ears, exhaustion settling into her bones as she paced the living room, waiting for him. Hopi

ng for five years, but she had

the baby. Their child. She had always blamed herself, and so had he. He had warned her to stay away from stress, had told her time and again to be caref

n the irritation started with sharp sighs, dismissive looks, ang

urned home. His expression was as hard as a s

g. The moment she saw him, something inside her snapped. She grabbed t

a?! How could you do this?" Her voice cracked. "It is enough that you hate me for something I couldn't co

it had been a mistake, that he had been drunk or drugged. That it wasn't real.

is voice dripping with venom. He was di

gh her like a blade. Before she could process it, he reached into the ba

n't look down. She didn't want to see what they were. Her h

s?" Her voice was ba

y. "Sign them. My lawyer will hand

she shook her head picking up the papers

esulted

ere else to go. Her initial anger was now replaced

s, Roman? We

ard from him, he spat, "I refuse to wake up every damn day with a filthy wh0re polluting my hous

le

't registered. Then something inside her twisted in ange

his cheek before she eve

rsh

ith something dangerous and terrifying. But he didn't hit h

g voice filled with fury and pain, "... but not a

re!" She cried, choked with tears. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Ro

e wanted to say something to throw more venom at her, but h

d, but he didn't stop. His face was devoid of any warmth, his grip unyielding a

wasn't just another fight. He was

et in when he opened the front door. Her entire bo

fighting against his grip as desperation crept

't even

a as her only family. Roman's mother came to do some charity off

ed somewhere. And on the day she turned eighteen, he had asked her to

e was ripp

just losing her marriage, she was losing everything. Th

The cold air hit her like a slap, but it was nothi

oice cracked as she gripped his shirt, her pride long forgotten. But he

cily, his eyes dark and merciless.

's body trembled as she banged on the gate with wea

ase! We can

dn't open

forehead against the gate. "Roman," she whispered

she truly belonged anywhere. Her parents had aba

e, clutching the papers with her heart