Ciara
It felt as if I’d just been hit over the head with a brick; or was it something worse? I don’t know. All I knew was that right now, right in front of me, was proof that my husband had been cheating on me all along.
“Aren’t you going to say something? Cat got your tongue?” The lady, Anne, in front of me questioned furiously.
It was such a shame that she thought I was the one who stole something from her and not the other way around.
I scoffed, absentmindedly muttering under my breath, “So Ryan even kept me a secret all this while from the women he played with?”
“What did you say?”
Shaking my head, I voiced out loud, “I’ve heard you, so for now, can you please go?”
I had a lot to deal with already, and I’d clearly decided that I’d had enough for one day, so with that said, I turned away from her, heading into the house, but Anne grabbed my wrist, holding me back, “Hey, I’m not done yet!”
There and then, I lost my cool. All my pent-up frustration and anger I’d bottled up all evening finally exploded.
“Please!” I shouted, breaking down into tears, “Please, just go!”
Shaking her wrist off me, I headed into the house, slamming the door shut as I crumbled down to the ground, wailing in my own sorrow and misery.
Why was this happening to me? Why? Placing my hands over my mouth, I tried to stifle my tears, but the more I tried, the more my tears flowed.
As I struggled to get back on my feet, I decided that I’d had enough. Enough of Ryan, enough of this house, enough of everything.
Making my way to what used to be our bedroom, I brought out my traveling box from atop the wardrobe.
Flinging the wardrobe wide open, I threw my clothes into the box in a frenzy with teary eyes.
This. This was going to be the last time anyone hurt me this way again. I swear it.
While packing up my belongings, I heard the main door open but didn’t even bother to look in its direction because I was certain that it was no other than Ryan.
“Are you finally leaving?” Ryan questioned with a mocking tone.
Just when I decided to spare him a glance, I saw ‘her’ beside him. I scoffed. So he was going as far as bringing her into our house now?
Shaking my head, I diverted my gaze away from them, dragging my box closer to my drawer as I threw my jewelry in.
Ryan held my hand as if stopping me, but his gesture only irked me.
“Would you let go of me!”
“I don’t want to touch you either, but where do you think you are taking those jewelry to? I was the one who bought them for you!”
I laughed. For the first time since the events of this disastrous evening played out, I had a good laugh.
“You bought it for me?” I questioned, “Don’t be absurd. You didn’t even buy me a single flower, talk less of this jewelry.” I freed myself from his grasp as I continued with what I was doing.
When I was all packed up, I angrily threw the divorce paper that had been in my hands all evening on the reading table and scribbled my signature across it.
“Aren’t you being too absurd?” Anne questioned with irritation all over her face.
It took every bit of self-control in my body for me not to hit her. She’s the one who had ruined our one year of marriage, what seemed to be the perfect marriage I could ever imagine.
What right did she have to be irritated?!
“I mean…” Anne dragged out regardless, “You two weren’t even in a real marriage.”
I knew it. She knew Ryan was married. After all, why wouldn’t she? She was the reason behind Ryan and I’s contractual marriage.
Whilst I’d worked as a caregiver for Ryan, his mother had forced him into getting married to Anne, but he didn’t want to, and rather we’d gotten married.
Now seeing Ryan with the girl he’d used me for did kind of sting.
Anne scoffed, “Don’t tell me you actually fell in love with Ryan now, did you?”
I did, and trust me, I regret every single moment of it, “No, why would I? Ryan isn’t actually someone who deserves love. Isn’t that why you are with him?”
“Hey!”
“Listen to me good and listen well. Just because Ryan and I just got divorced because of you doesn’t mean he actually loves you. He cheated on me despite being in a fake relationship as you’ve said, so can you imagine what’s going to happen to you?”
Ryan pushed me backwards, “Hey, if you are done packing your things then hurry up and leave. I won’t tolerate you talking down to me in my own house.”
“In your own house?” I inquired, gazing around the house I’d built with my hard-earned money and sweat, “The whole plot of land, the house, 1.3 billion dollars, the cars…”
“Hey, what are you saying?” Ryan stuttered.
“What? Are you scared? Or is it now you remember that you didn’t contribute a dime into our marriage? Don’t worry, you won’t be penniless. You and your girlfriend can feed and grow on your ‘love’ daily.”
“And to be honest, you are quite well off too. Your company is doing well for the now so, remember all I said before? That’s just a tip of the iceberg on the divorce alimony.”
I pressed his shoulder down as I whispered into his ears, “So honey, make sure to come with a good lawyer and try to fight me for all the things you didn’t work hard for. I’ll be waiting.”
I bowed at Anne, “I wish you two a happy married life or whatever you want to do yourselves.”
Turning back to face Ryan, I flashed him a sweet smile. A smile of victory because I was finally convinced that even if I was going down, I wasn’t going down in shame.
Slapping the divorce papers against his chest, I said through gritted teeth, “See you in court.”
