CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Chapter Fifteen

Wanda stared at the cold, untouched dinner in front of her. The pasta that she had so meticulously prepared now sat in stark contrast to the empty seat where Michael should have been. She could still hear the echo of the door slamming behind him, a sharp reminder of his latest outburst. The silence in the room was deafening, punctuated only by the occasional clink of cutlery as Wanda absentmindedly pushed her food around her plate.

She couldn’t remember the last time she and Michael had shared a meal without it ending in an argument or icy silence. What had happened to the man who had once promised her the world? The man who had vowed to cherish and protect her, who had looked into her eyes with such sincerity and assured her that they would build a life together, no matter what challenges came their way?

Wanda rubbed her temples, the beginnings of a headache forming as she thought back to those promises. They felt like a lifetime ago, buried under the weight of all the disappointments and broken expectations that had piled up since. She wondered if Michael even remembered those moments or if they had been lost in the flood of his anger and resentment.

As she cleared the table, Wanda’s mind wandered to the early days of their relationship—the whirlwind romance, the grand gestures, and the whispered assurances that they were meant to be together. She missed that Michael, the one who made her feel like she was the center of his world. But now, he seemed like a stranger, a man whose harsh words and cold demeanor left her questioning everything.

Wanda’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Michael walked in, his expression hardened and his steps heavy as he tossed his keys onto the counter. He didn’t look at her, didn’t acknowledge her presence as he headed straight for the living room, collapsing onto the couch with a weary sigh.

Wanda watched him, her heart aching at the sight of him so distant and unreachable. She knew they needed to talk, to confront the growing chasm between them. But every time she tried, it felt like she was talking to a wall—a wall that Michael had carefully constructed to keep her out.

Gathering her resolve, Wanda approached him, her voice soft but determined. “Michael, we need to talk.”

Michael groaned, rubbing his temples as if her voice was just another nuisance to add to his long list of grievances. “Wanda, I’ve had a long day,” he muttered, his tone flat. “Can we not do this right now?”

Wanda felt her frustration bubble up, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. “No, we can’t keep putting this off,” she insisted, her voice rising slightly. “You’ve been shutting me out for weeks, and I’m tired of it. We need to deal with this, Michael.”

Michael rolled his eyes, sitting up and finally meeting her gaze. “Deal with what, Wanda?” he snapped, his patience fraying. “You’re the one who keeps pushing, who keeps trying to pretend like everything is fine when it’s not. I’m tired of playing along.”

Wanda’s eyes stung with tears, but she refused to back down. “I’m not pretending, Michael. I’m trying to hold us together. Do you remember what you promised me? You said we’d get through anything as long as we were together. That you’d always be there for me, no matter what.”

Michael scoffed, leaning back against the couch with a bitter laugh. “And look where that’s gotten us,” he said coldly. “I made those promises before everything went to hell, before—” He stopped himself, his jaw tightening as he looked away, unable to finish the thought.

Wanda stepped closer, her voice trembling with a mix of hurt and desperation. “Before what, Michael? Before you realized this was harder than you thought? Before you decided I wasn’t worth the effort?”

Michael’s expression darkened, his frustration boiling over. “Don’t put this all on me, Wanda,” he shot back, his voice edged with anger. “You’re not exactly blameless here. You’re so caught up in your own problems that you don’t even see what’s happening around you.”

Wanda recoiled, his words hitting her like a physical blow. She felt her resolve wavering, the tears she had been holding back finally spilling over. “I’m trying, Michael,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “But it’s like nothing I do is ever good enough for you.”

Michael stood up abruptly, his movements sharp and abrupt. “You know what, Wanda? Maybe it’s not,” he said, his voice cold and unyielding. “Maybe I’m tired of trying to make this work when all I feel is frustration and disappointment.”

Wanda stared at him, her heart sinking at the harshness of his words. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She felt like she was drowning, the weight of Michael’s disdain pulling her under, suffocating her with every breath. She turned away, unable to face the anger and bitterness that had become a constant presence in their home.

Michael watched her retreat, a part of him wanting to reach out, to pull her back and make things right. But the anger was too fresh, the wounds too raw. He turned away, grabbing his coat from the back of the chair as he headed for the door once more.

“Where are you going?” Wanda asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Out,” Michael replied curtly, not bothering to elaborate. He slammed the door behind him, the sound echoing through the empty apartment like a final punctuation mark on their fractured relationship.

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Alone in the apartment, Wanda sank to the floor, her knees pulled to her chest as she let the tears flow freely. She felt like she was losing herself, bit by bit, in the endless cycle of conflict and disappointment. The promises Michael had made felt like cruel taunts now, reminders of a time when she believed in the future they were supposed to have.

“Why is this happening?” Wanda thought, her mind a jumble of confusion and sadness. “He said we’d be happy. He promised. How did we end up here?”

She replayed Michael’s words in her mind, each one cutting deeper than the last. She had always prided herself on being strong, on facing challenges head-on. But this… this was different. This wasn’t just a challenge. It was a slow, painful erosion of everything she thought she knew about love and commitment.

Wanda placed a hand on her stomach, the slight curve a small but constant reminder of the life growing inside her. Anderson’s baby. She wondered how she would navigate this new reality with Michael so disconnected, so angry. She had hoped that their marriage would be a fresh start, a new chapter that would help her leave the past behind. But now, it felt like every page was stained with regret and missed opportunities.

She thought about Anderson—how different things might have been if she had made different choices, taken a different path. But there was no use dwelling on the what-ifs. She was here, now, and she had to find a way to move forward, even if Michael wasn’t willing to meet her halfway.

As Wanda sat there, alone and lost in thought, she knew one thing for sure: she couldn’t keep going like this. Something had to change, and soon. She needed to find her strength again, to fight for herself and her child, even if it meant facing the truth of her situation head-on.

But as the apartment grew darker, the weight of that truth settled heavily on her shoulders. And for the first time in a long while, Wanda wasn’t sure if she had the strength to carry it.