3

Ariane's POV

"Please, Ariane, rethink your decision. Don’t do this. Don’t leave me." Leon sounded broken, full of regret and despair.

I stared at her for a moment, feeling a wound that was already too deep to be healed by mere words. My hands remained busy, stuffing clothes and essentials into the suitcase I had prepared since last night. Every time I put a piece of clothing into the suitcase, it felt like releasing the weight that had been crushing my chest.

"Leon, I’ve thought this through. We tried, and you know it didn’t work. I can’t keep being here, in a relationship that’s broken and can’t be fixed."

She stood in the doorway, looking at me with eyes full of hope and fear. It was the first time in months that I had seen her vulnerable, as if she had just realised that everything was falling apart. But tears or guilt could sway me. It’s not about her anymore. It’s about me-and the children I’m carrying.

"Ariane, please, we can fix this. I promise, I will change. I will be a better husband. I will love you, like I should have from the beginning."

I paused for a moment, looking at him with a look that was colder than I intended. His words felt hollow now, like a late promise. Love? After everything that happened? After all the lies, infidelity, and betrayal? Maybe in the past I would have run into his arms, hoping to fix what was broken. But not now. Now, I have another life to look after-two lives. And I won’t let them grow up in a lie.

"I’ll take care of all our divorce paperwork. You don’t have to worry about that. I just need some time alone right now."

He leaned closer, as if to pull me into his arms, but I pulled back, keeping a distance that was now more important than ever.

"You don’t have to do this, Ariane. I know you’re angry, and you have every right to feel that way. But leaving me... it won’t make us better."

I shook my head, tears welling up in my eyes, but I held them back.

"That’s why I have to go. We’ve gone too far, Leon. I’m tired of struggling alone in this relationship. I won’t sacrifice myself or our children just to save something that’s already dead."

He froze in place, and I could see the genuine fear in his eyes-fear of losing something he may have never cherished until this moment. But that no longer mattered to me. I locked my suitcase and walked towards the door, waiting for him to give me room to pass.

"Where are you going?’ he asked, his voice sounding desperate.

"I’m going to find a place to stay for a while, maybe an apartment. I need time to calm down, to think about my next move."

"I will change, Ariane. For you, for our children." The urgency in her voice shook my heart, but I couldn’t back down now. Not when I’ve made this decision with all my heart.

"I hope you do, but it won’t change what happened. I can’t keep living this lie."

Leon stared at me blankly as I stepped past her, leaving her there, in a house that now felt so unfamiliar. A house that was once filled with hope, but now only bitter memories remained.

Once out of the door, I took a deep breath, feeling the freedom I had just gained. However, it wasn’t a pleasant freedom. It was a painful freedom, one that came at a heavy price. I pulled my suitcase towards the car, refusing to look back, even though my heart felt heavy.

After a few hours of travelling around the city, I finally found a small apartment on the edge of town. It was far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the life I had known, but it was exactly what I needed right now-away from everything, from the Leon, from the painful memories. The landlord, a friendly old lady, handed me the key with a warm smile, as if she understood that I was going through something difficult.

Once inside the apartment, I immediately sat down on the soft sofa, feeling the fatigue that had accumulated inside me over the past few days. I looked down at my growing belly, feeling a growing strength there-a strength that pushed me to persevere, to move forward despite the heaviness.

The sound of my phone ringing made me jump. I reached into my bag and saw Leon’s name on the screen. My little heart still hoped that he would say something that could make me come back, but I knew that was impossible. Hesitantly, I answered her phone.

"I just got a call from Isabella. He... he’s asking about us, about what will happen after this."

I closed my eyes, feeling the pain coming back. Isabella. The one who was the major cause of this destruction.

"And what did you tell him?’ I asked, my voice sounding calmer than I felt.

"I told him... I don’t want to be disturbed right now. I told him I needed time to think,’ she replied.

"Good. That’s the best for now."

"Ariane, I’m sorry about all this. I don’t know how I can fix it, but I want you to know that I’m sorry. Very sorry."

I sighed, a deep sense of exhaustion pressing down on my soul.

"Regret won’t change what happened, Leon. All we can do now is move on and try to get better."

"Is there still hope for us?’ he asked, his voice sounding hopeful, but I knew that hope had long since been extinguished.

"I don’t know, Leon. I don’t know,’ I said before hanging up, leaving her with a silence that felt heavier than ever.

I stared at the cold, empty ceiling of the apartment, feeling as if I had just stepped into a whole new world-a world filled with uncertainty and fear, but also hoping someday I could find the peace I had been searching for.

However, amid that silence, I sensed that something wasn’t right. It was as if I was being watched. I turned to the window, but only saw my reflection in the glass. Was I alone? Or was there something lurking in the darkness?