Anthony had come to his decision. It wasn't necessarily easy but, Anthony knew where he belonged. He knew for a fact which one of the women loved him. He knew who had his heart. He knew who made him feel good. He knew who he could go further with in the future. It was the end of two weeks. It came to his decision. He left home for his work out and once he returned home, Anthony was going to get things straight.
Rayna had missed her period and had been feeling a little under the weather the past few days. Rayna began to connect the dots and there was only one explanation. To be sure, she took a pregnancy test and low and behold it read positive. Anthony and Rayna could finally start a family.
Rayna was overly excited and couldn't wait to tell Anthony. Finally, she could give him what he's always wanted. She knew the medicine had to work. All they had to do was try and they did. Now, their family could finally blossom. She rubbed her stomach in anticipation of bring life into this world. All she could think about was her becoming a parent. The look on Anthony's face was going to be priceless.
It had been a struggle. After all this heartache and tribulation, Rayna cried tears of pure joy. She could finally give birth to a beautiful baby, put an end to this depression and bring Anthony back to her. They could be happy. It was hard and stressful but, now the dream was coming true. She could give Anthony the ultimate gift. The one thing Anthony had always wanted could finally by his. Their lives were going to be perfect.
Anthony picked up his phone when got in his car. He opened the text message thread with Ariane.
"Ariane. After that I'm coming over in about 2 hours." Anthony said.
Anthony drove home and walked into his house. Teenie was chewing on her toy being a happy dog. Anthony knelt to rub her head but Teenie pulled away from him. She had to grown apart from Anthony as he pulled away from Rayna. She knew what he was doing and didn't want to indulge him. Anthony sighed and walked off.
He walked into the kitchen and saw that Rayna had cooked his favorite meal. Lemon pepper chicken, pasta shells, green beans, and roasted potatoes. She must have just finished because it was still warm.
"Rayna!" Anthony called. He needed to talk to her. He needed to do this now while he had the courage. He walked upstairs and was met by Rayna in the hallway.
"Hey, baby!" she said with a huge smile and giving him a big hug. "I have a surprise for you!"
"Look, we need to talk." Anthony said ignoring her happy tone.
"Okay, you go first!" she said still smiling.
Anthony walked her to a living room on the second floor. He sat Rayna down on the couch then sat on the foot rest across from her.
"Listen, I really need to say this." Anthony said.
"What's up?" Rayna said trying to contain her excitement.
"I honestly don't know how to really put this so I'll do my best to just come out and say it." he said taking a deep breath. He felt his heart beating so fast that Anthony felt like he was on the verge of having a massive heart attack. He looked to the ceiling and prayed to God this would go over well.
"This must be something serious or it wouldn't be so hard to get out." Rayna said getting a little scared.
"Rayna, in the years we've been together I can say I've had an amazing time. You've loved me and it's been amazing loving you. You're beautiful and I've been a very lucky man so far. You've brought me joy. You've cared for me like no other woman has before." Anthony said holding her hand.
Rayna smiled. "I love you so much." she said before leaning into kiss him. Their lips touched and Anthony couldn't feel that spark that was there so he pulled away.
"Rayna, I have to tell you this. I've fallen in love with another woman." Anthony said bluntly.
Rayna felt a sword right through her heart. "What?" she said. She had to be dreaming. This was a joke. Rayna was going to blink and it would be over. Then she would tell Anthony she was pregnant with his child and they would begin their family. Rayna was waiting for something to change. However, the stone face Anthony had and the serious tone in his voice made it perfectly clear, crystal clear.
"I'm petitioning for a divorce." he said.
"Anthony?" she said. "Divorce?"
"Yes. It's best that we part ways. I promise to give you a heavy amount of money for the years we've been together." he said.
"Money?" Rayna said through her teeth feeling the tears well up.
"Yes. I've loved you. I have, honest to God. I'll never deny loving you but, I can't bring myself to stay in this relationship anymore. I've loved another. Though, I have wronged you and sinned against you and our marriage, I know I hurt you." Anthony said.
"Who is she?" Rayna said straining.
"Her name is Ariane." he said.
Rayna was struggling to keep it together. She had never gotten her heartbroken before. This had to be the worst feeling aside from Ben's death. All these years had now amount to this. 4 years of love, sacrifice, and giving herself to Anthony was repaid with betrayal and adultery.
Anthony watched her look away from him. Her eyes darted back and forth looking at anything but him.
"How could you do this to me?" she whispered.
"Please, pack your things and leave your wedding and engagement rings. I'll call Alexis for you; you'll need the help I'm sure." Anthony said. He got up and left the room. He proceed to walk down the hallway.
"No!" Rayna screamed. Anthony felt her fists hit him in his back and his head. He shocked him a little seeing as Rayna had never hit him before. He felt the pounding in his back and turned to hold her wrists. "No! No! You asshole!" she screamed.
"Stop!" Anthony said. He held her wrists and wrapped them around her as he forced the both of them into the bedroom.
"You cheating son of a bitch!" Rayna yelled breaking away and throwing things at him. "How dare you!"
"Rayna, stop!" Anthony said catching a few of the things and dodging the others.
"You fucking do this to me?! After everything!?" she yelled.
"Calm down." Anthony said daring to hold her. "Stop it. Please, don't act like this."
"You cheated on me! You fucked another bitch then you want to leave me! I am your wife!" she growled.
"Rayna, calm down. Relax!" he said restraining her.
Rayna used every curse word she could muster to call him and say all she could until she gave up and broke down. Crying and wailing in on the floor. Anger, pain and frustration had poured out of her in the form of screaming in tears. All this time. All her suffering and her struggle. Everything she had endured while with Anthony. Everything he forced her through. The neglect, the depression, the nasty comments and this is what she had left. The hurt and the pain hit her all at once like a dog become roadkill and being ran over by 20 other cars.
"You can't do this to me." she sobbed heavily.
"Rayna. Please, just leave quietly. Pack your stuff and I'll make sure you get the papers." Anthony said.
"Anthony, I'm pregnant!" Rayna yelled before he could walk out. This was a last ditch effort. To ensure that she still had him. Rayna loved Anthony and refused to let him leave her like this. This was the most weak or vulnerable she had ever been. If she didn't admit her pregnancy now, Rayna was sure she'd lose him.
"What?" Anthony said.
"I'm pregnant. I just found out today." she said trying to relaxing from her crying.
Anthony shook his head. "Don't say that. Don't say things like that just to keep me."
"You think I'm lying?" she said astonished.
"In our vows, you said you'd do anything. Say anything to keep me. I would never see you as a liar but, I believed the anything part." Anthony said looking down at her.
"I would do anything or say anything! But, I would never lie to you! I'm not lying! The test is the bathroom on my side of the counter! Check it! I'm pregnant with your child, damn it!" Rayna cried. "I'm going to give you your child. This is what you wanted. After you make love to me, you deny me of all people."
"Please, don't be so petty." Anthony said. "For the last time Rayna. Leave quietly with your things and your dignity. I'm leaving..."
"To go to your whoring bitch?" Rayna growled through the tears.
"Please, don't be simple. Ariane is beautiful and one of a kind. On top of all that, she loves me." Anthony said.
That had twisted Rayna's insides and pulled them right out of her. She screamed in agony and pulled her hair.
"I'm going. Please remember to return your rings." Anthony said. He quickly left the house hearing Rayna scream and sob.
Rayna had been shot right through the heart. She held her stomach as she heaved and cried on the floor of the bedroom. She swore and cursed Anthony and that bitch that stole her happiness. 4 years of happy, sweet, beautiful love amounted to this dark day. Her world was shattered. Teenie came up and whined. She laid by Rayna trying to be the loyal companion she was brought into her life to be.
Alexis got the call and hurried her and Terry to Anthony's house. She found Rayna in the closet with clothes thrown everywhere. Terry kindly packed up her things putting them in their SUV. Alexis consoled Rayna as she could barely even form real words.
Rayna's entire life had been destroyed. Within an hour, her marriage had crumbled and was swept away by the wind. All because there was someone that was better than her. Another woman had taken Rayna's man for under her. She had been simply replaced by a woman who was prettier, skinnier and for some reason was enough from Rayna to leave him. Rayna felt like her reason for living had been snatched and burned into ashes. 4 years was turned into dust.
"Everything is ready." Terry said softly.
Alexis held a drained lifeless Rayna. She looked her. "Only when you are ready." Alexis said.
"Can I have a minute?" Rayna asked hoarsely. Her voice was gone from the shouting and hollering. She was tired inside and out. Her soul had been drained and shrunken down to grain of rice.
Terry and Alexis exchanged a nervous look to each other. Alexis let go of her and left the room. Rayna walked through out the house taking a good look at everything one last time as she would never see it again. She began to walk towards the door but then heard Teenie whining.
Rayna turned and looked at her. Teenie nudged her and dropped the leash that she had in her mouth. Rayna took it and petted her dog. She removed her rings and placed them in the bowl that sat on the table in the center of the entry way. They walked out and got in Terry's vehicle. As they pulled away, she looked on at the house as it became smaller in the distance.
Anthony brought Ariane back to the house after confessing his eternal love to her. Ariane marveled at house knowing that Rayna was out of the picture. Anthony collected the rings out of the bowl and stored them in their respective boxes and locked them away in a safe.
He and Ariane enjoyed the meal that Rayna cooked and slept in the bed together. His past martial bed that he shared with his now previous love. She had officially replaced Rayna. Ariane was the new love of Anthony's life. She was his everything as Rayna was soon to become a memory.
Ariane woke up early in the morning. She walked all through out the house collecting pictures of Rayna. If she was in the picture, it got taken out of it's frame and put in a trash can. Ariane walked out into the backyard with the trash can full of pictures and went for the barbecue pit.
She spread a few of the pictures out and turned the pit on. The pictures caught a flame and burned. Ariane smiled evilly as she continue putting more and more pictures on the grill.
Ariane finally got what she wanted. Anthony was hers. All that was left was to marry him and take advantage of him and his money. This had all been apart of a plan since she first laid eyes on him. She had been playing him this entire time. All Ariane wanted was money. Anthony had brought into his heart what he feared. A money hungry, gold digging woman had him in his clutches.
Ariane was going to play with his heart and bleed his bank accounts dry and leave him broken hearted and dead broke. She had played her part well and now it was time to take advantage. Anthony had no idea and there would be no way out.
It was officially over for Anthony and Rayna.
THE END!!!
A/N: Well, this is the official end of Passion In The Game. I hope you guys have enjoyed the story! -AliRazzay