CHAPTER ONE

The elegant candlelit dining room was adorned with delicate flowers, soft music playing in the background as Vanessa anxiously waited for Alex to arrive. She had planned this special evening meticulously, wanting to deliver the joyous news of her pregnancy in the most romantic way possible. Her heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nervousness, not knowing how Alex would react, he had been someward distant lately and  he wouldn't tell her why and she hoped the  news would bring him back to her.

The door swung open, and Alex walked in with an unusually distant expression on his face. The once warm, loving gaze had Vanished, replaced by an icy detachment that sent a shiver down Vanessa's spine. Something was terribly wrong, she could feel it in her bones.

"Alex, you're finally here," Vanessa greeted, her Voice trembling slightly. "I have something important to tell you." She said as she lay in to kiss him but he turned his face so her lips landed on his chic.

Vanessa gulped hard as he looked at her without a hint of compassion, his eyes cold and distant , she wondered if he even noticed the sexy dress she had worn just  for him , that strong sexual tension and chemistry between them gone he felt like a total stranger.

"I hope whatever it is can wait, V. I have something even more important to discuss," Alex replied, his Voice laced with an unexpected edge as he found his seat away from her.

Vanessa's breath caught in her throat. She had planned this evening so carefully, hoping to share the joy of their growing family. But now, she sensed her dreams shattering into a thousand pieces.

Swallowing her anxiety, she mustered the courage to speak, her voice barely louder than a whisper. "Alex, please, give me a moment. This is about us, about our future…"

He interrupted her abruptly, his words slicing through the air like shards of glass. “There is no 'us' anymore V. I've made up my mind. I want a divorce." He announced as if it was something casual like the weather.

Tears welled up in Vanessa's eyes, shock and devastation consuming her. Her hand instinctively clutched her stomach, as if to protect the precious life growing within her. How could it all crumble so suddenly? 

She had thought about  thousands of reasons why Alex was being like that lately and divorce wasn't one of them. She can't imagine her life without him hell she can't even remember her life before him.

"No, you can't mean that," she begged, her Voice quivering  with raw emotion. "We were supposed to be partners, to face everything together. What about all we've built, all the love we've shared? Alex dear please tell me  what i did wrong please don't do this to me, to us. " she reached for his hand hoping to find any residual feelings he had left for her.

Alex's face remained impassive, as if shielding himself from the emotional storm brewing between them. With a chilling finality, he slid a stack of divorce papers across the table. "I've already signed them. All you have to do is sign as well."

Vanessa's heart sank. Each word that fell from his lips felt like another stab, shattering her world. She tried to steady her trembling hands as she picked up the papers, the weight of their breaking marriage now feeling unbearable.

"Alex, please," she pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation. "Think about what we had, about the life we could still build together. "

His eyes flickered with a hint of remorse, but it quickly faded. "I've made my decision. It's for the best," he said coldly. "Sign the papers, V."

Silent tears streamed down Vanessa''s cheeks as she looked down at the papers that would unravel the life they had built. sorrow  flooded her being. 

" No!," She said "Alex dear we can't end like this please , give me time babe ,take some time yourself and think about what you are about to do to me, to us Alex please" she reached for his face but he held her hands ,he won't even let her touch him.

" You can take all the time you need Vanessa but my mind is made " he spat walking away from her " I will be back in an hour" he added while heading out unphase by her sobs.

Vanessa slammed to the floor of the candlelit dining room sobbing she had moved in and married Alex right after college , he was a guest speaker at their graduation and she had caught his eyes immediately , she had been reluctant about everything at first because of there different backgrounds but he managed to convince her that it will work and it has up until now and the thought of being apart from him feels like the end of her but she knew she had to be strong .

Holding her hands to her belly she said with a shaking voice "it's me and you now little one but Don't you worry mommy's got you" 

She had decided it was best she keeps the news to herself for now until he is  back to his senses and realizes what he was about to do which she hopes Will be before he comes back from wherever he went to and she is going to wait there until he comes back.

The house felt empty and quiet except for her sobbing and the ticking of the clock ,her heart raced as  she thinks about what could possibly be the reason why Alex will do that, she had associate his growing anxiety and distant  to his work and never their marriage , they were madly in love and are trying to have a baby they have everything figured out including their children's names and had  plans for when they retire.

 until a few weeks ago when Alex started acting strange he hardly said a word to her, wouldn't make love even if she would lie naked next to him all night and when she asked what the problem was he would tell her not to worry.  

Not knowing what the problem was  kills her.  Was it another woman, his ex perhaps or has she done something unknowingly or maybe he had realized he was too good for her, whatever it was she was a fool for being too comfortable .

So when the doctor confirmed her suspicion it felt like a gift Alex wants to have a baby so much he tells her everytime they make love and now even that it seems will not be enough to bring back the Alex she knows and loves.

She was still there when he came back. She stood up as she saw him come in half hoping he would run to her, hug her and tell her everything is alright but he walked past her and up to their Master suite . She still waited hoping, wishing that by some miracle he would change his mind on his way down but he came down with his briefcase and stood a few inches away from her.

" The house is all yours. I have sent you some money enough to sustain you if you don't overspend" he said somewhat rudely "goodbye vanessa" he added and turned to leave .

" Alex! " She called stopping him in his tracks " you promised me forever " she said, pausing for him to respond but he didn't.

She walked around and stood before him with all the courage she had left she asked "is it another woman ?" Her red swollen eyes in his.

she hated that he wouldn't even fight with her no matter how much she tried, there fight Always results to sex which results to make up , she had a feeling that is want he was avoiding, he doesn't want to patch things up with her.

 " all those stories about you and other women before we met you never stopped did you ?" She asked half Knowing the answer but desperately wanting him to deny it.

" Now look here V whatever the reason maybe i am being fair leaving you the house and not having you thrown into the streets." He said someward rudely like he was doing her a favor.

"Just answer this question and you are free to go. " She scoffed " did you ever love me or was i just a passing obsession?" She asked, her voice raspy from crying, her eyes lucked in his .

"No!" Came his short shattering answer but she managed to still stand even though her feets felt weak .

" I don't need your house or your pity money Alexander, I was doing well without it before . " she said "and you are going to regret this."

She watched him walk out the door and to the car waiting for him just outside with his driver holding the door for him as he steps in not once looking back .

All the happy memories of them were stained by his decision to break her heart , the heart that he had fought for with everything he had just to break it into pieces without a care in the world.

She can't possibly live in the same house they had made all those memories . Hour of them snuggling in bed on the weekends, making love in the early mornings, hosting  parties, fighting and making up with sex , it will definitely kill her to live in that house for one more night.

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Emma was in a pub drinking away her loneliness while the guys around undressed her with their eyes , liking every bit of attention she got. This was her everyday life: mocktails, parties and one night stands.

She was flirting with the guy next to her when v called. "Hello" she said in a slightly drunkard State pressing the phone to her ears.

"I need you" v answered on the verge of crying and that was all Emma needed to sober up . She stumbled out and hailed a cab 

She met v on the perdio the divorce papers in her hand her face laced with sadness ,anger and frustration it scared Emma before she even asked what was wrong.

" He left me " v whispered before she could even form the words to ask .

Emma looked confused, in a million years she could never guess v was talking about Alex. Those two were inseparable , they were the ultimate relationship goals so she wondered who v was talking about.

"Alex left me Emma " she said as if she read her mind.

Emma's mouth dropped open. She doesn't think the two have ever slept apart since they started dating , no she wasn't hearing right.

“He said he never loved” v smiled bitterly “I was some sort of game to him Emma” 

“Oh! Honey” Emma lain and hug her “I am sure he have some sort of possible explanation and reason” she assured her

Some part of her wants to believe that but the part of her that was always negative about Alex, the part that felt he was too good to be true warned against that .

It took her years to silence that negative voice that was always against Alex and now it is back stronger than before urging her to just sign the papers and be done with him.