Four

Annabelle’s POV

I fell to the floor as my jelly-like quivering knees failed to hold me up, the tears which I had tried so hard to suppress, finally started to flow and this time I did not try to stop them.

I let them drop naturally without thinking about how puffy my eyes would be or the impending headache that was going to come right after. Deeper than I could have ever dreamed, the pain was unbearable. Adrien’s terrible words kept playing in my head like a nasty reminder of how little I mattered to him.

How could he treat me as if I was nothing? And to drive out in the middle of the night to be with his ex-girlfriend after everything he had said, it felt as though he was continuously stabbing a knife into my heart. Thinking that loving him would ever be enough made me feel like a fool.

I battled for so long just to make this marriage work, always telling myself that maybe one day he would see me, like truly see me, and love me back. Still, at the end of the day, it was all useless.

Every effort, every sacrifice I wasted my time, my heart, on someone who would never love me back. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I let everything sink in. Everything I had gone through, all the humiliation and rejection. I had tried to tell myself that it wouldn't come to this.

Taking a deep breath, I wiped my tears. Enough is enough.

I am not going to shed any more tears for Adrien, he didn't deserve them. With still-shaky legs, I got up and grabbed the divorce papers he had left on the table before leaving. He emphasized how much he would appreciate it if I would sign the papers and leave before he was back.

His signature was already strong and bold on the paper, a strong reminder that this wasn't a dream.I picked up a pen and signed my name next to his; the ink burned the page like a cut. If he ever bothered to come back home, I dropped the documents in the bedroom, setting them on the nightstand, he would find them when he wanted to. Opening the closet, I brought out my suitcase and carefully folded my clothing and packed everything. Except for one dress—the only item Adrien had ever purchased for me in our three years of marriage, I was not leaving anything I came with behind and neither was I taking anything he bought for me. I wanted none of it,I am going to cleanse my life,I want no references of him.

I left his house making sure I didn’t wake the servants, His house as I had no intention of hanging around in his life any more.

It was quiet on the streets, as I just walked around randomly until I found a hotel to stay. When I got to my room, I decided to leave everything packed as I was only staying the night, which gave me time to think about what to do next. I let out a sigh and ran my fingers through my tangled hair. I walked up to the window and looked out at the stars, they were so quiet as they sparkled against the dark sky.

Still staring at the beautiful night sky,I asked myself "What if my life was as peaceful as the sky?" If only my life could be that, without the chaos that has taken over it.

I stared at the stars for hours basking in the peace and quietness which helped me until I was too tired to stand anymore, but just as I was about to close the window and go to bed, something or should I say someone caught my eye, Adrien.

As he walked into the hotel, my heart stopped.He wasn't alone, when I strained to see the woman next to him, my heart sank. She was the one, he couldn't even wait for the night to be over, he was already flaunting her around like I never existed.

This ex-girlfriend of his had always been a problem,It was clear that she was the one responsible for everything. One tear ran down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away. I had no more tears to cry over him.

Deciding to ignore them,I moved away from the window and laid down. Picking my phone from the bedside table, I called a number I hadn't called in a while, a few rings later and my mom's voice came through the line,

"Hello?," she answered,

"Mom... It's me," I said in a voice barely above a whisper.

After a moment of silence, she spoke up, "You finally remembered you have a mother."

“I am sorry,Mum” I quickly apologized as guilt and remorse filled my chest, I knew sorry wasn't going to mend the rift between us nor the pain I must have caused her but I didn't know what else to say,

"I know I should have called earlier” I continued,

“Hmm” she hummed, her disapproval evident in her tone,

“How is everyone doing?”I asked,

"We're fine," she answered, but her tone suddenly changed, growing softer she asked,

“You do not sound quite right,What's wrong over there?”

“Nothing, Mom” I quickly answered adding a little willpower to my voice to assure her,

“I’m tired” I said again, which wasn’t totally a lie,

I wouldn’t want to tell her anything over the phone,

"Are you sure?" she questioned, her worry evident in her voice,

“Indeed, Surely”she murmured, she didn’t believe me and I don’t blame her,I wouldn’t believe myself either

“Are you finally ready to visit home, it has been years”,she remarked, her voice softening.

"Tomorrow," I answered, a little last minute decision wouldn’t hurt,

"Tomorrow?," She asked, sounding both shocked and delighted.

"I will designate someone to pick you up at the airport." She informed sounding happier,

"Thanks, Mom," I appreciated in a whisper,

"It is nothing Annabelle, take care of yourself, okay?

“I will, see you tomorrow, Mum” I concluded ending the call as a sense of satisfaction and relief filled me for the first time in years.

Still staring at the screen, I sighed deeply. I laid my phone down but not before booking the first flight to Madrid. I would be far away from here tomorrow, far away from all the pain, far away from all the sad memories here and most importantly far away from Adrien, I would finally put the past behind me.

I got ready pretty early the next morning, excitement brewing in my chest. I put on a white floral dress with simple black sandals and my hair in a neat bun. As soon as my Uber driver informed me of his arrival, I was on my way to the airport, the feeling of freedom better than I ever expected.

As I sat by the window in the airplane,I went over all the years I wasted trying to make Adrien love me, all the years spent in America, all for nothing. Not once did Adrien treat me nicely, not even for one day,

My hand instantly went to my stomach as I whispered to my still flat belly,

“Don't worry, little one. Your mother is going to look after you very well”

The photo Adrien had used to accuse me of cheating came to mind as I remembered the day it must have been taken. That night I got a text that he was really drunk and couldn’t drive home himself,I had to come out late that night to a nightclub I didn’t even know existed until that night to help him out, but apparently that my singular act of love is the cause of our separation,Farewell Adrien.