Skyler's POV
I walked into the house with one thought in mind. “Get Robert to talk to me.”
He had been acting weird for the past few months. Normally he doesn't act like we were married, but he actions were weirder than usual.
Thankfully, Ethan was still in school and Robert was working from home, it was the perfect day for a conversation. Because if I was going to salvage the little tolerance we had for each other in this marriage, it needs to be done.
"Robert?" I called out in the silent house.
No answer.
I kicked my shoes off, walked towards his room when I heard a woman's laugh.
I froze.
Not here. Not in our home.
There they were.
Robert.
And her. She looked so much like my dead sister.
Lila, his so called friend Lila, wrapped in the sheets, her bare shoulder peeking out as she turned to look at me, eyes wide out of surprise. Not fear, not guilt.
"You son of a bitch," I spat, my voice shaking with fury.
Robert swung his legs off the bed like that would somehow make this better, like standing there half-naked would suddenly turn this into something explainable. "Skyler…"
"Save it!" I screamed. "Ethan could walk through that door any second! And this... this is what you’re doing?"
Lila fumbled, muttering something I didn't even try to hear, pulling her clothes on.
"Get out," I hissed at her. "Get out of my house."
She left, but not before I saw the smirk on her face.
I turned on Robert, who stood there, "Was she just a 'friend' the whole time?" I demanded, stepping closer.
He opened his mouth, but instead huffed and kept quiet.
“Does this man have any respect for me whatsoever?” I asked myself.
"I hope it was worth it," I whispered, shaking with rage as I walked out.
I know what to do. So, the next day I went to the one person I could talk to.
“I need to do this.” I told myself for the last time as I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.
Seven years. That's how long I've been bound to Robert, not by love, but by a contract signed in desperation. Now, I sat across from Judy, his mother, in her kitchen, the scent of fresh coffee doing little to calm my nerves.
"I can't do this anymore," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Robert never loved me. He tolerates me at best."
Judy's eyes narrowed, her perfectly manicured fingers tapping against her coffee cup. "You knew the terms, Skyler. You agreed to them."
I clenched my fists beneath the table. "I was a broke college student. You offered to pay my tuition in exchange for marrying your son after his wife died. I thought... I thought we could build something real."
She sighed, a sound that felt more like a reprimand than sympathy. "Robert was grieving. He needed stability for Ethan."
Ah, Ethan. The child who looked at me with disdain, who flinched when I tried to comfort him. He doesn't even know how I fight for him. "He hates me," I murmured. It was the truth. But no one else saw it but me.
Judy's gaze hardened. "He's a child. They all go through phases."
I stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the polished floor. "This isn't a phase. This is a life sentence.”
She rose as well, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. "Just a little longer. For Ethan's sake. You know you want to stay."
I pulled away and left. I needed air, space, clarity, assurance. Anything, actually.
As I stepped outside, my phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number:
"Meet me at the old park. I have information about Robert you need to hear."
My heart raced. Who could this be? What did they know?
I looked back at Judy's house, then at the message. Curiosity crept up my heart.
I took a deep breath and typed a reply:
"I'll be there."
I drove faster than I ever had, I needed to know immediately what the message meant. But, when I got to the park, it was empty. No one was there.
I looked around until I saw a silhouette of a child, one that I know a little too well.
“Ethan?” I wondered what a six years old was doing out here, alone. “What's are you doing?”
He looked up at me, his eyes filled with so much hatred. “I was waiting for you.” He said quietly, it almost escaped me.
Then, it clicked. “Oh my God! Did you…did you message me?” I scoffed in disbelief.
He shrugged, “I knew you would be stupid enough to fall for it. It's not my fault your brain is not working well.” He said and I almost fell over from the hostility in his voice.
I choked back on my tears, “What? Ethan, what did I do to deserve this!” I screamed, going closer to him as I held him arm, dragging him to the car.
He snatched himself from my hold, “You're not my mother!” He screamed in my face.
Anger.
The only thing I felt at that moment, “God help me, if you don't get your butt into that car right now! I'm going to call your Dad.” I retorted.
He hissed at me, “Bitch.” But, got into the car anyway.
I sighed and followed him. I drove us home in silence as many questions ran through my mind. “Where did he get a phone? How did he think of something like that? What did he hope to achieve?”
The car was barely parked before he got out and stormed inside. Saying ”Bitch” on more time.
I rested my head back, taking a deep breath before going inside as well. I know now what to do and nothing can stop me. I paced as I waited for Robert to come home.
He and I are going to have a long conversation.
Minutes later, Robert arrived from work and I called his attention to the conversation I was hoping to have with him. Maybe this time he'll listen.
“What is it?” He asked impatiently making me choke on my words. But, nothing can hold me back, so I said the first thing that was on my tongue.
“I want a divorce.”
