Do You Believe Me Now?

Chapter 1

I let out a quiet content sigh, tightening my grip on my blue mug of coffee.

Kaden, Max, Noah, and Zach do the same.

Kaden, on my left, he's the oldest, being five. Then there's Noah, he's four. Then Max, he's two, and then Zach, he's one.

"Will you tell me about my Daddy, Mommy?" Noah asks.

"Baby, I've told you everything there is to know." I say, hiding the pain in my voice.

Since I had Noah, who I was pregnant with when the fake video was sent to Jace, Jace has shown up twice. Each time he would get me to forgive him. We would make up, and then have sex.

Then he would say that it was a mistake and he would leave.

Both times he's done it, children have been the product.

Last time was a year and a half, and about nine days.

Last time he did it, I was so mad. I made it clear that I never want to see him again.

I still haven't filed for divorce.

Once I'm single, it just makes it official.

It's noon. It's a snow day here in North Dakota, so Kaden is home from school. My family lives near and they come to visit often.

Adam and Nikki had three more kids, so they've got four girls.

Everyone should be here in a few minutes. It is, after all, a Sunday.

Since I have the biggest house, Sunday dinners are spent here.

Cars begin to pull up.

The kids ditch their seats with me and go to play in the snow with their cousins.

Nikki sits on my left and Adam sits on my right.

"Hey." She says.

"Hi." I sigh.

Everyone is here and I stand up.

"Let's go boys! Backyard!" I say.

Zach was the only ne that didn't leave. He's only one so he's on the path to the driveway playing with toys. I stand up.

As I make a move to pick him up, a black truck pulls up.

"Did you guys invite someone else?" I ask the adults.

Everyone shakes their heads.

And then my lovely husband gets out of the car.

I pinch the bridge of my nose.

I look at Nikki. Before I can even open my mouth, she says, "On it." And grabs Zach. The adults round the kids up and bring them into the backyard.

"What the fuck do you want, Jace?"

"To apologize."

"Bullshit."

Addison gets out of the truck too, and Mr. Rivera.

I don't care. I'm still going to be a cold-hearted bitch to him.

"No, really."

"Yeah, so you can get me to forgive you again? And then get me pregnant and leave? Yeah right. Get the fuck off me property."

"Rylee, please just..." he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Give me five minutes." he whispers, pleading.

I see his eyes flicker to my hand, where I still haven't taken of the ring.