Chapter Seven

Daniel's POV

Next morning, I arrived at the hospital to pick up Venessa. She was finally being discharged, and as she walked toward me, I could see the relief in her eyes. She had always been so strong, so resilient.

We drove back to my place in silence, and though I tried to focus on the road, my mind kept wandering to the divorce papers, Tasha’s signature, and the strange emptiness I felt. Venessa was here with me now, the woman I had always loved, but something felt off. Maybe it was just the transition, the sudden change from one life to another.

When we got home, Venessa immediately made herself comfortable, sinking into the couch with a sigh. I watched her, trying to suppress the unease gnawing at the back of my mind.

After a few moments of silence, Venessa stood up, her eyes catching on something on the table. The divorce papers. She picked them up, a small frown forming on her lips.

"Oh, Daniel," she said softly, glancing down at the papers, her voice filled with sympathy. "I’m so sorry about you and Tasha."

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I hadn’t been prepared for the way she’d acknowledge it so bluntly, as if the marriage had been a minor inconvenience.

I forced a smile, trying to brush it off. "It’s fine," I replied, though the lie tasted bitter. "It was bound to happen."

Venessa ran her fingers over the bold signatures, her gaze lingering on Tasha’s name for a second longer than I was comfortable with. "I know it must’ve been hard for you," she added, her voice softer now. "But it’s for the best, right?"

I nodded, even though a part of me wasn’t sure. "Yeah. It’s what needed to happen."

She set the papers back down on the table and turned to face me, her expression gentle but knowing. "You’ve done everything for me, Daniel. I don’t want you to carry any guilt. Tasha wasn’t right for you. She never was."

Her words were supposed to be comforting, but instead, they made something twist inside me. I had told myself that a hundred times that Tasha and I weren’t meant to be. But now, hearing it from Venessa made it feel more final, more real.

I looked at her, trying to find the comfort I used to feel in her presence, but all I saw was the divorce papers out of the corner of my eye. The clean break I thought I wanted didn’t feel so clean anymore.

"Yeah," I finally muttered, though the conviction in my voice wavered. "It’s for the best."

Venessa smiled, stepping closer to me, her hand resting gently on my arm. "We can finally have the life we always wanted," she said, her voice soft, coaxing. "No more distractions. Just us."

I nodded again, but as I looked into her eyes, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of everything pressing down on me, the divorce, the guilt I had tried to bury.

But I couldn’t show it. Not now. I needed to push it all aside, to move forward. After all, Venessa was here, and Tasha was gone. That’s all that mattered.

Or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

Venessa stepped closer, her eyes softening as she leaned in. I could feel the warmth of her breath against my skin as her hand gently rested on my chest. Slowly, she tilted her head, her lips just inches from mine. This was it, the moment I had imagined so many times since she left for London.

But as her lips brushed against mine, a wave of discomfort washed over me. I kissed her back, but it felt... off. Forced, even. Her hands were warm, familiar, but something wasn’t right. I couldn’t push away the image of the divorce papers, Tasha’s name boldly signed, and the cold emptiness that seemed to grow inside me.

Venessa pulled back, her smile soft, eyes searching mine as if looking for reassurance. “See?” she whispered. “It’s just us now, Daniel. We can finally have what we always wanted.”

I nodded, managing a faint smile, but deep down, I wasn’t so sure. This was what I wanted Venessa, the life we once dreamed of but the weight of everything that had happened, everything I had sacrificed, pressed heavy on my chest.

Tasha’s face flashed in my mind, the way I’d disregarded her, slapped her, pushed her aside for Venessa, and now... now I wasn’t sure if it had all been worth it.

“Yeah,” I muttered, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Just us.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket just as Venessa leaned in for another kiss. I pulled away slightly and glanced at the screen. Stanley. With a sigh, I turned and walked a few steps away, answering the call.

"Hey, Dan," Stanley's voice came through the line, a little tense. "Is Tasha with you? I can’t seem to reach her. Hope she's better now?"

I clenched my jaw, running a hand through my hair. I knew this conversation was coming, but I wasn’t ready for it. "Stanley, Tash and I... we’re divorced."

The silence on the other end was palpable, the weight of my words sinking in. Then came Stanley’s reply, sharp and full of disbelief. "What? Don’t tell me it’s all because of Venessa. Ever since she came back from London, you’ve—" He cut himself off, his voice dropping. "Wait... where is Tasha right now?"

I froze. My heart skipped a beat, and I suddenly realized I had no idea. I hadn’t even thought about where she could be since the divorce papers were signed. "I... I don’t know," I admitted, feeling a pit form in my stomach.

"No, this can’t be," Stanley’s voice was more urgent now, his tone full of frustration. "If anything happens to Tasha—" He paused, the silence heavy with tension. "Fuck off, man." His words cut deep, and then the call abruptly ended.

I stood there, the phone still in my hand, my mind spinning. Where was Tasha? And why hadn’t I cared enough to check? Stanley's words echoed in my head, and for the first time, doubt gnawed at me. What if something had happened?

I turned, looking at Venessa, who was still seated on the couch, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. The life I thought I wanted, the clean break I had convinced myself was right it all suddenly felt wrong.