2.

“Silas?” I whispered. My head was spinning and I held on to the door for support as a painful chilling sensation wrapped around me like a second skin.

It felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest with malice. I didn’t want to believe what I was seeing but I had no choice. It was right in front of me, this ugly revelation I must see.

Silas and Blair took a minute to register I was in the room before they flew apart from each other. I watched them with a new kind of despair as they scrambled to get anything to cover their selves.

Confusion mixed with betrayal tugged my heart as it shattered. Disbelief and denial mixed in with the broken pieces which left me in a state of anguish.

“Darling, it’s not what you think” Silas quickly put on his briefs and tried to approach me, but I took a step back. I didn’t want him to touch me with the same filthy hands he had been using to pull Blair’s hair back as he fucked her raw, without a condom.

“That’s too cliché of an answer, don’t you think? And with my sister?” My voice came out unsteady. I felt like I would drop to the floor if I was poked just a little. That was how unstable I felt right now.

“I’m sorry” The apology was cold, matching his appearance. He no longer looked guilty. There was something in his expression that I couldn’t read or rather didn’t want to interpret but it looked too much like anger. Hatred? Towards me?

“You are sorry? That’s it?” My eyes widened and I didn’t know what to feel or do “At least explain this to me. Tell me why you are fucking my sister on our bed” I yelled, gesturing around the room.

I turned to Blair with crazed eyes. “Blair, please, what is all this? I thought you hated Silas. Was it a mistake? Is that it?” My throat felt tight. I wanted to continue screaming but the words came out as a choked whisper.

Blair scoffed and dropped the covers, so she was naked. Her eyes turned frosty, and I stumbled back from the hatred in her eyes. “Fine, I’ll tell you what you want to hear. It’s not a mistake. Silas has always been mine even before you got married.”

“What?” My entire body throbbed. It felt like I was being stabbed multiple times. “Silas, what is she saying?”

I looked towards my husband for some clarification, but he turned the other way as if he didn’t want to bother with dealing with me.

“Don’t bother asking him for an explanation. He won’t give you one.” Blair bit out.

“Blair, why are you doing this? Did I do something wrong?” I was confused. I knew we weren’t the closest pair but what was happening? I couldn’t make sense of the situation. Weren’t they supposed to beg me for forgiveness?

“Oh stop that foolish attitude.” Blair snapped. “Stop acting so innocent. You can’t even give him a child after five years of marriage and you think he is going to remain faithful to you?”

“Stop it, Blair. I’ll handle this myself” Silas finally spoke but I hated the way he quietly scolded Blair, almost as though she was precious to him, and he didn't want to hurt her, but she only glared at him.

“Give her the divorce papers, Silas. You planned to give her tomorrow but just hand it over to her now.” She hissed instead.

“What divorce papers?” I felt the walls around me close in, caging me in a nightmare. Did I find myself in an episode of those tragic marriage tales on TV?

“I’m sorry Maliah” Silas apologized again but that wasn’t what I wanted, not when he didn’t sound the least sorry for what he had done.

“Stop fucking apologizing and tell me what divorce papers she is talking about” I screamed, finally finding the energy to do so.

Silas didn’t reply but walked towards the bedside drawer and pulled out a file.

All I could think of was how long that had been sitting there. Was it there when he kissed me goodbye when I was going to Germany and whispered in my ears how much he was going to miss me while I was away? Was it there when he fucked me the night before I left?

“No, Silas. Don’t bring that thing close to me” I stumbled back as he walked toward me.

“I can’t do this anymore, Maliah. You can’t give me a child and all you do is work and let’s not talk about the fucking whispers about how I don’t deserve you at work. I’m tired”

I wanted to tell myself I didn’t hear him well. He didn’t want to be with me anymore and wanted a divorce so he could be with Blair? My sister? Was this a joke? Were there cameras hiding somewhere in the room?

“Is this a joke? Tell me it’s a prank?” I felt so close to going insane. This was not how today was supposed to go. I went around the room like a crazy person searching for a hidden camera. It had to be a prank.

“Take the papers, Maliah” Not Darling, Maliah. Was this the end?

“Silas, tell me you are joking, are you not? I’m pregnant. I found out today” I bent down to grab the test results from my bag and handed it to him, but Blair ripped it from my hands and tore it to shreds.

“So what if you are pregnant? You are only going to lose it after a few weeks like always so what’s the use of acting like this one will be any different?” She snapped, and I gaped at her in shock.

I turned to Silas, but he was standing there without a care in the world as he listened to Blair say those words to me. Was he going to let her talk like that to me? Did he ever truly love me?

“Blair” I cried out, knowing that I could not depend on Silas to defend me “How could you say this to me? You know it’s not my fault I lost my babies! What mother would do that?”

“I don’t know anything. All I do know is that you can’t keep Silas again. He is mine and we want you out of his life for good.”

“Silas, say something. This isn’t what you promised me. You said we would be together forever. You promised to stay with me!” I was overwhelmed with sorrow. It was too much for me to take.

“I want them signed by the end of the week. I’ll leave with Blair since the house belongs to you.” Silas demanded, ignoring my previous statement and it felt like a stab to my already bleeding heart.

I looked from Silas to the sickening smirk on Blair’s face. Silas turned to the closet and reappeared with his favourite luggage, and it was already packed to leave. Right, Blair had mentioned he was ready to leave me as soon as I arrived.

I shoved Blair aside and ran towards Silas to stop this madness, but he ripped his hands from my hold, and I stumbled back almost hitting the wall, but I didn’t care. All I wanted was to stop him, get him to listen to me.

“Silas, I promise to do better. Please don’t leave. I’m willing to forget everything that happened today. This baby will stay, I’m certain. You can’t possibly leave our baby without their father?” I tried to make him reason but he wasn’t willing to listen. He shrugged me off like I was nothing more than dirt.

“As much as I love to see you on your knees, sis, there is no way I’m leaving Silas for you anymore” Blair hissed before shoving me far from Silas.

Silas took Blair’s hand and left the room, leaving me broken.

*****

Silence was so fucking loud. I sat in the same spot I was when Silas had walked out of the door yesterday. He had ended our marriage like it meant nothing to him. I didn’t get to ask him what I wanted. Did five years mean nothing to him that he walked out so easily?

My legs wouldn’t move, and my body didn’t know what to do. I was numb, tired, confused, angry, hurt and most of all I felt stupid.

I had run out of tears so I couldn’t cry anymore. The only thing I could do was let my mind wander.

“Mrs Hill?” The door opened slowly, and Margaret peeked her head into the room. When her eyes fell on me, she entered the room fully and stood awkwardly by the door.

“I’m sorry. I should have told you what was happening, but Mr Silas threatened me not to say a word if I didn’t want to lose this job” She explained but her presence was making me lose my senses.

“Please, leave me alone” The anger in my chest hurt. I didn’t want to hear excuses. I didn’t want to see anyone. I didn’t want to hear any fucking noise. I just wanted to be left alone. I wasn’t even Mrs Hill anymore.

“I know I’m not in the position to say sorry, but you need to eat. You can’t continue to sit there. You’ve been there since yesterday.” Margaret pleaded but her presence was only making the size of my anger grow.

“Get out!! I said I want to be left alone so why the fuck are you still standing there?” I yelled and Margaret ran out of the room, eyes wide with fear.

The door shut behind Margaret and I let out a shaky sigh. I needed a drink, but I would have to get up if I wanted to reach the bottle I had nestled in the cupboard on the other side of the room and I didn’t have the strength to do so.

I ran through different scenarios in my head. I thought hard about when Silas had begun to change. Did I notice it and choose to ignore it?

Was it the numerous whispers from our employees who loved to gossip about how Silas was promoted to account manager after our marriage? I thought he didn't mind the gossip since he never mentioned them but was I wrong to think that?

I thought about Blair’s words. She said Silas had always been hers even before they got married so why did he marry me and not Blair?

Have I been played like a fool? How long had they been fucking behind my back while I thought they couldn’t tolerate each other? I bet they laughed at me whenever I bragged about Silas’ affection for me and how much he spoiled me.

I searched but I couldn’t find an answer that satisfied me enough to justify his actions. I told myself I was at fault for not giving him a child sooner or burying myself in the company. I should have tried harder, done better, loved him stronger and complained less.

“I did this to myself, didn’t I? I made him unhappy. I should have done better” My dried eyes welled up again and I brought my clenched right hand to smack my aching chest. It hurt so bad, it was almost unbearable. Betrayal hurts. My chest burned.

I felt so lost, and I didn’t know who to call, Nova or Dad. I didn’t want to bother them, so I didn’t call either. How do I give Dad the news that the son he loved so much broke my heart?

My door busted open, and I looked up to see Nova. She was fuming but her expression changed to one of worry when she took in my state.

“Mali” Nova gasped and threw her bags to the floor before rushing towards me “What happened to you? Where is Silas? I’ve been calling you since yesterday, but you won’t answer your phone. Is this what you were wearing yesterday? Why haven’t you changed” Nova’s numerous questions came as she shrugged me, but I couldn’t give her an answer.

“Mali” Nova sighed and pulled me into a much-needed hug, and I broke down in pieces “Did you find out already? I’m so sorry for your loss” She cried, and I pushed back from her arms with a frown.

“What Loss? Did you find out about the divorce?” I asked, confused if Silas and Blair were already broadcasting it to the world but it couldn’t be. She had asked for Silas when she came in just now.

“It’s your father, Mali but what is this about a divorce? Did Silas divorce you?” Nova said already on her feet and reaching for the divorce paper that was beside her on the floor.

“What happened to Dad?” I insisted, standing up as well and tore the paper from her hand. We could talk about that later. I watched as Nova’s face contorted into one of sorrow.

“I’m sorry, Mali.”

“Why does everyone keep apologizing to me? Just tell me what happened to Dad?” I screamed as a fresh wave of fear washed over me.

“He’s dead, Mali”