Heartbroken; From Ruin to Being the Queen of Them All

XANTHE

It was my sixth anniversary with my husband, but Derek hadn’t come home.

For hours, I sat on the dining chair, staring at the gifts I had; the hospital report about my pregnancy and the food that had already gone cold. I picked up my phone, trying Derek’s number for the fifteenth time, but it said the same thing.

Unavailable.

Derek didn’t usually stay out this late. But he had started some months ago. At 7pm, he should be home. But tonight, it was already 2am. He should have informed me, he always did.

I didn’t know when I slept off, but the sun had already come up when my eyes opened. The food was still left untouched from last night.

I grabbed my phone, checking the screen.

No missed calls. Not even one.

Something must have happened to Derek. Without thinking, I drove to the police station.

But they told me they can’t send out a search warrant until it was 24 hours. That broke me.

My husband was missing for crying out loud.

“He’s an adult. Men do this sometimes.” The police officer said.

Yes, they do. But not Derek.

As I drove back home to wait, my eyes caught something familiar.

I pulled the brakes, hopping out of the car instantly as I walked towards the familiar car. This was Derek’s car. The one I had gotten for him last summer.

What was it doing in front of the hospital? Had he gotten into an accident?

Then, I heard voices. Familiar voices.

“Xanthe must be worried about you right now. Shouldn’t you give her a call? She must be sad you actually abandoned her on your anniversary.”

Sandra. Our doctor’s voice.

This couldn’t be right. Derek wouldn’t come to meet with Sandra without me.

“Xanthe is an idiot. She would believe whatever I tell her.” Derek waved casually as he spoke.

My stomach twisted. My legs shuddered. I grabbed the nearest wall, hanging into it for support as my heart broke in pieces.

“You know she’s still hung over Sam. She’s been trying to have another baby after him, but I don’t want that. I don’t understand how she can’t see that.” He hissed, like he was irritated about me.

This was what he thought about me? Sam was our son! Our child!

“Give her what she wants, Derek. It’s just for a short time. Besides, I don’t want to feel guilty about Sam’s death. If you hadn’t rushed to me that day I got stranded in the rain, Sam wouldn’t have rolled down the stairs and died.”

My throat burned. A gasp escaped my throat, but they couldn’t hear as Derek pulled Sandra into his arms, comforting her.

My child had died because of Sandra? And Derek? How could they…the words stuck on my throat.

When I rushed him to the hospital, she had been the one who drove that night from her house. She had visited me several times to ‘comfort’ me. But it wasn’t out of concern. It was out of guilt that I would find out.

I wanted to run towards them, drag my fingers down their skin. I wanted to do anything that would make them feel the same pain that I felt the day my son died. But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t move.

“Don’t worry, Sandra. It’s going to be over soon.” Derek murmured, running his hands down her hair. “On the day of Xanthe’s father’s birthday, we are going to show proof of Xanthe’s madness. Then, I’m going to divorce her.”

Proof? Of madness?!

“I have gotten it already.” Sandra said. “It’s a synthetic drug. It works in five minutes. Spike her drinks with an overdose and we get the reaction we need. There’s no way she wouldn’t be admitted to a psychiatric facility after that.”

I froze. They were going to make me look insane?

My hands rested on my stomach, anger pulsing through my veins.

He’s going to cast me out with nothing. And ruin my reputation too.

Derek Hampston, you messed with the wrong person.

I, Xanthe, would never let you have your way!