Chapter 5 Lost Faith

The creak of the door was almost inaudible, but in the suffocating silence, it sounded like a thunderclap. Nate’s silhouette cut a dark, menacing figure as he stepped inside, his shoulders stiff with anger. I could hardly breathe as I watched him, my heart pounding in my chest.

He slammed the door behind him, the jarring noise echoing through the small space. I flinched, my hands gripping the edge of my rumpled blouse as if it could anchor me against the storm brewing in his eyes. His face was contorted, twisted with a fury I’d seen before but never to this extent.

He threw a stack of documents toward me with an aggression that made my stomach churn.The papers scattered across the floor like leaves in a storm, their contents glaring up at me.

“What are these?” I knew exactly what they were but I just couldn't believe it, talkless of accepting it. All the exhaustion seemed to leave my body and I jerked forward.

“Do not fucking waste my time Daphne, you can clearly see what those are. Now sign it!” His voice was a harsh command, a raging storm slamming over me. His annoyance was real, his anger sharp as a blade.

I stared at the papers, the words “Divorce Settlement” glaring up at me. A shiver ran down my spine, not just from fear but from the overwhelming sense of betrayal that had become so familiar. They seemed to burn into my eyes, the finality of their message a cold truth.

The weight of the last few months—of his betrayal, of the arguments, of the endless tears—crashed down on me.

“I—I can’t just sign this,” I stammer, my voice trembling like the coward that I am. “Nate, please, let’s talk about this.”

“Talk?” he spits, his face reddening. “There’s nothing to talk about. You’ve been nothing but a burden, Daphne. I’m done with you. Moreover,..” He pulls Claire closer and settles his hand on her tummy.”I have a family to raise.”

The sight of his hand on Claire’s belly was a gut punch, a cruel reminder of the life they were building together while mine was being shattered. I could see the scorn in his eyes, the utter disregard he had for me.

I wasn’t just a wife he was discarding; I was a person whose very existence he seemed to want to erase. His harsh words felt like daggers, slicing through the fragile leftovers of my dignity.

Not to mention his emphasis on the word ‘family’. He wanted to rub it off right, that I was incapable of providing him with an heir. That I wasn't lacking just a wife, but also as a woman.

“You think you’re so special, don’t you?” Nate continued, his tone venomous. “Always acting like you’re the victim. Well, guess what? I’m done with your pity parties and your endless drama. You’re just a pathetic excuse for a wife.”

Each word from him was like a physical blow, driving home the realization of how little I meant to him. I could feel my resolve wavering, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. But something inside me refused to let me crumble. I took a deep breath, forcing my voice to steady despite the emotional storm inside me.

“I’m glad you’re finally showing your true colors,” I said, each word coming out with a painful finality. “It’s better that my own child doesn’t grow up with a deadbeat father like you. I’m ending this generational curse. If this is what you want, so be it.”

Nate’s eyes narrowed, confusion flickering across his face. “What are you talking about? What child? Why do you keep lying to me, you vile bitch?”

“Do you think I’m just going to let you walk away without consequence?” I asked, my voice gaining strength. “I’m not raising a child with someone who thinks so little of me.”

“Besides, the only bitch here is you.” “You can't even be manly enough to think for yourself” I side eyed his whore, whose smug look only added to my anger. They absolutely deserve each other.

For a moment, Nate’s anger seemed to falter a bit. He looked at me as if he was seeing me for the first time, his expression shifting from rage to something that almost resembled doubt. “Are you certain you are not lying to me about your pregnancy?” he said slowly, as if the words were foreign to him.

Claire, steps in front of him, slightly pushing his broad chest with her manicured fingers. Her presence was a cold reminder of the affair that had shattered everything. Her eyes met mine with a mix of disdain and something else I couldn’t quite place.

“It’s impossible,” she said dismissively. “You know I’ve seen the medical reports. She’s barren. She can’t conceive.”

Nate’s gaze flitted between Claire and me, his mind clearly racing. He turned on his heel, he was uncertain I could tell from his furrowed brows. “If that’s true, then I need to be sure,” he muttered, mostly to himself. “I’ll get a test.”

I wanted to laugh at the irony because just like that….. I slowly lost faith in him and I, in “us”