2. My husband wants me to sign the divorce papers

Reese POV

I was completely absorbed in my own pain after the words my husband used to attack me. I stood there, speechless, holding my son's hand, as I watched Elliot ignore my pain and head towards the dinner table for a convivial meal, the beautiful dinner I had prepared for our family, to celebrate Valentine's Day, but everything was turning into a ruin.

Since his father's death, right after our wedding, Elliot had used that truth to attack me and express how much he hated me. Since that day, the tender look he always gave me had turned into one of resentment and regret.

The truth was, I had indeed killed his father. I was totally emotional after being humiliated by my mother-in-law, after she had rejected me as her son's wife. "I will never accept you as my daughter-in-law, girl," she had said four years ago with words as harsh and sharp as daggers. "I won't accept my son joining with a commoner like you and staining our bourgeois status!"

I was bleeding inside, seeing that I was complicating things for Elliot, so I blamed myself. Even though I loved him, it would be better if I stayed away, so I ran out with the intention of catching the first flight back home, but Samael Goodwin, Elliot's father, who had always been kind to me, followed me to talk to me and convince me to return to Elliot and not give up on him.

"My son truly loves you, don't give up on him because of this. Things will work out," he had said on that snowy morning when the world seemed to break in half.

Tears were running cold down my cheeks as I thanked him for at least this man being so good to me, but then an out-of-control car skidded on the snow and headed towards us; we would have both died at that moment if my father-in-law hadn't pushed me aside and saved my life.

When I woke up in the hospital bed, I got the news that he had passed away and also that I was carrying Elliot's child, and all this had happened on the second day of our marriage...

"I'm only not divorcing you because you're carrying my child, Reese, but I simply can't forgive you for killing my father..." Elliot said with great sorrow in his words, his grief blinding his reason.

But I couldn't blame him; he was right after all... If it weren't for me, his father would still be alive.

Time passed, I gave birth to a son whom I decided to name Sammy in honor of that good man who had left so soon, but even with the birth of new life, my husband didn't forgive me, and his mother only knew how to hate me more.

But I still loved Elliot and was still fighting for him day by day; my father-in-law, who had given his life for me, had asked me not to give up on him because he knew Elliot needed me, so despite everything, all the hate and indifference, I remained firm in that house, believing that one day my husband would forgive me and love me again, that he, like his mother, would be enchanted by my son and leave all that resentment behind so we could be happy.

But I didn't count on Elliot bringing back someone from his past so abruptly after all this time. I was talking about his former fiancée, who was now conversing and laughing with him while they ate the beautiful dinner my son and I had prepared. A bile was forming in my throat, a great urge to cry was building up in me as I watched this scene before me.

"Mommy, who is that lady?" Sammy asked curiously, referring to Jennifer Durham.

At that moment, I realized that my son didn't need to go through this. So I smiled at him. "She's just a friend of Daddy's, my dear. Shall we wait for Daddy upstairs?" I said to him, and he nodded with a smile of innocence.

So, my baby and I waited for my husband, who was taking so long to come up as if he didn't want to come to us at all. Sammy even fell asleep, and I was tired, but I still waited for him because I clung to the hope of resolving all this confusion.

When he finally entered the room, he looked at the romantic decoration and the love apples I had prepared for him; he took it in, but there was no emotion in his features. "Please, come with me," he said, pointing towards his office.

I swallowed hard and followed him there, sitting in front of the large polished mahogany desk, with him on the other side. "Sammy and I wanted to surprise you for Valentine's Day," I said after sitting down, there was an inviting smile on my face. "Do you remember that we got married on a day like this? We made a playful promise that day, saying we were doomed to be eternal lovers." Just remembering that warmed my heart. I so wanted Elliot to look at me again with eyes full of love.

"Actually, I called you here because I need to talk to you about some things," he said, his hands clasped on the desk. "Jennifer and I met, and I realized my mother was always right. I love her, and I intend to marry her as soon as possible." He handed me a printed paper packet. "Here's the divorce agreement, Reese. I hope you sign this, pack your things, and leave."

My hands trembled as I took that divorce agreement, my eyes fixed on the paper, unable to believe this was really happening. "You want to divorce me...?"

"I think this decision isn't a surprise to you since we both know it's been expected since my father's death," he pointed out.

"But I didn't kill your father, Elliot!" I retorted quickly. "That was an accident!" I couldn't bear being accused of something I hadn't done.

"Call it what you want, but you'll always be the culprit!" His words were harsh and cutting like daggers.

I felt bile rising in my throat. "It's enough for me to blame myself for this; I don't need you playing dirty just because you want to separate from me to finally marry Jennifer Durham. After all, that's what your mother always wanted, isn't it?" I even laughed, but my laugh was bitter as I angrily wiped away my tears.

I really thought we could go back to how things were, but apparently, I was very wrong. "I bet you and she are having a lot of fun; she was your first girlfriend, right? I bet you enjoyed reminiscing about old times!" The pain inside me was overwhelming.

But Elliot just leaned back in his chair and looked at me impassively. "Sammy will be under our care," he said.

"What?"

"It's the right thing to do," he continued. "You would even get compensation, but my family and I are not willing to give you anything, so you have nothing and no one. How would you raise a child alone? Jennifer loves children; she said she would care for the boy as if he came from her own womb. You don't have to worry."

"You can't be serious, Elliot..." I could hardly believe his words, but he looked at me impassively, his green eyes like two frozen, inaccessible lakes.

"I want you to go back to New York and leave us in peace," he said.

Heavy tears rolled down my cheeks. "You hate me so much that you want to take everything from me...? Even my boy?" My shoulders slumped forward, and I had no strength left after hearing his words.

It was as if my life were a show of misfortunes; I was an orphan, had grown up with my grandmother in terrible conditions, had given everything to graduate, then met Elliot, who, despite the class difference, seemed to love me unconditionally, but this bad luck that haunted me had infiltrated even my marriage, and today, once again, misfortune was taking away the only happiness I had left.

My child.