“I’m having the divorce papers drawn up,” I said, my voice steady even though my hands trembled. “Five days, Julian. That’s when this ends.”

He blinked at me, disbelief twisting his features. “What are you talking about?” His voice rose in incredulity, edged with a mocking laugh. “Five days? That’s our anniversary, Alyssa. Didn’t we agree to celebrate it, like we always do?”

I laughed, but it was hollow, bitter, and empty. “Celebrate? Like the past five years when you never showed up? When you sent flowers from some distant florist while you were out partying for work?”

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, he just stared.

I pressed on, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “I always told myself it was business. That you were busy keeping Father’s company running, that’s why you were late, or didn’t call, or forgot. I made excuses for every missed dinner, every unanswered text. I believed in you. But now… now I see the truth. You’ve been spending more time with Sabrina than with me.”

He ran a hand through his hair, irritation flashing in his eyes. “Alyssa, this is ridiculous. You’re angry, fine—I get it. But don’t drag divorce into this. I can fix it. You’re blowing this out of proportion. And Sabrina? She’s my secretary—you told me to hire her! Why are you making her the enemy?”

“I should bring her into this,” I snapped, my voice sharp. “She’s been around us from the start. Supposed to be my best friend, wasn’t she? And yet… she’s the one you go home to. You’ve been lying to me, both of you.”

He chuckled, low and cold, dismissive. “So, this is about jealousy?”

“No,” I whispered, my chest aching. “I’m done. I don’t love you anymore, Julian. That’s why we’re divorcing.”

His laugh grew louder, crueler this time, as he stepped closer. “Divorce me? You’re serious?” His eyes darkened, hardening. “You can’t do that. Where would you go? You’re an orphan, Alyssa. You have nothing without me. Do you expect me to just give you money to walk away?”

My fists clenched. “I don’t want your money.”

He snorted, pressing the wedding ring back into my palm. “Ridiculous,” he muttered. Then he pulled a sleek black card from his wallet and dropped it onto the table. “Here—buy something nice. Much better than whining about divorce.”

I laughed, but it came out jagged, broken. “You really think money fixes everything?”

Already stepping back, he looked bored. “I won’t be home later. Meeting—”

Before he could finish, my palm struck his cheek. The sound cracked through the room like lightning.

For a heartbeat, everything froze.

Then his expression shifted—shock giving way to fury. His hand shot out, and for the first time, Julian slapped me back. I stumbled, cheek stinging, humiliation and pain burning through me.

“What’s wrong with you?” he shouted, chest heaving.

A small voice interrupted.

“Bad!”

We both turned. Little Max stood in the doorway, clutching a tiny toy car, big brown eyes—Julian’s eyes—wide and confused. “Why are you hitting Daddy?”

My stomach twisted. I had always let the child call Julian ‘Daddy’ because Sabrina said his father didn’t want him, claiming it was from a one-night mistake. I had pitied him, loved him quietly, thinking I was helping a friend’s child. Now, I realized the cruel truth. He wasn’t fatherless. He was Julian’s son.

Before I could react, Sabrina’s voice floated from the hall. “Oh… sorry.”

She stepped into view, face sweet, concern painted on, tone dripping with practiced innocence. “Bad timing, I guess? Max wanted to visit. He misses everyone… but maybe we should go.”

“No,” Julian snapped, brushing past me. “We’re going out. Without her.” He shot me a sharp glare. “How dare you even think about divorce?”

Sabrina raised a hand to her chest, feigning shock. “Alyssa, why would you do this? Did something happen?”

“Don’t act innocent,” I hissed.

She blinked, pretending to be clueless. “Did Julian upset you again? Should I scold him?”

Her tone made my stomach churn. I had trusted her with everything—every secret, every hurt—and she had been smiling while betraying me all along.

“Stop pretending,” I spat. “You know exactly why I’m leaving.”

Sabrina tilted her head, mock curiosity in her eyes. “Oh… is this about that guy you mentioned?”

“What?” Julian’s head snapped toward me. “What guy?”

I froze. Is she using the cheating card against me, even though it’s not real?

“Wait,” he growled, glaring. “Are you… cheating on me?”

I stared at him, disbelief burning. “You’re accusing me?”

Sabrina raised her hands innocently. “No, no, she didn’t—”

“Shut up!” I snapped, voice breaking. “You traitor! That isn’t true!”

Julian’s face darkened. He grabbed my arm roughly, pulling me toward our room. “So you want a divorce to cheat? Is that it?”

“Let go!” I struggled, but his grip only tightened.

“No. Not until you come to your senses.”

He shoved me inside and slammed the door. The lock clicked into place. Then I heard their footsteps, fading—the front door closing behind Julian, Sabrina, and their son.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

I sank to the floor, chest heaving, palms trembling. My reflection in the mirror looked like someone else—broken, betrayed, bleeding from the inside.

Tears fell freely as I pressed a hand to my stomach. “I’m sorry, baby,” I whispered. “But I have to let you go. Your father doesn’t want you.”

Outside, their car roared to life, fading into the night. I was left alone, locked in that empty house, clutching my belly, whispering for strength.

“Five days,” I murmured, closing my eyes. “Just five days… then I’ll be free.”

The next morning, a gentle knocking stirred me awake. My eyes were puffy from crying through the night, my throat raw from screaming into the silence of my locked room. I didn’t want to open the door, not even a crack—but then I heard her voice.

“Alyssa… it’s me.”

Sabrina.

My body froze instantly.

The door creaked, and she stepped in—my so-called best friend, the woman who had betrayed me in the most unforgivable way. Her eyes were red, rimmed with tears, though I didn’t believe a word of it. Without asking, she crossed the room and hugged me tightly, pressing her cheek to mine.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, voice soft against my shoulder. “I never meant for it to happen. Things… they just got out of hand.”

I stiffened, hands falling to my sides. “Got out of hand?” I repeated, bitterness cutting through my voice as I stepped back.

“Yes,” she hurried on. “I thought you were talking about Raphael—that’s all. You’d mentioned him before, your first love. I assumed maybe you had reconciled, and that’s why you were talking about divorce with Julian.”

I stared at her, incredulous. “You’re serious?” I raised my voice. “That’s your excuse? You thought I wanted a divorce because of Raphael? Not because you’ve been sleeping with my husband for years?”

Her lips parted in feigned offense. “Of course not! You’re my best friend, Dani. I would never—”

The sharp sting of my hand against her cheek cut her off.

Her head snapped sideways, palm flying to her face. “What—?”

“Do you think I’d be blind?” I whispered, voice trembling with fury and heartbreak. “You’ve been sleeping with my husband, Sabrina. And Max—your son—is his child, isn’t he?”

For a heartbeat, she froze, her expression an act of innocence. Then it slipped. Her lips twisted into a faint, mocking smile, and a quiet laugh escaped her.

“Oh, God,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m tired of pretending.” Her tone dripped with venomous amusement as she locked eyes with me. “Good to know you finally caught on.”

My stomach churned, but I didn’t flinch.

“So what’s next?” she continued, smirking. “Are you finally going to leave him?”

I swallowed hard, fighting back tears. “He won’t divorce me,” I said deliberately. “So you’d better do something about it.”

Sabrina tilted her head, chuckling. “Don’t worry. I will. Just make sure you actually go through with it.”

“Fine.” I slipped my wedding ring off, holding it up as it caught the morning sunlight. “Here. Wear it. Enjoy it. You’ve already taken everything else.”

She hesitated before taking it, her smirk softening into a playful pout. “Well… thanks, Alyssa. Really, thank you for giving me your husband,” she murmured. I brushed past her without answering.

As I moved toward the living room, a small voice called out.

“Auntie Dani!”

It was Max, clutching a toy car, his face lighting up when he saw me. “Look! Daddy fixed it!”

For a fleeting second, I froze. I had once adored this boy. I had held him, fed him, read him bedtime stories when Sabrina was too busy pretending to work. He had called me “Auntie” so sweetly that I had almost forgotten my own loss.

But now… every time I saw him, all I felt was betrayal.

“I’m busy, Max,” I said softly.

“No! Please, Auntie! Look, it moves now!” He pressed the toy toward me eagerly.

I stepped back, shaking my head. “Not now, Max.”

He followed me, tugging at my dress. “Please, Auntie! Just look!”

Something inside me snapped. My voice cracked as I pushed him away. “I said I’m busy!”

He stumbled. I didn’t catch him in time. He fell, the toy shattering beside him, his tiny body trembling as sobs ripped from his chest.

Sabrina burst into the room, horror written across her face. “What did you do?!”

“It was an accident,” I said quickly. But she was already scooping him up, glaring at me as if I were a monster.

“What’s going on?” Julian’s voice boomed from the doorway, eyes darting between me and the crying child, face hardening.

“Really, Alyssa?” he hissed. “This is why you don’t deserve to be a mother. You can’t even care for a child properly.”

I felt my throat constrict.

“This,” he said, gesturing to Max, “is why we’ll never have another child. I’m giving my heir to him. He’ll be adopted officially. He deserves it more than you ever could.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, voice quiet, almost serene. “Do what you must.”

He blinked, thrown by my calm. “That’s it? You don’t care? Is that true? Are you seeing another man?”

“What?” I whispered, stunned.

He looked to Sabrina. “She mentioned a guy. Who is it?”

Sabrina raised her hands innocently. “Julian, stop. Don’t hurt her. Remember, she’s my best friend.”

He glared between us, jaw tight, then sighed. “Be thankful Sabrina’s considerate, Alyssa. Now, apologize to Max.”

I clenched my fists but couldn’t bear another fight. I knelt before the boy, voice trembling. “I’m sorry, Max. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

He sniffled, nodding. “It’s okay, Auntie. Can we play later?”

“Sure,” I said softly. “We’ll play later.”

But I knew there wouldn’t be a later.

Once in my room, I locked the door and collapsed onto the bed, mind spinning, heart breaking all over again.

Raphael.

The name echoed in my thoughts. The man I had loved once. The one I had left for Julian because my father had insisted I marry into a powerful family to “protect” me.

Maybe Sabrina’s gossip about him wasn’t useless after all. Maybe I could use it.

Hands trembling, I pulled out my phone and scrolled to his name: Raphael Mendoza. My pulse raced as I tapped it.

The line rang once… twice… then—

“Hello?” His voice, familiar and gentle, filled my ear.

“It’s me,” I whispered. “Alyssa.”

A pause. “Alyssa?” His tone was stunned. “After all this time…”

I took a shaky breath. “Are you… still single?”

He laughed softly, surprised. “I… yeah, I guess.”

“Good,” I said, voice wavering but steadying. “Because I need to ask you something… important.”

“What is it?”

I closed my eyes, heart hammering. “Do you… want to marry me?”

The line went silent, stretching long enough for me to hear the thudding of my own heart. Then, a soft laugh—familiar, disbelieving, and tinged with amusement—cut through the quiet.

“Marry you… now?” Raphael’s voice was low, edged with teasing. “After all these years, after you broke my heart, Alyssa? Seven years, and here you are. What happened to that perfect husband of yours—Julian?”

I swallowed hard, staring at my reflection in the mirror. Pale, hollow-eyed… the woman staring back at me was barely recognizable. “He betrayed me,” I admitted, my voice trembling but carrying the weight of truth. “He killed our son. I can’t live with him any longer.”

Another silence fell. Then, a quiet sigh.

“Alyssa…”

“Forget it,” I said quickly, my throat tight. “If you’ve moved on—if you’re married, happy… that’s fine. I shouldn’t have called.”

I was about to hang up when his voice stopped me, calm and steady, full of warmth I hadn’t heard in years.

“Who says I don’t love you?” he murmured. “Seven years didn’t change that. You might’ve hurt me back then, but I never stopped caring. If this is really what you want, then fine—let’s do it. I’ll come get you, and we’ll marry.”

I froze, shock and disbelief mingling with something I hadn’t felt in ages—a flicker of hope, or maybe madness, I couldn’t tell.

“Do you… need me to do anything else?” he asked softly.

“Nothing,” I whispered, voice barely audible. “Just… don’t let me regret reaching out to you.”

And then, before he could speak again, I hung up.

I stared at the phone in my hand, chest heaving, the air around me heavy and suffocating, yet lighter somehow. That’s better. After all, Raphael had once been my whole world.

I sank to the edge of the bed, memories flooding back—the way his laugh had echoed in empty classrooms, the brush of his hand under the bleachers, the promises whispered in the dark about a future we would share.

High school sweethearts, we had been—two dreamers who thought love could conquer everything. He had even saved enough to buy a simple ring, cheap but meaningful. We had planned to marry after college.

But life… had other plans.

When my father fell ill, everything crumbled. His company teetered on the edge of ruin. Julian’s father offered help—but the price was my hand in marriage to Julian.

Raphael begged me not to go through with it. He promised we’d find a way, that we’d make it work. But I was young, scared, and desperate. I believed marrying Julian would keep me safe.

For a time, I tried to convince myself I was happy. I learned to love him—or so I thought. Now, in retrospect, it had all been a lie woven so carefully it had almost fooled me.

I shook myself from the memories and stood abruptly. I couldn’t stay in this house any longer—not amidst walls filled with false memories.

I opened the closet and began packing slowly, piece by piece. Dresses. Shoes. Photographs. Each item felt heavier than the last, weighted with betrayal. My wedding gown hung at the far end, wrapped in plastic. I stared at it for a long moment before yanking it down.

By the time I finished, my hands trembled. I gathered everything Julian had given me—gifts, jewelry, letters—and carried it to the backyard. The night air bit at my skin as I struck a match, letting the flame consume it all.

The gold bracelet he had clasped around my wrist melted black in the fire. I watched as every last token of us turned to ash, leaving nothing but emptiness.

The doorbell rang just as I stepped back inside.

Frowning, I wiped my tears and opened the door. A man stood there holding a box.

“Delivery for Mrs. Julian Herrera,” he said, handing it over.

“I didn’t order anything,” I muttered.

“It’s prepaid,” he replied, then left before I could ask more.

Curious, I opened it. Inside was a limited-edition Audrey Hepburn figurine—elegant, poised, delicate. My breath caught. I had loved collecting them. Julian had teased me endlessly for it.

For a brief moment, I thought—perhaps it was an apology. Maybe he remembered something that mattered.

Then I heard footsteps behind me.

“Don’t touch that.”

I turned. Julian stood there, impeccably dressed, his gaze cold. He snatched the box from my hands.

“It’s for Sabrina’s birthday,” he said flatly.

“What?” I whispered.

“I’ll be away for a few days. Business trip,” he added.

I let out a bitter laugh. “Of course. Business trip.”

“Alyssa, come on,” he sighed, rubbing his temple. “Are you upset again? Fine, I’m sorry.” He pulled something small from his pocket—a cheap imitation of the figurine—and handed it to me. “Here. To make it up to you.”

The fake one. Of course.

He leaned in to kiss me, but I turned away. “Never mind,” he muttered, straightening. “Do whatever you want.”

Before I could respond, frantic knocking shook the front door. Then a voice.

“Julian! Help! Please! Something’s wrong!”

Sabrina.

Julian’s expression changed instantly, panic flashing across his face. “What happened?”

“It’s Max,” she sobbed. “He’s sick! Please, come quickly!”

And just like that, he was gone.

I remained, staring at the empty doorway. Silence pressed in like a heavy fog. Forgotten. Ignored. Cast aside.

I pressed a trembling hand to my stomach. The tiny life growing inside me didn’t deserve this.

Tears blurred my vision. “I’m sorry, baby… but I have to let you go. Your father doesn’t want you.”

Later that night, I went to the hospital. My hands shook as I signed the papers, the nurse’s words barely registering over the torrent of tears.

“Are you sure about this procedure, ma’am?”

“Yes,” I whispered, voice breaking. “I’m certain.”

As the anesthesia began to take hold, the last thing I murmured was a promise to the child I would never meet:

“I’ll find peace… even if I have to burn everything to get it.”