Chapter 5

Gretchen Rivas POV:

I left the corporate tower behind, its gleaming facade mocking the ruin within. I glanced back, a ghost of a graphic designer, helping him sketch his first logo, dreaming of a future that would never include me.

I drifted home, the house feeling colder, emptier than ever. Sleep was a foreign concept. My mind raced, replaying the sounds, the images, the betrayal.

Donovan never came home that night. Not until dawn, when I was sitting by the window, watching the sunrise paint the sky with colors as fake as his promises.

He walked in, smelling of sex and cheap hotel soap. He found me, wrapped his arms around me from behind, and pressed a kiss to my hair. "Morning, sleepyhead," he murmured, his voice husky.

The scent hit me then. The cloying sweetness of Keri's perfume, mixed with the salty tang of his sweat. I remembered the sounds from his office. My stomach rebelled. I pushed him away, stumbling to the bathroom, and vomited until my throat burned.

"Gretchen? What's wrong, baby?" He followed me, his face etched with concern. He rubbed my back, his touch making my skin crawl. "Did you eat something bad? Are you sick?"

I wiped my mouth, my body shaking. "Just a chill," I managed, my voice hoarse. "I'll be fine."

"Nonsense," he said, already heading to the kitchen. "I'll make you a hot toddy. With extra lemon. You'll feel better."

A Hot Toddy. He remembered that too. He remembered to use the good bourbon and the exact amount of honey I liked. He used to make it for me every time I felt unwell, for ten years.

He's still got the stamina for some things, I thought, a bitter laugh bubbling in my chest. Just not for me. We hadn't been intimate in months. He always claimed he was "too tired" from work. Now I knew where his energy truly went.

I used to research bio-hacking, buying him expensive supplements and vitamins to boost his "vitality." I was such a fool. He didn't need vitamins. He just needed another woman.

He came back with the steaming mug, the aroma of lemon and whiskey filling the air. It smelled exactly the same. But the man holding it was a stranger.

I took a sip. It burned, then warmed. But it couldn't thaw the ice in my heart. Tears welled in my eyes, spilling over, splashing into the tea.

"Oh, Gretchen, don't cry," he said, pulling me into his arms. "My heart breaks when you cry." He smoothed my hair.

I quickly wiped my eyes, forcing a watery smile. "It's just the whiskey fumes," I lied, my voice still trembling. "It stung my eyes."

He chuckled, relieved. "You're so sweet, my love. Always so sensitive."

The coldness returned, chasing away the last vestiges of pain. It would all be over soon. Just a few more days.

My phone buzzed. Keri. Again. A series of photos. Her in my husband's office, wearing nothing but a flimsy silk robe. Her on his desk. Her legs wrapped around him.

Then, a text: He says you're barren, Gretchen. But my baby is proof of his virility. Our baby will inherit everything. You'll be nothing.

Another text: He wore me out last night, baby. Said he hasn't had real passion in years. While you were sleeping peacefully, I was making his heir. Jealous?

I deleted the texts, my finger steady. No emotion. Nothing. I called a cab. It was time.

The hospital was cold, sterile. I lay on the operating table, my body trembling, not from fear, but from the immense weight of what I was doing. I gently placed a hand on my belly, a silent farewell.

I'm so sorry, my sweet baby. I whispered, tears silently streaming down my face. You deserve so much more than this broken world. More than this broken family.

Just a few minutes. That's all it took. The little life, so desperately wanted, so carelessly conceived, was gone. Reduced to medical waste.

"Can I... can I see it?" My voice was barely a whisper.

The nurse, her face hard, scoffed. "You weren't so squeamish when you were having fun, were you? Now you want to see it?"

I ignored her, scrambling off the table. I saw the bin. I rummaged through the bloody gauze, the medical tubing, until I found it. A tiny, barely formed speck of flesh. My baby.

I wrapped it carefully in a tissue, holding it gently in my trembling hands. I walked out of the hospital, the bright afternoon sun blinding me. But I felt only a bone-deep cold.

My phone buzzed again. Keri. Another photo. A glossy brochure for a luxury maternity ward. Donovan says only the best for our baby. You wouldn't understand, would you?

It doesn't matter who carries his child, I thought, a chilling emptiness in my chest. It will always be tainted.

I went straight to a lawyer's office. "I want a divorce," I told her, my voice devoid of emotion.

"Are you sure, Ms. Rivas? And you don't want any assets? No alimony?" she asked, surprised.

"I want nothing from him," I said. "Just my freedom."

The divorce papers were drafted quickly. I signed them, my hand steady. When I got home, I placed the papers and the tiny, tissue-wrapped bundle into the gift box. Donovan's birthday surprise.

I smiled, a cold, hard smile that didn't reach my eyes. Happy birthday, Donovan. I hope you enjoy your gift.

Keri's texts continued to pour in. Now, photos of a luxury villa. Donovan says this is where our baby will grow up. So much better than your old, dusty house, right?

I looked around the house. The home I had poured my heart into. The one we bought with his first big paycheck. Our memories. Our dreams. All shattered.

It's old, I thought. He's old. And so am I. It's time to leave.