“All I want is the part of the house that belongs to my mom. Is that really asking too much?”
“Was all that begging and crying just an act?”
I demanded, my voice shaking with anger.
A wave of bitterness washed over me.
James had insisted he couldn’t control himself that night, and he’d forced me, despite my saying no. I was so naive, I didn’t even know I was pregnant until three months later.
When my teacher noticed and rushed me to the hospital, the miscarriage nearly killed me.
James’ father had come to my mom, and they both got on their knees, begging and crying, promising they’d make it right, swearing they didn’t want to ruin James’ future.
They told my mom that James would do whatever I said and that I’d be in charge.
I wasn’t expecting them to owe me anything. I just felt guilty for my mom and still loved James, so I agreed to marry him to settle things.
I even put my life on hold, recovering after the surgery.
When they suggested I go abroad to care for his sick, divorced mother, I went along with it.
Two years alone in a foreign country, no friends, no support, just me taking care of his ailing mom. I pushed through everything for him.
And now, after all that, instead of the home and family I’d dreamed of, all I found was betrayal and a carefully crafted lie.
The man I had loved and sacrificed everything for was nothing but a selfish, manipulative coward.
James stepped out, still playing the good guy. “Natalie, I know it’s hard for you to let go, but I just don’t have feelings for you anymore. I can’t keep pretending. You’ve been using my mom as leverage for too long, and for Quilla’s sake, I need to draw a line.”
“Can’t you see it from my side? Who wants to stay with someone who didn’t even finish college and won’t let go? We’re on completely different levels.”
The man I had sacrificed everything for, my so-called husband, finally revealed his true self, and every word cut deep.
To him, I was nothing but dead weight, holding him back in life and love.
Any last shred of hope I had, any tiny flicker of belief in him, was snuffed out.
This wasn’t my home anymore.
Every sacrifice I made, every piece of myself I gave, was now twisted into the reasons he used to hurt me.
And to everyone around us, I was nothing but a joke.