Chapter 1

Amanda came home late that night. She visited her parents who live in the next town. Since she became a married woman, she seldom sees them. It’s been a long time since she had a good conversation with her father and tasted the fine cooking of her mother. She would love to stay for more hadn’t she known that her husband was waiting for her at the comfort of their home.

She was about to park the car in their garage when a new message popped out on her phone. The message came from the hospital. She had recently got a pregnancy test and they’ll email the report when it’s ready.

The anticipation almost killed her, Amanda immediately maneuvered the car inside and checked the report. Her hands were shaking as she zoomed in the pdf file to see it more clearly. And she almost cried in joy as she read the final result.

She is pregnant!

Three years ago, Amanda married Keith Harris, her crush in her college days. He’d been the star player of their basketball team back in those days. He’s out of her league but Amanda was head over heels in love with him. She was all right just admiring him from the distance. At that time, Keith had been with her on-and-off girlfriend.

But things happened in unexpected ways. Amanda was too drunk on the night she celebrated her passing the board exam for Structural Engineering with a few of her friends. Keith was there with his friends. All were having a blast that night. And then she ended up with Keith in his bed.

The scene hadn’t sunk into her mind the next day when she woke up then someone barged in the room unannounced. The old man was fuming mad at the recklessness of Keith and decided that instant that the two of them will get married as soon as possible. No pun intended.

Later on, she found out that the old man was none other than Keith's grandfather. After a couple of days, they find themselves signing the marriage contract in front of her parents and his grandfather.

Their civil union was a fact hidden among the public.

Keith had made it clear to her that he was only following Grandpa's orders. However, she still needed to bear him an heir.

Amanda got pregnant in the first year of their marriage but got a miscarriage. She never had any good news after that. No matter how she tried to get pregnant again, it always came negative.

Now, finally, God heard her sincerest prayer.

Amanda couldn’t wait to share this good news with her husband, Keith. He will surely be ecstatic to hear that he’s going to be a dad soon. But she recalled that he never liked her to bother him when he’s still on business. So she put her phone back in her bag and got out of her car.

It’s all right. She could share the news when he returned.

Humming happily, she turned on the lights in the living room herself and got the scare of her life when she saw Keith seated on one of the couches.

Keith was leaning forward, his arms resting on both his thighs. It’s as if he’s in deep thought and she’s the one who disturbed his silence. Keith leaned back and stared back at her.

The kind of stare that was condemning.

His eyes were filled with hatred. Of anger and of betrayal. But why’s that?

Amanda felt the chill down her spine but she chose to ignore the feeling. She then tried to lighten the mood.

“You’re back home?” she said as she removed her coat and approached him with caution.

“What are you expecting so happily, Amanda?” His condescending voice made her stop in her tracks. Amanda was appalled by the harshness of his words.

“Are you expecting that I’ll be going home late so you can do whatever you want with your lover?”

Her eyes looked at her husband with confusion. “What are you talking about, Keith?”

“How can you explain this, my dear wife?” With that menacing look, Keith stood from the couch, and seconds later pictures were flying all over the place.

In her eyes, every piece felt like slow-mo suspended in the air till they hit the ground. And she was beyond terrified to see what the images were.

All photos were images of her getting intimate with another man.

No, they must have been edited. She had been faithful to him in her life. How could she be accused of something she had never done?

She tried to explain but Keith shook his head. “No, don’t say anything. This is enough already, Amanda…”

“We’re done living together. Sign those goddamn papers and we're through,” he walked beside her and gave a final warning before he left.

“I don’t want to see your face anymore. You disgust me. You better pack all your things and leave before I come back tomorrow.”

The screeching sound of his car made Amanda realize that this was not a dream. That this was her reality.

There was no way this was true. There’s no way that she could cheat on him. Never. And above all else, she hadn’t had the chance to tell him that she was carrying his baby.

She shook her head as tears rolled down, and then she caught the craft envelope on the table.

Amanda walked toward it even if her steps were getting heavier by the second. With shaking hands, she opened the envelope and was faced with the divorce papers.

So Keith wasn’t lying. He intended to put an end to their marriage.