Chapter 1- I Want A Divorce

ANNA'S POV

I blinked severally as if it would help me understand what he was saying because truly couldn't. My breaths were coming out laboured and shaky. Was there something I had missed?

"I..I really don't get what you're saying Jack. I don't." I said, trying hard not to let the tears drop.

I saw him roll his eyes. He does that when he's irritated or annoyed.

"What is there not to understand Anna?....

"A WHOLE LOT!" I yelled.

I covered my face with both my hands, trying to steady my nerves. "I'm so sorry for yelling. I didn't mean to." But his face was still the same - expressionless. Like what I was doing or saying meant nothing to him. "I really want to understand what's going on Jack."

"Why are you playing dumb? You're pissing me off. What's there not to get? I-want-a-divorce." He said.

"And that is what I don't get. How can you want a divorce? Why will you want a divorce? After ten years of being together? We have a beautiful daughter Jack! everything we've built together. You're just going to throw it all away?" My voice cracked, despite my efforts to stay calm.

He kissed his teeth, shaking his head as he went over to the couch to sit. "It doesn't matter. I'm sick of this...

"YOU CANNOT BE SICK OF THIS!" I yelled, cutting him off. "You're really going to sit there and tell me you're sick of this? Of us? Of our life together?" I spat, my words laced with venom. "I left my family, my home because of you....

"Did I ask you to?" He asked nonchalantly.

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I tried to process his words,

Jack's indifference fueled my anger. His nonchalant shrug sent a chill down my spine. "It doesn't matter, Anna. I've made up my mind." He said again.

I felt a wave of desperation wash over me. "No, it can't be that simple. There has to be a reason. Something I can fix." My words trailed off, pleading with him to reconsider.

But Jack's expression remained resolute, leaving me with a sense of hopelessness and despair.

"What about our daughter, Jack? Have you thought about how this will affect her?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jack's silence was deafening, and I knew at that moment that our marriage was truly over. But I still wasn't willing to believe it, I wasn't going to let it end like this. "Babe, I'm sorry. If I...

"What in the world are you apologising for?" He asked, rolling his eyes again.

"For what I did wrong. I'm sorry if I did something to offend you, I'm sorry if I wasn't good enough. I promise to change. To try my best to...

"You can't fix this Anna. It's over, I'm sick of this, sick of you. Let's just split up."

"No, no, no." I said, shaking my head vigorously, finally allowing the tears to pour. "We have our whole life ahead of us. We've made plans. It's Christmas day to Christmas. We had it all planned out. What should I tell Lily?"

He waved his hands dismissively. "You'll think of something. I know you will buy this? We're done."

"But...

I was Interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. He looked at the screen and I could swear I saw him smile a little, just before his expression went blank. All he said was. "I'm handling it. I'll call you back."

Then it began to dawn on me. It was because of her. He was leaving me because of her.

I had known for the longest time that Jack was cheating on me but never once had I thought it would get this far. That he would want me gone because of another woman. "It's because of her, isn't it? It's because of that woman."

Jack quickly looked away, avoiding my eyes. "Anna, don't make this harder than it needs to be." He said, but his voice held no form of remorse.

"Harder than it-?"a bitter laugh escaped my throat. "You're destroying our life, our family, everything we've built together and you're worried about making it harder? Unbelievable!" I exclaimed.

He didn't say a word. His silence confirmed my suspicions. I felt a wave of rage wash over me.

"Who is she?" I demanded, my voice low and menacing. "WHO THE HELL IS SHE?" I Screamed.

"Jeez! Anna! Can you stop yelling? We have neighbours who are asleep right now." He said, glancing at his phone.

Neighbours? He was worried about the neighbours and not his wife he was hurting? "Who-is-she?" I asked again. Slowly this time.

Jack's expression turned cold, his jaw clenched. "That's none of your business."

"None of my business?" I repeated, incredulous. "You're leaving me, your wife of ten years, for another woman, and it's none of my business?"

I took a step closer, my eyes blazing. "Tell me. Who is she?"

Jack stood, his eyes locked on mine, a hint of defiance in his gaze. "You'll find out soon enough."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me shattered and reeling.

I collapsed onto the couch, my body wracked with sobs. Lily's face flashed in my mind, and I knew I had to be strong for her. But the pain and betrayal threatened to consume me.

As I wept, I heard the door open and I thought, maybe, just maybe it was all a bad joke and he was going to say 'got ya' but what I Heard next told me there was absolutely no hope for us.

"The papers are in the study. I'm going out and when I return, you had better have already signed them."

The door closed behind Jack, symbolizing the end of our marriage and the beginning of a painful, uncertain journey.

If I had been told ten years ago that a once blissful union, my happy marriage would one day end like this, I would not have believed it but here we are.