My Husband's Secret Divorce

soundtrack to my boring life, until I t

the clerk said, shattering my five-year marria

Not only that, he had remarried the very next day to Candida Camacho, the woman who had trie

ing room, arguing. "I hate having to pretend for that pathetic woman!" Candid

as now playing house with my attempted murderer, and I was the f

years ago, flared to life, mirroring the gaping w

y voice clear and steady. "I need yo

pte

redom on every face in the room. I just needed a replacement for my driver's licens

my number finally blinking on t

d the glass looked tired. She chewed her g

to sound cheerful. "I need a re

g of her long nails the only sound for a moment.

looked up at me, then back at the

asked. "Is my p

flat. "Your marital status

lt louder. The air in the room fe

"I'm married. My husband is Jackson Pa

t. She turned her monitor slightly towards me. "The system

n cold. This wasn't just a

voice shaking a little. "Please, check

ok her head. "No error. The divorce was finalized on

at month. Jackson had been so attentive, so loving. He' d bought

't make

gain, her expression shifting fr

oftly, "it says Mr

as tilting beneath my fe

ing from the screen. "They were married t

me like a physical blow. A w

e, her eyes wide now. "And... they have a chi

he DMV faded into a dull roar. A so

oman who had t

day. The sun was shining. Jackson looked at me with so much love

, ch

e. Her family had been a business rival Jackson had crushed,

I threw myself

ing down, seeing the white of my wedding dress turn a sickening, brillia

ackson roaring, "I'll make you pay for this, Ca

I was lucky to be alive. But the knife had done

s. He swore he would love me forever, that I was the only woman he would ev

what was left of her family's company, chased her ou

. He had sworn t

h

ried to her? How co

un feeling harsh and cold. The world was a blur of

r five years, he had been living a double life. For three years, I had been his ex

he came home late, smelling of a perfume that wasn't mine, which he'd blame on a client. The times he'

sharp. He had been psychologically abusing me for

Our house. The one he bought for me

heard voices from inside. An an

man's. C

e living room, my body hidden by th

otion. Candida stood by the fireplace, holding a s

e was sharp with venom. "I hate you! I hate having t

r, looking desperate. "Candida, please. You know I on

dn't break any further, shatte

You destroyed my famil

ing. "I was obsessed with you. I couldn

er eyes flashing with pure hatred

ted in conflict. "I

't have

a. You have to know that. I love you so much I secretly divorced Elena. I marrie

voice dropping to a desperate whisper. "Pl

ted to cry. "Mommy, don't leave

boy. He reached out a trembling hand. "Joey

on. She leaned in and kissed Jackson, a long, possessive kiss. T

shook uncontrollably. The pain in my abdomen, a dull echo from five years a

time. He knelt at my feet and thanked me for saving his

a lie. A cruel,

rything for a man who was playing

in my mind. Every loving word, every tender tou

ed. He was just

me. The shaking stopped. The pai

be his vic

k of my hand. I took out my phone, my finge

name. Hami

button. He answered

as warm, concerned.

t clear and steady,

need your help. I nee