coldly, like ice.
“You think these are just gonna disappear?”
“You think I’ll go back to normal?”
“You think a broken mirror just glues itself back together?”
“What you can’t see is worse.”
‘My internal injuries are permanent.”
“The doctors say I’ll be living with pain for the rest of my life.”
“Oh–and I had to have a hysterectomy.”
“I can’t have kids anymore.”
“And worst of all, Nathan?”
“You killed the part of me that loved you.”
Nathan slumped into a chair like all the air had been sucked out of him.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
“Let’s eat. I’ll sign the divorce papers after.”
“You can have full custody. I’ll double the child support.”
