Chapter 3

"Oh my god! What happened to you? Are you hurt?" he exclaimed, genuine worry resonating in his voice. But Evangeline, avoiding eye contact, continued past him and headed straight into the house, leaving Zach dumbfounded at the silent treatment.

Evangeline headed straight to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. As she moved uncomfortably, Zach observed his wife who was using only one arm, realizing the severity of her injury.

Lost in his thoughts, Zach didn't notice he had been staring for too long until Evangeline glanced at him. He anticipated her to say something, but instead, she walked past him again. This time, rather than letting it slide, he impulsively grabbed her arm, causing her to wince in pain. Even Zach was taken aback by his own actions, releasing her instantly.

"I'm sorry... Please, Evangeline. Talk to me," he begged, holding her hands tightly.

She looked down, staring at their intertwined hands. Her lips trembled at the realization that the hands now holding hers had also held another woman's.

Evangeline struggled to comprehend how, despite her only lacking one thing—giving him a child—it could be enough to shatter their marriage.

Growing up in the aftermath of a broken marriage, she always yearned for a committed lifelong partner, something her own mother never experienced. Zach's infidelity stirred emotions in Evangeline that she had never felt before, casting doubt upon her own worth.

She slowly began to feel undeserving and worthless, her tears escaping her eyes. Evangeline gently pulled her hands away, clenching them to avoid his grasp.

"I'm... Sorry... I could not give you a child when it was what you've been dreaming of. I... I should have known my place and chosen not to overreact," Evangeline stated emotionlessly, tears still flowing.

She continued, "I'm sorry for hurting her and your child. I should have known better. Just as you said, I should just let you do whatever you wanted. I should have—"

"Evangeline. Baby," Zach spoke, cutting her off.

Just as Zach was about to hold her, it was as if disgust washed over her, and she instinctively took a step back.

"Please don't touch me," she pleaded, leaving him behind as she headed upstairs. The distance between them echoed the emotional chasm that had grown, leaving a void that seemed insurmountable.

Zach sighed, placing his hand on his hip as he massaged his temple. He had always assumed Evangeline would be okay with his decision. After all, she had been understanding from the beginning of their marriage. She willingly did whatever he asked, leaving her own company to become a housewife just as he wanted. Zach expected her to adapt to his preferences, from learning to cook his favorite dishes to fulfilling his desires.

While he admits to impregnating another woman, deep in his heart, Zach acknowledges that the only woman he loves is his wife, Evangeline. However, he now finds himself torn between his roles as a husband and a soon-to-be father to his unborn child. The complicated emotions and responsibilities weighed heavily on him.

Zach walked upstairs and headed to their room. Slowly opening the door, he found Evangeline lying on the bed, fast asleep.

Zach walked over to the bed and crawled towards his wife, who was cuddling a pillow, all curled up. Gently hugging her from behind, he placed his face on her nape.

"Baby... Please, forgive me. I swear to you... You're the only one I love. I only wanted a child," Zach tried to explain.

Even though Evangeline's eyes were closed, she could hear and understand everything he said. However, for a wife whose husband had made her feel worthless, the weight of those words was heavy and painful.

Evangeline couldn't gather the courage to look at him, fearing she might end up forgiving him too easily. So, she kept her eyes tightly closed until she fell asleep beside her husband, who clung onto her.

When morning came, Evangeline, accustomed to waking up early to prepare a hearty breakfast for her husband, sat at the dining table sipping her tea.

Today, she woke up without Zach beside her, presuming he might be out on a morning jog. However, a few minutes later, she heard the door open. What shocked her was seeing Monica entering their house.

Evangeline was certain that of all the people she could encounter, her friend, now pregnant with her husband's child, was the last person she wanted to see.

Evangeline's eyes narrowed as she observed Monica entering the house. Tension filled the air as Zach appeared, looking surprised and caught off guard.

"What is she doing here?" Evangeline asked, her tone cutting through the silence.

Zach, sensing the tension, sighed deeply before meeting Evangeline's gaze. "This wasn't planned," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "But we need to talk about everything—honestly."

He continued, "I have to take her in to monitor her pregnancy. This is my first child, Evangeline. Please understand."

Evangeline's eyes flashed with a mix of hurt and anger. "Your first child, Zach? What about us? What about our marriage?" Her voice trembled with the emotions she had bottled up.

Zach, realizing the gravity of the situation, struggled to find the right words. "Evangeline, please, let me explain. It's not that simple."

But Evangeline, feeling betrayed and disregarded, shook her head. "No, Zach. It is that simple. You made a choice, and it wasn't us." The air in the room grew heavy as Monica only stood there with her head down.

Evangeline's intense gaze shifted to Monica, who stood uncomfortably in the room. "And you, of all people," she began, her tone laced with disappointment and betrayal. "I trusted you, Monica. How could you betray our friendship like this?"

Monica, feeling the weight of Evangeline's words, stammered, "I... I didn't mean for any of this to happen, Evangeline. It just happened."

Evangeline, now anger taking over, retorted, "Just happened? You knew exactly what you were doing, and you chose to go along with it."

"And you still dare show yourself here," Evangeline seethed, her anger reaching its peak. In a swift motion, she slapped Monica, the sound echoing in the room.

However, Zach, shocked and caught off guard, reacted violently. "Evangeline!" he exclaimed, stepping between them and holding onto his wife's arms, preventing any further confrontation.

The room erupted in chaos as Evangeline, overwhelmed by anger and hurt, slapped Zach in a fit of hysteria. "You did this to us! This is your fault!" she screamed, unleashing her pent-up emotions.

In a shocking turn of events, Zach, unable to bear the intensity of the moment, pushed her away in self-defense. Evangeline stumbled backward, falling to the floor with a thud. The impact left her head bbleeding.

The shocking scene left Monica gagging, and despite Zach's own surprise at his actions, he hurriedly ran after Monica, who was vomiting in the sink, leaving Evangeline dumbfounded.

As Evangeline slowly wiped off the blood from her forehead, she stared at the crimson stain on her hand. The weight of the situation sank in, and a bitter realization echoed in her thoughts.

'If this is love... I'm never loving again,' she pondered, standing up and leaving them behind to tend to herself.