What the heart wants

Epilogue (2)

"This is stupid." Aria huffed as she threw the magazine she had been reading back on the table.

"Open the damn door!" Jared ordered turning the locks on the door.

"You've tried that three times already." Aria deadpanned.

"Well at least I'm trying to get us out of here!"

"You're not trying, you're being stupid!" Aria retorted.

"We're not opening this door until you talk this out." Louis stated from the other side of the door.

"You know, this wouldn't be happening if you had just signed the damn papers like you were supposed to." Aria spat glaring at Jared.

"You're not getting a divorce." Elizabeth chipped in.

"What if we get hungry or we need to pee?! This is utterly ridiculous,"

"There are snacks and drinks in the cabinet and there's a toilet linked with the room." Louis replied smugly, "We already thought this through. We're going out for tea, you two had better reconciled before we get back."

"You need to make a statement." Jared said breaking the awkward silence that had filled the room. Aria didn't reply so he continued "Everyone thinks I abused you, you've ruined my image."

"Correction, I didn't ruin your image. I never even spoke about the divorce."

"But you saw the headlines yet you didn't correct the misunderstanding."

"Because it's not my problem. It wasn't my law firm who leaked the information hence, it's not my problem. When we get out of here, you're gonna sign the damn papers and let the lawyers do the rest."

"I'll sign it when I want to sign it." He gritted in response.

"No, you are going to sign it today. Why haven't you signed it?! I am quite frankly, tired of..."

Her knees buckled and gave way mid sentence, the cramps had hit her in full force. She groaned loudly as she held her abdomen tightly.

"Are you okay?" Jared asked crouching next to her. He held her forearm as he tried to help her.

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, she had not heard him cross the room.

"I'm fine. They're just cramps."

She noticed the look of confusion on his face and then added, "Dr Fiona said I'd get them from a while after the...miscarriage."

"Oh." He replied quietly.

She cleared her throat to get his attention and shifted her gaze to her arm that was still under his grip. He slowly let go of her arm and rubbed the nape of his neck. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed the warmth his touch had provided.

Her heart thundered loudly as she leaned on the wall for support.

"Let me help."

Her brain wanted to say no, but her heart and body had a different plan. He carried her to the sofa and laid her down.

"Thank you." She whispered looking into his eyes. His eyes slowly scanned her face before he responded with a nod.

The miscarriage was a topic they both hated but came up frequently.

"How did it happen?... I-I-I just need to know how..."

"I was going after you. I ran upstairs to pick a car key...my foot caught the staircase runners and I..."

"Fuck." He mumbled. He tore his gaze from her to the ground. He didn't want her to noticing his glossy eyes.

"The baby couldn't have survived that fall. It's a miracle I did too."

"Aria, I-I...I saw the pictures. You forgot them in my uhm...office."

"Yeah. I stayed there...a lot,"

"I noticed," He muttered to himself.

"How many months?"

"Five."

His lips wobbled and his eyes stung as he tried to blink back his tears.

"Because I want to be selfish." He said out of the blue.

"What?" She questioned.

He lifted his gaze from the ground, allowing her to see his tear stricken face.

"You asked me why I haven't signed the papers, I haven't signed them because I want to be selfish, I don't want you to leave me." He confessed.

"Yeah, I'm selfish like that." He added.

"I don't want you to leave Aria."

He knelt in front of her and held her hand.

"I love you, I need you. You haven't even fully left and...my life is already crumbling."

"I am not a fool." She said snatching her hands away from him, "I am not going to let you ruin me."

"I won't, Aria I love you!"

"But sometimes love isn't enough. Sometimes love isn't enough to mend pieces of a broken marriage."

"But Aria, we're not broken. Ma-maybe a bit bent but...not broken."

"Leaving you will be the most painful decision I have ever made-"

"Then don't make that decision, Aria we can make this work."

"We can't make it work if you won't trust me! You don't trust me...you never have. You accused me of cheating on you."

Raw hurt was evident in her voice as she spoke.

"Oh God." She breathed trying to blink back her tears but failing miserably.

"I fucked up, I agree. I-I didn't trust you enough and I left you and our child. I'm a terrible husband and I know there's nothing else I can say to convince you because you have every right to leave. But please, all I'm asking for...is a second chance.

"Aria." He called.

She turned her face away; he took that as his answer and got up.

"I really don't want to leave." She confessed as she broke down in tears. He felt complete as he held her against his chest.
" I love you. I-I-I just can't take the hurt..."

"I'm sorry my love."

"If I'm going to stay, we need to talk things out. We need a couple's therapy or something. I've got issues and you have them too...and between us, they're a lot."

"Anything. I'll do anything if it means you won't leave me."

"I need space, I won't live with you."

"Aria..."

"I've not fully forgiven you. I need time to get over it. It's-it..."

"I understand. We'll be okay Aria. We will."

THE END.

***
Hallo!🤗,
So I think y'all should be happy with this.
This is honestly the most difficult chapter ever, I had to rewrite it twice so you could get a happy ending 🙄.
I honestly need to take like a year off writing 😪.
I'm actually proud of myself for finishing this book in such a short time.
Thank you for reading ❤️.
Stay safe 😷.
Bye!!