When I heard that five-letter word, it hit me hard. He ignited something in me that infuriated me. I could feel the rage coursing through my veins.
Michael kept holding Cole back. He wanted to hurt me, but Michael wouldn’t let him.
“He is my son. I don’t care what you say. I raised him. I cared for him. I was there for everything he needed. Don’t tell me he’s not my son.”
Cole continued to scream with tears running down his cheeks.
“And you’re a fucking bitch and a whore!!” Cole yelled again. His grief turned into anger.
“FUCK YOU, COLE!”
The doctor tried to calm me down, and I shook him off. Ralph came to my side and tried to calm me down as well, but I shook him off too.
“Who was the one who made you feel good in bed when you felt inadequate? Who was the one who put up with all of your infidelities after we got married? I looked the other way, didn’t I? You said you needed to relieve your stress. That you needed more than me to do that. And I bought your bullshit.”
“I don’t care,” Cole shot back. “How could you lie about something so sacred as a child?”
“Well, I don’t care that you don’t care. But you’ll care about this,” I said.
“And what is that, genius?” he mocked.
“When John called me several months ago, telling me he was sick, I had to divorce you so I could get the money to save the love of my life. Because he is and always has been the love of my life, my high school sweetheart that I dearly love. You’re nothing. You never have been.”
“You, you fucking bitch. Let me go, Michael. Let go of me, dammit.”
Cole struggled to get loose, but Michael wouldn’t let him.
“You humiliated me. You made me work for Moretti after we got married. You made me a bona fide whore. And now youcomplain about it and act all surprised. FUCK YOU, COLE! Simply, FUCK YOU!!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.
Cole looked defeated, and Michael looked devastated.
“And yes, I fucked Moretti. I fucked Moretti many times. And he was better than you, if you must know. I was his Candy Spice.”
Cole shook his head. Michael looked embarrassed. I felt bad for him, but I needed to get the truth, my truth, out of my system. This was the right time and the right opportunity to release all the resentment and emotional abuse I’d endured being his wife.
“Every time you were getting off with some other slut, I was getting off with Moretti. And I loved it. It was good, and I enjoyed it. The best sex I’ve ever had. But I’ve never been anything to you more than a glorified side piece. Moretti knew how to treat me. He was a true gentleman.”
I felt exhausted. My mind felt like it had been cleansed, purged of all the bullshit and humiliation I’d experienced in a marriage of convenience. In the end, I knew it was my fault, but who goes through life knowing exactly what to do? Not me.
I made good money working for Moretti. Cole was also very generous with me when things were good between us. I sent enough money to my parents on a monthly basis to take care of the bills and Ralph. I visited them every summer, including John. That became my routine. That was my escape from everything. It was my consolation prize for not making it as an actress.
But everything had caught up with me.
I turned my attention to Michael, my beautiful baby boy.
“Michael, I didn’t know until today. I swear.”
I lied. I knew he was Moretti’s kid. I didn’t keep the secret from Cole; I kept the secret from Moretti. I did not want my son togrow up to be like him. If Moretti knew he had another son, he would have turned him into a mobster like Rocco.
I paused and looked at Rocco.
“Rocco. I’m sorry about your dad. I really cared for him. But now you have a brother.”
I looked back at Michael.
Rocco stayed quiet.
“Darling, will you ever forgive me?”
