Chapter 005

*THE WEIGHT OF THE NEW REALITY*

BRIDGET

3 Month Later

Today was supposed to be my wedding day. I had dreamed about this day, planned for it down to the smallest detail.

I had imagined how it would feel to walk down the aisle in my perfect gown, how Derrick’s eyes would light up when he saw me, how we would promise forever to each other but fate had other plans.

Instead of walking down the aisle, I sat alone in my bedroom, miles away from the grand hall where Derrick and Vera were exchanging vows. The irony was unbearable.

I could imagine the church auditorium exactly as I had once envisioned it. High ceilings draped with cascading floral arrangements of ivory and gold. Sunlight filtering through stained-glass windows, casting soft rainbows across polished wooden pews.

The scent of roses lingering in the air, mingling with the gentle hum of anticipation as guests took their seats. Every detail was perfect. Every moment of it stolen from me.

I could picture Derrick standing there, dressed in a sleek black tuxedo, his jaw set, his smile charming. And Vera radiant in her wedding gown, her lips curved in a triumphant smile. Together, they looked like the perfect couple.

The guests whispering their approval, their voices, a low hum of excitement as the ceremony began. Camera flashes in the air, capturing every moment of their so-called love story.

To the world, it was a perfect wedding but to me, it was a funeral.

I pulled my blanket tighter around myself, willing the outside world to disappear. The silence in my room was deafening, broken only by the occasional sound of a passing car or the faint ticking of the clock on my nightstand.

I thought deeply about the pregnancy I was carrying. the thought of raising a child alone. " Should I call Derrick’s mother and highlight the evil Derrick has done??, No, she doesn't even know who I was. I'll keep this baby a secret. I don't need Derrick or his family's support, I'll do this one alone. I thought inwardly to myself.

Then, my phone buzzed. I hesitated. My hands trembled as I reached for it. A notification flashed across the screen.

Vera. A chill ran down my spine. I knew I shouldn’t open it. I knew it would only hurt me. But I did it anyway.

The moment I tapped on the message, a video filled my screen. Derrick and Vera stood at the altar, their hands intertwined, their smiles sickeningly bright. Beneath the video, a caption read. "Forever starts today."

I felt the breath leave my body. My grip tightened around the phone, my knuckles turning white. My vision blurred as fresh tears burned my eyes.

A sharp pang of betrayal stabbed at my chest, so intense it felt like a physical wound. It wasn’t enough for Vera to take Derrick, she had to show me, to rub salt into the wound.

The image burned itself into my mind, an unforgiving reminder of the life that had once been mine. Derrick. The man I had loved, Vera. The friend I had trusted.

My shoulders shook as sobs overtook me. I curled into myself, pressing the phone to my chest, as if I could somehow erase the image, erase the pain. But it was no use. The damage was done.

In the sadness I just realise that some wounds never truly heal. They just become a part of who you are.

7 Months Later…

I adjusted my dress in front of the mirror, running a hand over the curve of my growing belly. Three months ago, my world had shattered. Now, I was doing my best to pick up the pieces, to build something new from the wreckage Derrick and Vera had left behind.

Moving in with Davis had been my saving grace. She had been my rock, my protector, my reminder that I wasn’t as alone as I felt.

I had found a job at a publishing company, not glamorous, but steady. And I was learning, day by day, to navigate this unexpected journey of single motherhood.

But one thing still haunted me. Derrick.

I hadn’t seen him, hadn’t spoken to him since that morning. He had made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me or this baby. And honestly? I had made peace with that. I had to. But fate has a cruel sense of humour.

My phone buzzed from the dresser, breaking my thoughts. I picked it up absentmindedly, but the moment my eyes landed on the screen, my breath caught in my throat.

We need to talk. It’s urgent. Call me back at your leisure. The name above the message sent a chill through me. Derrick.

I stared at the words, my pulse hammering in my ears. After three months of silence, now he wanted to talk? Now it was urgent?

A bitter laugh escaped me. What could possibly be so important? Was he hoping for closure? Did he think we could be friends? Or worse, was this about the baby?

I felt the walls closing in, my mind spinning through a thousand possibilities. My finger hovered over the screen, torn between blocking his number and giving in to the burning curiosity gnawing at my insides.

Footsteps echoed from the hallway, and seconds later, Davis appeared, her arms full of grocery bags. She took one look at me, stiff posture, white-knuckled grip on my phone, and her smile disappeared.

“What happened?” she asked, setting the bags down and walking straight toward me.

Wordlessly, I handed her the phone. She scanned the message, her jaw tightening.

“Delete it,” she said, shoving the phone back into my hands. “Block his number. He doesn’t get to waltz back in after three months like nothing happened.”

“I know,” I murmured, but the message still burned in my palm. “I should ignore him.”

Davis crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering. “Then do it. He chose to leave, Brie. He chose to cut you out of his life. What could he possibly say now that would change anything?”

I exhaled sharply, her words hitting me in all the places I didn’t want to admit hurt.

She was right. Derrick had walked away. He had left me to handle this pregnancy alone. I didn’t owe him anything. And yet, some part of me that still ached with betrayal wanted to hear what he had to say.

Just so I could throw his words back in his face.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, then, with one decisive moment, deleted the message and set my phone down.

“Good,” Davis said with a nod. “Now, how do you feel about grilled cheese? Because I just bought way too much bread.”

I let out a shaky laugh, grateful for the way she always knew how to pull me back from the edge.

"Grilled cheese sounds perfect.” I said, feeling relieved to have her around.