AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Then what was it? If you don’t love her, then why?” I’m desperately trying to understand. It happens that people fall out of love; you see it everywhere, and even if it breaks me to know that my husband doesn’t love me anymore, I know that eventually, I’ll come to accept it. But to think that he destroyed us because of lust or a passing infatuation? That I can’t accept. I thought we were stronger than that.
“I don’t know!” His voice echoes his frustration but he’s lying. I can see it in his eyes.
“Get out.” I bite out the words. “If you can’t be honest with me, then there’s no point in us even talking.”
His head shakes in denial of my words, and he’s trying to battle his emotions, but a heart-wrenching sob escapes him despite his efforts. “I needed something and...” He pauses, dragging his hands over his face, fisting them in his hair.
“And it’s something I couldn’t give you?” My words come out flat.
“No.” His voice cracks and he looks at me, pleading with his eyes. “I can’t explain it to you, but I would never want that ugliness to touch you.”
There’s a dull throbbing ache beating in my head, and I can’t do this anymore. He doesn’t know, he can’t explain. He’s talking in circles, and nothing he’s saying is giving me any answers.
“Too late for that. You brought that ugliness into our life after you made a promise to me. You promised me you won’t be like my dad.”
And that is the thing that makes all of this so unforgivable. I turn my back on him. I feel defeated, numb inside. It’s hard to accept that the person I’ve always believed him to be is a figment of my imagination.
“Please don’t say that.” He wants to deny it, but he can’t. “I made a mistake, but I’m nothing like your dad. I love you, Alexis, only you.”
“A mistake…” I echo his words. “How long? How long have you been making this mistake?”
He takes a shuddering breath. “Please, talking about this will only hurt you more. I don’t want to hurt you more.” His voice is broken, but I’m long past caring.
“How long?” I yell.
“Fuck!” Those fingers are back in his hair, tugging. “Since about a month after the block party.”
I still at his confirmation of her words, disbelief rendering me mute. How could I not have known? I didn’t want to believe her because that would mean I was a damn naive fool, living in complete ignorance. It’s too humiliating to even contemplate.
So, to protect myself, I shut down, locking my emotions down. He doesn’t deserve to see a single one of them.
“I’ll never forgive you for this,” I whisper. “None of this matters, anyway. You have a responsibility towards her now.”
He shakes his head in denial. “No, I owe her nothing. You and Lizzy are my family.”
“So, what, you’re going to deny your child?” His head rears back in shock. “She didn’t tell you she told me she’s pregnant? Or how excited you were about the baby and how you couldn’t wait to go with her to your first appointment?”
My words are factual, belying the churning emotions in my gut. “Why did you tell me we should try for another baby when you already have one on the way?”
He shakes his head in denial. “She’s lying. None of that’s true.” He stalks over to me and grabs my arms. “Alexis, please. Don’t fall for her games. She’s mad because I broke it off, and now she’s trying to destroy our life. There is absolutely no way she could be pregnant. The only person who I’ve ever wanted to have children with is you.”
I shrug off his hands, taking a step back. I can’t have him touching me. “Did you? Break it off?”
He lets out a deep breath. “I did. She didn’t take it well, and now she’s trying to do as much damage as she can. That’s why she came here.”
“Was it after you spent the night at her house on Friday? The Friday you lied about coming home on Saturday?” Unadulterated rage fills me at how worried I was about him while he was sparing me no thought while spending a romantic night with his mistress.
“I’m sorry, Alexis.” He swallows hard, and he has the audacity to look remorseful.
“Stop saying that! You’re not sorry. You’re only sorry you got caught.”
My shoulders droop, and I drop onto a couch. I’m just so damn tired. “She’s not the one destroying us. You did that all by yourself. You need to leave.”
His body tenses up, his forehead creasing in agony. “I can’t leave us like this,” he pleads.
“No, Lucas.” My breath hitches on a sob, and I shake my head. “There is no more us.”
Fuck, the words hurt leaving my mouth, but I know that I just don’t have it in me to forgive something like this.
