I want a divorce

NEW YORK CITY

SUMMER SEASON

7:15PM

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Cadet. We did everything we could, but...we lost the baby."

Kamila squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the voice of the doctor as she made her way to the car in the parking lot. To think she had been excited about this child after finding out days ago she was finally pregnant. And now…this.

From the rear view mirror she could see how red and puffy her green eyes and face were from all the crying. Her long black hair was in a messy fit around her shoulders and back.

“Christ, I look like I have been stung by a bloody bee,” she said to herself.

Just then, a notification popped up on her screen that made her do a double take.

It was a social media post from Nicole. Her husband, Mark's childhood sweetheart, the woman he always said was "just a friend."

"Mark really outdid himself this time throwing this party for me!" the post read, accompanied by a bunch of intimate photos from a grand party.

Kamila's heart sank as she realized that her husband had been there hugging and kissing another woman while she had been in the hospital, alone and in pain. When she complained she was feeling unwell, he told her to drive herself to the hospital as he was busy.

The realization hit her like a slap in the face. Ever since Nicole had wormed her way back into their lives three years ago, everything had turned upside down.

"That son of a bitch," Kamila growled through gritted teeth. Her nails dug into the skin of her palms, almost drawing tiny droplets of blood. But she didn't feel the pain.

She took a deep breath and started driving back home. Her mother-in-law, Beth, was standing at the front porch impatiently waiting for her.

Her salt-and-pepper hair was pulled back into a severe bun, and her heavy-lidded eyes glared at Kamila with disdain.

"Kamila! Where the hell have you been?" Beth barked, her eyes narrowing as Kamila stepped into the house.

"The clothes aren't going to wash themselves, you know. And I'm starving. How could you just leave the house without preparing any food?"

Kamila felt something inside her snap. All the years of being treated like a glorified maid, of having her own needs and desires dismissed, had to end now. She looked her mother-in-law dead in the eye, her voice steady and deliberate.

"No."

Beth's eyes widened like saucers, her mouth agape. "What do you mean, 'no'?" she sputtered, her face flushing with indignation.

"I just said no," Kamila repeated, her tone quite firm. "I'm not going to drop everything and cater to your demands, Beth. Not today, not ever." She took a step forward, her chin held high. "If you're hungry, you can go make something for yourself or hire a maid. But I'm done being your personal servant."

Beth's expression morphed into one of pure outrage, her lips pulled back in a snarl. "How dare you speak to me like that!" she shrieked, her shrill voice piercing the air. "I am your mother-in-law, and you will treat me with the respect I deserve!"

Just then, the sound of the front door opening drew their attention, and Kamila's husband, Mark, stepped into the room.

"What's going on here?" Mark asked, his forehead crinkled in confusion as he took in the charged scene.

Beth turned to him, "Can you believe the audacity of your wife? She just flat-out refused to do her duties around the house! The nerve of her, talking to me like that!"

Mark's gaze shifted to Kamila, his expression hardening. "Is that true, Kamila? Did you really speak to my mother that way?"

Kamila felt her heart hammering in her chest, but she appeared calm. "Yes, it's true. I'm done being a maid in my own home. I'm not going to do it anymore."

Mark's deep brown eyes narrowed, and Kamila could see the anger flaring in his gaze. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he snapped, taking a step towards her.

Of course, she expected Mark to side with his mother. "Where were you, Mark?" she asked sharply. "Where were you when I was losing our baby at the hospital? You were busy throwing your bitch ass little girlfriend a party. You have been betraying me all along with her!"

Mark's expression shifted from anger to confusion.

"Wait…our baby?" he repeated, his brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"You heard me right,"

"You were...you were pregnant?" He shook his head slowly, as if trying to clear the fog. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Kamila felt a surge of anger, hot and sharp. "When, Mark?" she retorted, her voice rising. "When was I supposed to tell you? You're always so consumed by your work, always putting it before me, before us. I found out three days ago, and I was waiting for the right time to surprise you, but -" She broke off, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Mark stared at her, his expression stricken. "Kamila, I...had no idea," he murmured, trying to place a hand on her shoulder.

But she held up a hand, halting his advance. "No, Mark," she said, her voice like steel. "I'm done. I want a divorce."

Mark’s eyes widened in surprise, while Beth’s lips twisted into irritation.

"What? Kamila, you can't be serious,"

"I am serious, Mark," Kamila replied, giving him a deathly stare. "My lawyer will have the papers for you by morning."