- They will have a HEA
- English is just a second language for me, so forgive me for any mistakes.
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This is my new life.
Filled with dread and desperation. Filled with a sense of total and absolute betrayal. The injustice of the situation...! I was in pain. Filled with so much pain. Surrounded by so much dread. I won't stand it. I will not survive... I am hurt. Humiliated. In despair. It is final. They tried... to take everything from me. And now... This is my new life. What a way to live.
Or maybe, to die...?
I don't deserve this. I didn't do anything wrong. They know I didn't. They know! His mother knows I didn't. But in the end... It doesn't matter. Because... It is final. I have the papers. He divorced me. He divorced me!
It's final. I should accept. The lawyers said it. You should accept, Mrs. Sullivan. It's final. There is nothing you can do.
Looking at the ceiling of my hotel room, the cheapest and most horrible hotel room I have ever seen, I feel tears slipping through my eyes, flowing to the pillow in the bed I am lying.
This new life is a world of pain. This new life is like a sword carved in my chest. It's bleeding. I can feel it. It's bleeding. And he let this happen to me. Nicholas let this happen to me.
She planned this. Nicholas! Your mother planned this. She is evil.
"Don't be absurd, Rebecca." He would say. "Of course she is not. She is my mother." He would have concluded the conversation. His mother. She planned this. And he believed the lie.
"Nicholas, she doesn't like me," I warned him, so many times. So many times. But he would answer. "Of course she does, sweetheart. Of course she does." Blind fool. Stupid. He believed everything she said. He let his mother... He let her... Turn me into this. She made a spectacle of myself. And he let her.
Nicholas, you let her do this.
I am now the proud owner of a divorce certificate. And what should I do? People thought I was the one who brought this upon myself.
She, the mother, planned everything. Somehow, a man was brought to my bedroom one afternoon and he laid down next to me, while pictures were purposely taken. I remember feeling really dizzy that day and decided to go to bed for a nap, after lunch. When I woke up, everything seemed fine, nothing really out of place. I didn't think too much about that day.
I should have. I should have noticed something, but I didn't. Now, this is my new predicament.
Everything I have is packed in two bags and the last piece of my nightmare, the final straw, is in my right hand. The papers I was forced to sign. Divorced.
I hate it. I hate my husband.
Five months ago my life was robbed away from me. I was married to Nicholas for a year already. It was a blissful marriage, full of love and passion. But, at the same time, it was also a difficult life. His mother was mean and Nicholas couldn't see it. He refused to see it, even if it was right in front of him.
He wouldn't do nothing about it. Nothing! And even when I said to him that she was not nice to me, that she said really bad things to me, he would ask me to be more patient and to give her time to get used to us. "Give it time, love." Those were his exact words.
The time has come and the conclusion was... the most terrible one. He didn't defend me when I most needed. He acted like I was the enemy. I can't think about this without wanting to cry. I close my eyes with force, trying to detain the memories to haunt me in my desperation.
Incoming call
My struggles are interrupted by an income call. I didn't want to talk to anyone, but I was waiting for this one. I looked at the screen and saw it was my friend Melissa calling me back, to give me an answer that would somehow resolve my current situation. I pushed the button to accept and said with a tiny voice. "Hello."
"Honey, you've been crying." I hear Melissa saying.
"Yes. I can't stand it, Melissa. I can't." I answer, feeling already more tears spilling through my face.
"Okay, honey, I understand. But remember: it's his loss. His loss, do you hear me? He will discover soon enough what happened and he will be sorry. He will be so sorry for this! You mark my words. As for yourself, I already have the apartment situation resolved. You are coming here, you will be working with me. It's a new start. This ass you once called a husband, he is history! Forget about him, do you understand?" She finalizes asking.
I understand Melissa, I do. But it's hard. It's so hard.
"Yes, Mel, I do."
"Very well. Now, here's the deal. You bring this beautiful ass of yours here, drive safely, and don't worry about anything. We will deal with everything together, understand? That witch will pay honey, don't you worry. She will pay, and you won't need to raise a finger for this to happen, do you hear? Bad people always receive what they deserve, honey. Are you hearing me?"
I love you, Mel. You are the best.
"Thank you, Mel. Thank you so much. I am preparing myself already to leave, okay? I will let you know everything during the drive. I will be careful."
"Excellent. A new life will begin, beautiful Rebecca. Don't you worry, not one bit. You are strong, you are a good person. This horrible man and his mother... Just, don't think about them, okay? Forget about them! We are going to take care of you, okay?"
Very well, Mel. It's all good. See you soon."
"Okay, see you soon, bye!"
After I finished the call with Mel, my childhood friend, I found my forces somewhat renewed and used my hands to clean my face, with determination. I would have my life back. Nicholas has made his choice and it didn't include me. It didn't include believing in me.
In the back of my mind, a little voice kept telling me that the pictures were very (very) bad. It looked very convincing because, in fact, they were real. But Nicholas didn't even try to find an explanation. He didn't do anything. He looked destroyed while showing me the pictures. But when I begged, I begged him so much, for him to believe me, for him to find an explanation, but he refused.
Nicholas almost hit me that day, but controlled himself, barely. Instead, he dragged me through his office. He is the CEO of his own business, inherited from his father and grandfather.
In front of his secretary, while I begged him to stop. Inside the elevator. Nicholas, hear me out! Out of the elevator, through the lobby. Nicholas, no, please! Through the front doors, exiting to the streets, he shoved me down then, with my face to the ground, and said with contained anger:
"I don't want to see you. I don't want to hear from you. The staff will be collecting your things from the house and my lawyers will be in touch. Do not call me. Don't show your face here. Be thankful I am not doing something worse - he finalized."
"Wait, Nicholas... Don't! Nicholas." I straightened myself up on my knees, with my hands on the ground, trying to look at him, to make him see the truth in my eyes. "Nicholas it's not true, I swear to you, it's not true. Please, don't... Nicholas... Believe in me... Nicholas..."
At that moment, one of Nicholas's bodyguards, Peter, helped me from the ground, while Nicholas turned his back to me, going inside the building.
"No," I screamed. "Nicholas...! Nicholas...! Please, no... no... no.. Nicholas! Don't! Don't!" I yelled trying to free myself to run for him. Nicholas. Nicholas. Don't. Please.
"Madam." the bodyguard started hesitantly. "We need to take you to collect your things from the house."
No. No. Nicholas! No!
"No... No.... I am not going... I am not going... Nicholas will come back, I know he will... He knows I...." I was babbling with dread, so much dread in my heart, I didn't know if I was still awake or if I had passed out from shock.
"Madam," Peter insisted. "He... madam... he is not coming back. Let's... Madam, please would you enter the car?" No. No. Nicholas... Won't you... Won't you believe me?
Seated on the bed, resting my face on my hands, I look at my few possessions and prepare myself to collect everything for my departure. Today the divorce was finalized. After leaving Nicholas and his many lawyers behind, I checked into this hotel room to think about my situation.
I would receive money. I honestly didn't care. Mel told me it was my right and that I should be intelligent and not fight it. But I refused to use it for now, I mean, unless it was necessary.
That's why I was saving everything I could, which brought me to this little ugly hotel.
I get up from bed and make my way to the bathroom to clean myself out a bit. I knew life would be hard for some time, but I was sure I could make it. I was strong, I knew about my faithfulness and I would be happy again. I just need to leave this place and never come back.
Lost in thoughts, I am taken by surprise with a knock at the door. I was not expecting anyone and no one knew I was here. But the person was insisting and I decided it was better to see who it might be. Maybe the hotel staff wants something? If this place has any staff, anyway.
I opened the door a little bit and was shocked, absolutely petrified, to see who was my visitor. Nicholas. Looking down at me, with blank eyes and a terrifying expression.
What does he want from me?
"What do you want?" I ask him furiously. He remains silent with his lips formed in a thin line. He seemed distressed but was just looking at me like a statue.
"Bye, then," I tried closing the door but he stops me, putting a hand to block me.
"I am here to talk," he answers tensely, pushing the door to open it more.
About what? What is there to talk about, Nicholas?!