CHAPTER TWO

Chapter two

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Excuse me!” Morgan released an elongated hiss as she walked past Haley into the apartment.

Haley, who was in a hurry to leave, turned after receiving a shove to the shoulder. She had warned the bitch to never set foot in the apartment. Ever.

“Ethan, what's she doing here,” Haley asked, setting down her bags.

“Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell you. I invited her over.”

Haley pondered over the whole situation. Ethan had invited his mistress before signing the divorce papers. This could only mean that Morgan had known about the divorce. Not only that, she might have orchestrated the whole thing.

“Into our home?”

“Don't make it a big deal. We are no longer together. You already signed the papers.”

Morgan turned to Haley and smirked. “You see, I came on invitation. And you, on the other hand, need to leave.

“I should leave?” Haley mimicked.

“You should. You don't deserve him.”

Haley found it amusing that she was now being told to leave an apartment she had paid heavily for. After her dad refused to offer any assistance, Haley was compelled to use a substantial sum of her savings to secure the apartment. And she was not about to let Morgan trample on her ego.

“And you think you do?” Haley shot back.

“Please, Haley, you could do yourself the favor and leave. Save yourself the stress,” Ethan chipped in.

Morgan turned to Ethan. And Haley was forced to bear witness to a deep kiss between her ex-husband and his mistress.

“Ethan told me how you failed to give him a child in his three years of marriage. Such beauty had come with infertility. How unfortunate,” Morgan mocked with curled lips.

Tears prickled in her eyes, but Haley willed them not to fall. They don't deserve her tears. What bothered her was that Ethan had spilled their marital secrets to a mistress. And she wondered for how long his extra-marital affairs must have gone on.

Haley had struggled to conceive. The doctors had called it "fallopian tube disorder," a medical condition in which the female ovaries usually fell out of place. But Haley kept hoping that fortune would one day smile in her favor. And about six months ago, the doctor broke the miraculous news after conducting a series of tests. Haley was pregnant. The happiest thing she had heard in a long time. But the happiness was short-lived when, after coming back home, she fell face down to the floor after a heated argument with her husband, now ex. Haley lost the baby. And Ethan was left to comfort her the whole time. But it was a total surprise hearing the saddest moment of her life from Morgan. Ethan had confided in his mistress the whole time.

“You told her?”

“Don't make it a big deal. You couldn't give me a baby. Accept the fact that you are infertile. You need to move on, Haley.”

Haley now had to battle the tears. She struggled, but a few drops forced themselves down her cheeks.

“Don't cry. It hurts, but that's life. I bet you never saw that coming,” Morgan, who was enjoying the whole episode, mocked.

“You will regret this, Ethan. I promise.”

With that, Haley picked up her bags and left the apartment, but that was before she heard the words, “Besides, your dad never liked me. He would be glad to have his daughter back.”

The cold winter breeze felt different outside the apartment. She had had to put up with a cheating husband for three years, and she was finally free.

Ethan was right about one thing, though. Her dad never loved him. Richard Wilson had never failed to express how displeased he was that his daughter could consider marrying an untrustworthy man like Ethan. Ethan had fallen short after being asked what he did for a living. Not only that, Mr. Wilson had also learned of Ethan's philandering habits from a source.

Haley flagged down the taxi. There was only one place to go. Her father's thoughts occupied her mind. He did warn her, but Haley had failed to listen. And her decision had led her to this mess. She wasn't even sure if her father would welcome her with open arms. Nevertheless, home was home.

“Where to, ma'am?” the cab driver asked.

“Brooklyn.”

***

The drive to Brooklyn city took about an hour. She couldn't help the feelings of nostalgia. It had been a while since she last set foot in the familiar terrain. In fact, the last time she visited was last Christmas. And exactly one year later, she was back. But divorced.

Haley placed some gentle knocks on the door. She could hear the Christmas song from the other end. Christmas was always lively. Her father always made sure of it.

“Oh my God, you never bothered to call to say you're coming?”

“Sorry, Mom. It's an unplanned visit.”

Haley moved past her mom and let herself into the apartment. The other family members registered amidst the variant colors. Her dad was nowhere to be found.

“Welcome, big sis,” Fabian greeted his elder sister with a warm hug. Diana kept herself busy with the table, ignoring the elder sister she was yet to forgive for the past six months.

“And what's with the bags?” the mother inquired.

Haley turned to her mother. She figured it was best to let everyone in.

“I got divorced.”

Everyone, except Diana, gaped.