Chapter 0003

GEORGIA, ATLANTA 2017

~SIERRA~

“We still don’t have a name, but hopefully we will make one soon,” I told her, and she nodded. 

“Why are you sleeping here? You can come with us and have the guest room, or why don’t you go to your grandmother? Does she know you’re here?” She asked.

"No, I’m fine here, thank you so much, Lily. My grandmother doesn’t know I’m here.”

“You didn’t get a chance to call her?”

“No, I would rather not,” I said and she nodded.

“Should I come pick you up tomorrow?”

"No, it is fine, I’ll find my way. Thank you so much, Lily,” I declined, as I didn't want to invade her busy schedule.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow then. Call me if you need anything. I have to go now,” she kissed my cheeks before leaving.

When she closed the door, I felt lonely. I have always been alone. Damian never reciprocated my love, but just the thought of him being my husband filled that loneliness, now that he mentioned divorcing me, the loneliness was here. 

“He’s just nervous, he will come around,” I convinced myself as my hands reached to my cheeks and wiped away tears. I closed my eyes and focused on sleeping.

*******

“Mrs. Winters, are you ready?” The nurse asked for the fifth time.

“Yes,” I said, taking in a deep breath as she disconnected the IVs from my wrists.

“Please follow the doctor's instructions, no wine or any form of alcohol until after the delivery of your baby,” she reminded me, and I nodded. 

As she was done disconnecting the IVs, I made my way to the bathroom. I cleaned up and changed into my clothes. Done, I walked out of the bathroom, seeing that the nurse was not around. I took my bag and walked out.

I didn't need to go to the receptionist, as everything was already with me, so I went straight out and started searching for a cab. 

I looked around, and my eyes fell on a couple. The woman was pregnant, just a few weeks from giving birth. I could easily tell from her swollen belly. The man supported her as he walked her inside the hospital. I adored them for a minute before a cab pulled over and asked me if I needed a ride.

I got inside and showed the driver my location from my phone without saying a word.

My thoughts wandered to my husband, did he perhaps change his mind? 

But even deep in my thoughts, I didn't miss the time the car came to a halt as I pulled out a ten-dollar note and handed it to the driver.

“Thank you,” I said and went out. I  took a deep breath before I approached my matrimonial home.

Our home was outside town, not my choice. As he said, this was supposed to be their home with Cassie. I tried to make him trade it, but it only led to arguments.

When I was inside, I removed my coat, and once again as I looked around I was reminded of her. Everything, the way the house was decorated, was all in Cassie’s style. I couldn't even change it, as I had no right. 

I threw myself on the couch, and that’s when I realized someone was in the kitchen. Curious as Damian was supposed to be at work, I walked to the kitchen, only for my eyes to land on the beautiful woman from the restaurant, Cassie.

“You’re here early, Sierra, right?” She asked, pouring water from the water boiler into a mug. I remained dumbfounded as my eyes caught her nightgown, it was mine.

“Is that my nightgown?” I asked.

“Yes, Damian said you don’t use it anymore, I mean, with your body, I agree,” she responded without care as her fingers played with the spoon. It was true I couldn't fit in the gown as I gained so much weight, but it still didn’t give her the right to wear my gown.

“And you wore it because?”

“Because I didn’t have a gown, or did you prefer I wear Damian’s shirt?”

“What? There are a lot of bathrobes here, you could have used that, and besides, what are you doing here?”

"Oh, spare me, it’s just a gown, and it’s not like it’s you who bought it. I’m not up for an argument right now. If you can’t guess I had a wild night,” she said and attempted to walk out but stopped by the door. “Oh yes, Damian left you the papers by the table, put your signature on it, and let me know once you're done,” she said and walked out. 

I didn't stop her as I rushed to the table and saw the documents on the table. With trembling hands, I clasped the documents and read the bolded words out loud.

“DIVORCE AGREEMENT.” I gasped and immediately rushed to the bedroom, following the woman.

“Cassie!” I called her name as soon as I opened the door. She was lying on her back in my bed with a mug of coffee in her right hand and her phone in her left.

“Why are you yelling?” She asked annoyedly as she sat up.

“What’s going on here? Where did you get these documents?” 

“Are you serious?” 

“I’m very serious. Where did you get these documents?” I repeated myself. I felt my palms burning as I dug my fingernails into them.

“Damian left them, he asked me to give them to you,” she explained, noticing my anger.

“No, he can never do such a thing, you’re... You’re lying to me.” I stammered, and she rolled her eyes.

“Now I see the reason he wants to divorce you,” she said. “You have low self-esteem and zero respect for yourself.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course I do. I mean, look around, Sierra, everything in here is designed and decorated just the way I envisioned my dream home to be, from the colors to the furniture, or he didn’t mention that to you?”

“This is exactly the way I like it,” I lied.

“You can lie to someone else but not me, and let me tell you something, Damian is and will forever be mine, I’m here to claim what’s mine. You should sign those divorce documents and leave, or how long do you think he’ll stand seeing your fat, ugly body when my sexy one is around?”

“You have no right to say such a thing to me, my husband and I are just having a misunderstanding. We will fix it,” I told her as I walked out. Even when my heart was breaking, I couldn't give her the pleasure of watching me break. 

I cleaned the tears from my cheeks as I worked my way down the stairs.