I sit in the back seat, my hands gripping the door tightly. I am scared to face Andrew. I don’t know how our conversation will go, knowing I am still madly in love with him. I open my purse, staring at the two phones, the folded contract, and the key card to my unfortunate new home. The hotel room. I reached down and picked up my phone, and finally I text him, making inquiries about his whereabouts. Andrew does not bother to call me back or reply.
As I lay in the hotel room bed, the events of the past few days replay in my mind. Nathaniel has made an impact on me. I smile simply thinking about his face. I should know better by now. Men will always break your heart and yet I like him. I grow curious about the contract again, reaching for the dresser and grabbing it. I also grabbed a notebook and a pen, determined to make sense of it. I traced the words "pros and cons" onto an empty page. I finally fall asleep, with my decision made.
Going back to the house I once shared with Andrew feels hard. I can barely drag my legs through the front door. Everything feels unfamiliar to me. As I reflect on the last day I was here, my thoughts return to that fatal day. Matthew runs to me, eager to help. I can see the worry in his eyes.
"Hello, Miss Megra, you are back," he says happily.
"Hi Matthew, I am, but hopefully not for long.”
I nod at him and head upstairs.
My hand is trembling as I push open the door. I can feel how hard my heart is pounding. I have never been so scared or nervous. What awaits me on the other side?
“Andrew!” I call out my voice, which is audible. “Are you home?”
The silence answers my question. I hurriedly shuffle my legs, working to collect all my belongings before Andrew got back. As I pack my things, I start to notice new additions to the apartment. Someone was moving in. I find a few pairs of shoes that are definitely not mine. And my former closet is filled with women's clothes. My heart sinks. Andrew has already moved on. I can't believe this.
I had not even been gone for a week, and now he has already replaced me. How can he? I am startled when I hear the door opening. I walk into the living room, only to find Becca walking in. I can see a shift in her when she sees me. I still cannot believe this is my life. How can my best friend do this to me? Was it not enough that she was sleeping with my boyfriend; now she moves in with him?
“Megra, what are you doing here?” Her voice is soft and catchy. I can tell that she was not ready to see me.
“This was my home, Becca, and you were my friend.” I can hear the anger in my voice. I stare at her, waiting for an explanation. Becca looks at me; her face is blank. I can tell that I am not her concern.
“You need to leave Megra; this is no longer your home!”
I cannot believe what I am hearing. Is she serious? I can feel my anger rising. I don’t know how to respond to her. Why was she behaving like I was the one who was in the wrong? Why was she acting like I was the one hurting her?
I shake my head to indicate my disbelief.
“Leave Megra. This is no longer your house.” She is now angry at my presence.
“I am just here to pick up the rest of my things.”
I start collecting my things, muttering to myself. This is beyond what I was expecting. I am interrupted when the door opens, and Andrew stands there, looking at me. Is this why Becca was so adamant about my departure? Was she afraid of him finding me there?
“Megra, you are back.” Andrew states.
I am lost for words. I don’t know how to react to his clear enthusiasm. Clearly, he has already replaced me. What game is he playing? I ignore him and continue parking my things. I stop when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I slowly turn and look at him. He must know how much I still love him.
"Megra, we have to talk about things.”
Tears fill my eyes, and Andrew runs his hand to wipe them away. I want to kiss him; I want him to tell me that I was just dreaming and that he had not destroyed me. I want him to tell me the last couple of days never happened. I want him to wake me up so everything can go back to being perfect, but it can't. This was the new reality.
I pull his hand from my face. I wipe away my tears and point at Becca. “There's nothing to talk about, Andrew.”
I can see his face change. I can see the anger now. This is not the man who has loved me for so long. I pick up what I have packed and walk to the door.
“Goodbye Andrew.”
As I walk out of the building, my decision is clear. Nathaniel's response is a simple "done." I stand there, looking at my packed bags, ready to start my new life. There is no turning back now. I am going to meet him at the house to sign the new contract. My stomach is tied up in knots; I am not sure what I'm getting into. I'm signing over my life to a stranger.The house looks lively; I see a few people walking around, which is odd considering how quiet the place was before. Everyone looks busy, trimming and cleaning, clearly getting ready for something. Nathaniel towers over most of them as he walks towards the driveway. He looks majestic in the sunlight. Zeus has surely climbed down from Olympus to come and greet me. I smile awkwardly, my eyes fixed on him, watching him as he puts on a show. I watch Nathaniel's hands reach and open the door. This is new, and I do not know how I am supposed to act. Everybody's eyes are fixed on me as if to watch for the slightest misconduct from me.
As the evening settles in, everything undergoes a magical transformation. The lights dance as music fills the air. The guests begin to arrive, each looking like a work of art—beautiful but untouchable. I feel a surge of anxiety as I stroll through the party in Nathaniel's arms. The mere mention of being his girlfriend sends my heart into a joyful dance. Polite conversations and soft laughter mingle with the clinking of glasses as wine flows freely. Despite the jealous looks from certain ladies, perhaps Nathaniel's ex-girlfriends, I have no worries in the world tonight.The night feels like a fairy tale, with people trying to be polite but clearly intrigued by our relationship. Yet, in the middle of all the glamour, I cannot stop feeling like an imposter, on display for everyone to scrutinize. The endless questions become suffocating, prompting me to seek some peace. Sneaking away from the party, I find a quiet corner to observe the guests, watching their movements and interactions. Th
The night is not going as planned. Instead of me lying in the hands of this gorgeous man after a night of passionate sex, I will be lying on a tearful pillow. Good thing he cannot back out now. I wonder what Becca will tell Andrew. I wonder how he will react to the news of me, the woman he tossed aside, dating his uncle. Will he be sad? Will he be angry? Will he regret his decision to cheat on me?My thoughts are interrupted when Nathaniel calls me into the bathroom. I find a warm bath prepared. I cannot read him or his intentions. Why is he being so kind to me? He brings me a glass of wine and leaves me to enjoy my bath or to sob in peace. I sit in the warm water and calculate my next step. If he is playing games, I will be careful. I refuse to be caught off guard again.The night goes by fast, and so does the next week. Nathaniel has been busy most of the time. I have been trying to get more information while slowly getting accustomed to my new environment. I find myself amazed at h
I feel the hard, wet floor beneath me. Am I dead? I try to open my eyes, but all I see is red. I feel the painful jabs in my ribs. I cannot move. My throat is dry; I can't speak. I try to find something I can use to help me, but I pass out again.I wake up to faint lights and voices all around me. I can feel myself moving. The ground is not as hard as before. I stretch my hand, gripping someone beside me. Oh my God! What is happening? I feel something irritating in my nose. I reach for it and pull it out. I wish that I could see or hear. Someone puts what feels like a cup over my mouth. I am scared.I finally hear sirens followed by bright lights before I pass out again. Is this it?I wake up disoriented. I don’t feel as much pain any more. I can see a bit better. I can feel the bright lights stinging my eyes.“Hey, you are awake!” I know that voice. Its Nathaniel. Wait, was he the one who attacked me? The man in the house did not talk to me. I pull myself up, looking for some familiar
Nathaniel holds my hand as he leads me to the front entrance of the house. I stop just as we are about to walk in. My knees wobbled. My heart beats hard and loud; I can hear it in my years.“I am here; everything will be alright.” Nathaniel is trying his best to reassure me, but the fact is, I almost died in this house. I nod my head, urging him to open the door. My body is still in discomfort, and staying up is a struggle. As we enter the living room, everything begins to play back. I can see the tiles are still a little stained. That has to be my blood. The bedroom door is broken. Probably from the attacker kicking it in.“How bad was it?” I ask Nathaniel.“When I walked in, I thought you were dead. You weren’t moving, Megra. There was blood everywhere.”I hear a hint of anger in his voice. Does he feel responsible?“Why did this happen to me?”Nathaniel stops walking and looks at me. He takes my hands in his. “I don’t know, but I can promise you that I will find out. Whoever did th
After a month of facing my anxiety and healing from my pain, I am finally able to look at myself in the mirror without flinching. Life is getting back to normal. Nathaniel returned to work, ensuring that there are always at least two staff members present at all times. Our plans are back on track, with us planning to announce our engagement in a month. We have also made the decision for me to see a therapist to help me cope.Today will be the first day I leave the house since I got back. Though scared, I was looking forward to the change of environment, and a shopping spree sounded like my type of therapy. I drew on the large sunglasses on the bathroom counter top, hoping that they could hide my injuries.I tried to hold my head high as I walked into the boutique store. My shaded eyes run through the custom dresses. I want to feel comfortable, but I feel as though someone is watching me. Since my attack, I have not been able to shake the feeling. I look over my shoulder, but nobody is
The room is filled with the smell of us—a gentle yet passionate encounter that we have just shared. Our clothes scattered on the floor are a reminder of what we should be sharing every single night. I lie there with the sheets caressing my skin. My heart is still racing. As I turn my head to catch a breath, I see Nathaniel beside me, his chest rising and falling. a content and sweet smile on his face. I am blown away by the way he is looking at me. His eyes make me feel beautiful and seen.Nathaniel runs his warm fingers up my hand, sending shivers down my spine. I can still feel his touch and his hands on my hips. Every encounter with him reminds me of how dull my life was with Andrew. I do not remember me being this satisfied or wanting to just stay in bed with him.I would love to live in this moment, but a more serious conversation comes to mind. I pull myself up to a sitting position. I need to know if I am losing my mind or just suffering from PTSD, as Dr. James has suggested.“
I sit in the white, sterile room. My heart is pounding. I have never been good with hospital visits. The last time I went to one without fear, I lost my mother. At 28, I am checking on my fertility levels. The irony isn’t lost to me. The doctor has already taken my blood, and now I am just sitting here waiting to hear what she has to say.She draws my attention when she walks in. I cannot read her face. Her pulling her chair is the first sign that signifies that a serious conversation awaits me."So, Megra, I have noticed something.”My heart starts to thump, and my hands start to sweat. With my kind of luck lately, I am sure the news is bad. “What?” My voice is shallow. I am afraid of the answer that I am about to get.“Well, you are pregnant and quite recent.” Her voice is gentle yet firm. The words echo in my mind, filling me with all kinds of emotions.Oh, fuck me! This sucks. This is not what I want, not now. This is not the plan. I need to know my options.“What… what should I d