Broken Strings

C H A P T E R F O U R

Each year, on his birthday and on their anniversary, she always got him a gift. They would always be simple gifts. But still she always got him something.

She placed the small box in her purse; she would give it to him at the ball. At least, he would be forced to act like a loving husband then.

This would be the last birthday she would spend with him. Hell, this was probably the last public appearance she would ever make with him as his wife. The watch would be the last gift she would give him.

She had nothing else left to give.

She heard Andrew knock on her door. He must be getting impatient with her.

But she still smiled and bit her lip shyly.

What would he say to her? Would he notice the dress she was wearing? Would he ask her what she wanted to eat? Would he secretly fill her plate with chocolate covered strawberries like he used to? Would he ask her to dance with him? Would he hold her and twirl her like he did at their wedding?

No, he wouldn't. She knew that but every year she would hope but all her hopes would go in vain. He just never did.

She looked at herself one last time in the mirror and then made her way downstairs. Butterflies danced in her stomach as she thought about spending the entire evening with her husband.

After being married for seventeen years, he still had the ability to make her feel like a love sick teenager.

But he also had the ability to break her into so many shattered pieces that all she ever felt was alone, heartbroken and unloved.

It was pathetic. She knew that. She hated herself for being weak. But that was love. Love made her like this. And love was the only reason she had held on for so long.

She locked the house door behind her. Andrew was helping Mira buckle her seat-belt.

Mira looked gorgeous in her lavender dress. The little girl was the spitting image of her mother.

Anisha had been afraid Andrew would reject her kids simply because she was their mother. He seemed to hate everything to do with her. But that wasn't the case. The kids, like their father, seemed to reject her instead.

Andrew looked handsome, he always did. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a striped tie. It was a nice tie. Her heart fell as she realized Amanda had probably picked it out for him. Andrew was the type of person who would wear a green tie with a blue shirt. She knew this.

There used to be a time when she would match his ties to his shirt. A time where he looked and asked for her opinion. A time where he had actually cared about her.

Anisha made her way and sat in the front seat of their Porsche.

She turned and smiled at her kids.

She loved looking at them. They were her kids, after all.

Even if they didn't appreciate her value anymore, she still loved them. And she always would.

She was the one who had woken up at three in the morning to see why they were crying. She was the one who had always made sure they were fed before she ate. She was the one who helped them stand up after every fall when they learned to walk.

Ryan looked away, diverting his gaze out the window. She knew her son would never love her. He was filled with pure hatred for her. He was too far beyond her reach.

Mira gave her mother a toothy smile and went back to playing with her Cinderella doll. Mira was more open to her mother and showered her mother with love and kisses whenever she wanted to.

Anisha then turned to her husband.

Andrew clenched his jaw; he could feel her staring at him. "Do you need something?"

There was no softness in his voice. It was cold and hard, after all those were the only feelings he held towards her.

She shook her head and looked away. What was she expecting him to do? Tell her that she looked pretty?

She didn't look pretty, she looked sick.

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I finally updated! I wasn't planning on writing this until this weekend but I passed my Chem Midterm! So I'm super happy and plus I had some extra time today. I've been meaning to update for weeks now but I've had exam after exam. The second part to this chapter will be uploaded soon, once I finish writing it which should be soon. I'm going to try to update at least once a week but it depends on my school schedule.

I want to thank each and every one of you for giving my book a chance. I never really thought of writing but I guess I just wanted to try it. You all are super amazing!