CHAPTER 1

LAURA'S POV

I was wiping down the windows when I heard the oven beep. I immediately abandoned the rag in favor of hurrying to the kitchen and rescuing the lasagna from the oven. 

The smell of well cooked lasagna filled the house as I pulled out the tray and dropped it on the kitchen counter to cool. It was one of Antonio's favorite meals and I knew he'd be pleased to get back from work to a hot meal and a sparkling house. There was nothing I enjoyed more than taking care of my husband, but if I was being honest, all my efforts these days were for the sole aim of appeasing my husband. 

Our once joyous union was now filled with so much cruelty and derision. I hated to admit it, but Antonio had changed overnight and I was now remembering all my family's warnings at the beginning and if maybe I should have needed them. 

I pushed the dark thought out of my mind. I loved Antonio and I knew that we could work through whatever had broken between us. Love could fix anything. It may have sounded naive to most people, but I strongly believed it. Our marriage would be fine. 

Just as I had the thought, I heard his car pull into the driveway. My heart leaped in my chest. My husband was back. I threw off the apron and ran my fingers through my thick chestnut hair, making sure I looked beautiful and presentable to him. I knew I was a beautiful woman and I wasn't ashamed to use that to my advantage when it came to Antonio. 

"Laura." He called. 

I smiled in joy. It had been so long since Antonio had returned home and immediately sought me. Usually, he either marched to our bedroom or his home office. This was a pleasant development. "In here." I called. 

A moment later, the stunning figure of my husband walked into the kitchen. Antonio was probably the most handsome man in the world. He looked like a movie star with his full head of dark hair, his eyes that were the color of melted chocolate and the perfect bone structure of his face. He was over six feet tall with broad shoulders and a deliciously fit body. Today, he was in a three piece charcoal suit that made him look even more appealing. His looks had been the first thing I had fallen for, and then his charisma and then his kindness. 

"Hey, you're back." I said with a smile. "I made you your favorite, la-"

My words were cut off as some documents suddenly flew at me, hitting me in the face. "Ouch. What was that?"

"Look at it." He snapped. 

I gave him a hurt look before bending down to pick the papers. As I read the words at the top of the document, my legs turned into jelly and I nearly collapsed, bracing myself against the kitchen counter at the last minute. 

I looked up at him in panic. "An- Antonio, w-what's this?"

"Can't you read?" He growled. "They're divorce papers. You need to sign it." 

If you go through it to the bottom, you'll see that I've already signed my part, it's just your signature that's left. So, sign it and let's end this Godforsaken marriage already, he said with so much contempt in his voice.

"What is this about Antonio? Why divorce?" I asked, my voice tottering and my heart beating faster than normal. 

He scoffed. “Is it not obvious that this marriage isn't working? "Sign the goddamn papers, Laura. This marriage was a mistake from the beginning and there's nothing left between us."

My heart cracked in my chest. "a mistake? No. You can't say that." I gave up my life and family for this marriage. He couldn't just declare out of the blues that we were a mistake. "Why are you doing this?”

"Don't you get it." He roared, slapping a palm down on the counter. "I don't want to work with you anymore. I don't want you. How is that so hard for you to grasp? Sign the fucking papers and let's get this mess done and over with." 

"No, Antonio. I won't sign it," I yelled, shaking my head in rejection. What in God's name is going on? For God's sake, we've been through a lot to call it a quit! I gave up my life and family for this marriage, you can't just throw away those sacrifices as if they meant nothing to you…Please, Antonio, whatever the issue is, let's talk it out, I believe we can work. I pleaded, holding his hands. He withdrew his hands from me disgustingly.

"Enough! Laura. Stop insisting cos' my mind is made up and there's no going back. “I don't love you anymore and I don't want to have anything to do with you again”, period! So, the earlier you realize that this marriage is over and sign those papers, the better for you cos' I've moved on. 

"He was mean, treating me like a piece of trash, but I refused to give up because I knew the man I had met and fallen in love with was in there somewhere and I wasn't going to rest until I got him back. These past few months together had been difficult, Antonio was always in a bad mood, he worked too much and well, we had become two strangers in this house, but I would never have suspected that this was what it had all been leading to. 

"Stop saying such cruel things. You're hurting me." I said in a small voice, tears blurring my vision. 

"The problem with you is that you see the world like a fairytale. We aren't a fairytale, Laura. We've tried and we didn't work. It's time to move on." He pointed to the papers in my hand that felt more like hot metal burning me. "That's our first step to moving on. It's what's best for both of us." 

"I won't sign it." I said again.

"Don't make me take drastic actions." 

I squared my shoulders, "do your worst. I'm not signing this. We can fix this, Antonio. If you just give us another chance." 

He threw his head back and laughed cruelly. "fix us? Give us another chance?" He snorted. "Will your womb suddenly become fertile then, Laura?" 

My mouth dropped open in shock. 

"Antonio, how dare you?"

"You are barren, face it. If you weren't, by now this house would be filled with children. You cannot give me children, so what other use do I have of you?" 

“But you promised to love me unconditionally”, I snapped! my voice mixed with pain and anguish, tears gushing down my cheeks profusely.

"Sign those papers." He said finally before walking away. 

I stood there for endless minutes, so

bbing while my heart broke into a million pieces