7: Where Did You Sleep Last Night?

The next day, Axel arrived home at 5:00 in the morning and went straight to the guest room.

The sun isn't yet on the horizon but Sherry was already awake and heard the footsteps in the hallway. She knew it was her husband coming home early in the morning and he was spending the whole night with his mistress.

She bit her lower lip as she felt the stab of pain piercing through her heart. Tears swarmed her eyes. She went to the bathroom and splashed water on her face.

Today she will cry no more!

She went back to bed and tried to go back to sleep again. But no matter how hard she tried, she could no longer go back to sleep. She grabbed her tablet from the side table and began browsing the net, looking for something interesting to occupy her mind.

She watched a two-hour film about family drama, romance, and betrayal.

The sun was already up in the sky and she had a sudden need to drink coffee. She got up from the bed, went to the table and made herself a cup of espresso coffee using the coffee maker.

She went back to bed, put the mug on the side table and continued watching the intriguing drama on her tablet.

She finished watching the film at 7:00 in the morning. She put the tablet on the bed and went back to the bathroom to take care of the call of nature.

She emerged from the bathroom door a few moments later and was surprised to see her husband standing near the door, holding a brown envelope.

"Good morning, hon!" She greeted him cheerfully, approaching his location. "Where did you sleep last night?" she asked casually when she reached his side.

"You know already where I slept last night," Axel replied. "Here is another copy of the divorce paper; please don't destroy it again. Just sign it and it will be over between us. The sooner you sign it, the better so that we can finally move on with our lives."

Sherry took a deep breath. She looked at the brown envelope with contempt flashing in her eyes. "I'm not going to sign it today. I'm not in the mood to read something so painful it will only make me cry," she said and turned around, heading back to her bed.

"I'm going to put the documents here. Please read it and sign it," he said with a pleading tone. He put the documents on the table and left the room.

Sherry glanced at the envelope on the table, her eyes burning with anger. She got up from the bed, grabbed the brown envelope, wet downstairs, and proceeded to the kitchen to get some matches before going to the garden.

Mae saw her employer go to the garden; she followed her. "Ma'am, what are you doing?" she asked when she noticed that her lady boss was holding a match and had lit the brown envelope, dropping it on the ground.

"I'm burning the divorce paper that my husband wants me to sign," Sherry responded coldly.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Mae said sadly.

Sherry looked at the maid and smiled. "Don't feel sorry for me. I will fight for my marriage. I won't let any woman steal my husband! Never!" she said fiercely.

The two women observed the flames consuming the brown envelope and turning it into ashes.

"Gone with the wind! Easy peasy!" Sherry smiled triumphantly and left the garden, going back to the house.

Mae watched her lady boss disappear from her sight with sadness in her eyes. She wished there was something she could help her with, but she knows more than anyone else that a couple's separation is a sad, painful, and lonely road to travel. Either one will come out stronger, defeated, or broken; it entirely depends on the attitude of the one who is left behind.

Back in the house.

Sherry returned to the master's bedroom, pacing back and forth on the floor.

Half an hour later.

"Maam, breakfast is ready. Do you want me to bring your meal in your room?" Mae asked outside the door.

"No. I'll have breakfast in the dining room. I'll be there in a minute," Sherry responded.

"Copy, ma'am." Mae took her leave.

A few minutes later, Sherry can be seen descending the staircase, heading straight to the dining room. When she arrived there, Axel was already there, eating his breakfast.

He looked at her and said, "Come join me. Let's have breakfast together," he said cheerfully.

Sherry didn't reply; she plopped down on the chair and began eating her meal.

Uncomfortable silence engulfed the living room.

Axel finished his meal first, and he rose to his feet, ready to leave the room.

Sherry addressed her husband. "Hon, don't bring another copy of the divorce paper," she said casually.

"Why? You already signed it?" Axel asked excitedly.

Sherry shook her head. "No. I burned the brown envelope in the garden. It's already been reduced to ashes a while ago."

Axel's face darkened. "Stop this nonsense! Sign the damn documents!" He shouted furiously.

Sherry met his gaze bravely without flinching. "I told you I wouldn't divorce you. Over my dead body. You underestimate my love for you; that's why you think it's easy for you to divorce me. Now you know that it won't be that easy; just give up divorcing me and accept that I will always be your wife forever and ever and nothing can change that! As for your mistress, she will remain a mistress! Tell her that to her face!" She said it in a voice filled with venom.

Axel stared at his wife, his nostrils flaring with anger. He doesn't want to do anything to her that he will regret later so he quickly leaves the dining room, not bothering to say goodbye to her.

When Sherry finished her breakfast, she returned to the master's bedroom and when she arrived there, she saw another brown envelope on top of her bed.

Damn!

Her husband was not lying when he told her that he has several copies on standby ready to give her.

Enraged, she picked up the envelope and hurled it onto the floor. Channeling her anger, she ripped the papers into tiny pieces.

After satisfying her anger, she went to the bathroom and took a long shower to calm her nerves.

One hour later.

Sherry left the mansion. She is going to visit her best friend, who owns a flower shop on Mulberry Street, a twenty-minute drive from the mansion. She boarded her car and drove down the busy street with a calm mind.

When she arrived at the flower shop, it was almost deserted. It just opened one hour ago and there's no buyer yet.

She smiled broadly when her friend, Nancy, who is five months pregnant, emerged from the door of her office. "How are you today?" she asked.

Nancy smiled radiantly. "I'm feeling good as always. Better than yesterday."

"Nice to hear that," Sherry smiled. Her friend is happy with her married life, unlike her. Maybe it's not a good idea to talk to her about her dilemma. She doesn't want to spoil her best friend's good mood today.

"Come inside," Nancy said, opening the door wide.

Sherry stepped inside her friend's office and settled into the couch.

Nancy studied Sherry's face closely. "Are you okay, bes? You looked sad. Your smile didn't reach your eyes. What's wrong?" She asked after noticing the flicker of sadness in her friend's eyes.

Sherry smiled and shrugged. "It's nothing."

"Come on, tell me..." Nancy pressed on when she saw her bestie's eyes swarm with tears. She lowered herself on the couch beside her friend.

"The truth is, I'm in a very bad situation right now. Axel wants to divorce me." Sherry finally revealed the painful truth to her friend. Tears quickly filled her eyes.

Nancy's face widened in shock. "Whaaaaat!" she asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, that's the truth. He wants to divorce me because he reconciled with his ex-girlfriend, Meghan. They were a couple first before he and I got married in the church," Sherry explained between tears.

"Oh, my!" Nancy hugged her friend tightly. "I'm so sad for you, bes. It must be very hard for you to deal with, especially since you love your husband." The only thing she can do is rub her back gently and let her bestie cry in her arms as long as she wants.

The flood of tears that Sherry has been holding up since this morning was released from her eyes like a dam of water. Her body trembled as she sobbed in her bestie's arms.

Nancy continued holding her friend, fighting back her own tears. "Cry it all out. Release all the pain from your heart so that you will feel better."

That's what Sherry did; she cried her heart out, flooding her face with tears.

Nancy's office was filled with Sherry's heartbreaking cries that lasted almost half an hour.

The moment Sherry stopped crying, she felt better, looking at her friend with swollen eyes. "I'm sorry I wet your dress with my tears," she apologized.

Nancy smiled. "It's okay; I don't mind."

They looked into each other's eyes, their eyes communicating silently.

"I'm so sorry for what happened to your marriage with Axel," Nancy said sadly.

"Yeah, I feel sorry for myself too. Sad, actually," Sherry said as she burst into another round of sobbing.

One hour later.

Sherry finally stopped crying. "Thank you for listening, Bes."

"I'm all ears. Just come to me whenever you feel sad and lonely. I'm ready to listen to all your problems." Nancy rubbed her friend's back gently, consoling her.

Nancy's assistant entered the office and served them refreshing apple juice and cheesecake, freshly baked from the bakery across the street.

The women ate their snack in comfortable silence, then afterward continue discussing the divorce.

"So, what is your plan now? You only have two choices... You agree to the divorce or ignore it completely. Which is which?" Nancy asked curiously.

Sherry took a deep breath. "I will not accept the divorce. I want to be his wife forever and ever and no one can take my place!" She replied vehemently.

Nancy heaved a sigh. "If that is your decision, then I will support you."

Sherry's eyes landed on her friend's baby bump. Her heart was gripped with envy. "You know what?"

"What, bes?" Nancy asked.

"If only I got pregnant early, I'm sure my husband won't divorce me," she said in a tone filled with sorrow.

Nancy patted her friend's arms gently. "Please don't say that... pregnancy can't be forced it will happen naturally. Don't blame yourself, okay?"

"OK." Sherry nodded her head.

"So, how is he? How's the situation in your house? He still goes home to you?" Nancy inquired.

Sherry nodded her head. "Yeah, he did. But he already slept in the guest room. He still comes home every day, though. But last night he didn't come home. He arrived at 5:00 in the morning. And when I asked him where he slept last night, he told me that I knew already. Yeah, definitely, he slept in his mistress's place last night."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, bes..." Nancy said, feeling sorry for her friend's depressing situation.

Sherry bit her lower lip. "You know what the worst thing is?"

"What?"

"My husband's mistress is already pregnant," Sherry revealed the truth that killed her heart.

"Oh, my God!" Nancy covered her mouth in shock.

"Yeah, Meghan is pregnant... that is why Axel wants to divorce me quickly so that he can marry his mistress and start a family with her," Sherry said miserably.

"I'm so sad for you, bes." Nancy hugged her friend, comforting her.

Sherry sighed. She can't stay longer in the flower shop. She doesn't want to take up much of her bestie's time because she has a business to run. "Bes, I better go home now."

"Oh, why do you have to leave so early?" Nancy asked.

"I want to go to an agency and hire an investigator to find out Meghan's address," Sherry explained.

Nancy raised a brow. "You want to confront your husband's mistress?" she asked in alarm.

"Yes, of course!" Sherry said, her eyes gleaming.

Nancy sighed. "But be careful, okay? The woman is pregnant. You have to remember that the baby is innocent. Don't do something stupid out of anger."

"Don't worry, bes. I just want to talk to her, nothing more nothing else," Sherry assured her.

"I'm willing to come with you when you talk to her to make sure that your meeting with her wont turn violent," Nancy offered.

Sherry breathed deeply. "Okay. I'll inform you if I already find out her address."

Fifteen minutes later, Sherry was already out of the flower shop, going to a private investigator agency to hire a professional person who could help her find Meghan's address.