Chapter 4
Josie, a bit tipsy, shouted, “To unwind? How is cheating unwinding now?! Astrid’s your wife! I’ve got it all on video, and you still won’t own up to it!”
lit up
She whipped out her phone, and the screen.
up with a video of Cedric and Anya wrapped around each other, drinking. straight from the same cup. My shoulders dropped, and I felt the heat rise in my face.
I held onto Josie, steadying her, and locked eyes with Cedric. “Cedric, I’m done. I don’t love you anymore. We’re getting a divorce.”
I didn’t wait for his reaction. I turned and walked away with Josie, our friends. surrounding us, throwing disgusted looks over their shoulders.
The next day, I handed in my resignation letter. This company–it was our dream. Cedric and I built it together. I had so much history here, but if I didn’t let go of the
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past, I’d never move forward. The HR manager looked at me with pity but didn’t say a word to change my mind.
Everyone knew about my relationship with Cedric, and they could see he’s still got feelings for another woman. Why would I stick around for more heartache?
By the time I got home, everything was packed up, and my lawyer had the divorce. papers ready. I felt a strange sense of freedom like I had cut the last thread tying me down.
I thought about stopping by the house I’d bought in the good school district for our future baby. I had envisioned a bright future with Cedric–a house filled with love, laughter, and family. I had picked the best place and decorated it with care, dreaming of our child’s arrival.
But that dream felt so distant now. I ran my hand over my stomach, feeling the flatness. The baby would never come.
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When I reached the house, I puriched in the code, but the door wouldn’t budge. Confused, I knocked harder, wondering if
Cedric had rented it out.
No answer.
Frustrated, I pulled up the security camera feed on my phone.
What I saw made my breath catch in my
throat.
Cedric and Anya were in the master. bedroom, tangled up together, completely naked, kissing like they were the only two people in the world. Even though I had already decided to leave, seeing that so openly–it felt like a knife twisting in my
chest.
The furniture, the décor–I had picked out every detail with love for a child that was never meant to be! And now, it was being
used for their affair!
I felt hollow like the life had drained out of
- me. My vision blurred, and just then, the
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door swung open.
Cedric stood there, a towel around hist
waist. His eyes widened in shock when he saw me. “A–Astrid, what are you… what are you doing here…”
I pushed past him and stormed inside. Anya had already slipped into a revealing nightgown, lounging against the bedframe, a cigarette dangling from her fingers. She was just as startled as he was, stammering
some weak excuse.
I shot her a cold look before heading. straight to the baby’s room. The bed was a mess, and the trash can overflowed with evidence of their affair.
In the corner, the plaster baby figurine Cedric and I had painted together was tossed aside. The sight twisted my heart. There was no denying it; the entire house. was tainted by their sins!
Nausea hit me, and I bent over, choking
back bile.
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“Astrid, please, let me explain!” Cedric rushed to my side, pulling on his clothes in a panic. “Anya just got back to town. She didn’t have anywhere else to go, so I-”
“So, you chose the house I bought for our baby?” I interrupted, my voice devoid of any emotion.
“Astrid! When did you get so petty? You weren’t like this before!” His voice rose. “And what about last night? We haven‘ t even talked about that! Your friend
humiliated Anya! Did you even think about her feelings?”
