Enzo was nice enough to drop me off there, but what I wasn’t prepared for when I walked in was all three women in my life sitting around the kitchen table, glaring at me.
But all I could see wasLila.
My beautiful wife. I drank in every inch of her, trying not to be offended when her lip curled with disgust.
Her eyes narrowed as she took in the sight of me too, and my shoulders sank. I knew I looked as bad as I felt.
“Sit, Victor, my stupid manchild.” Mom pointed at a chair, and I sank into it, knowing this was going to be a fucking nightmare.
“Are you sober?” Vanessa asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. If pissed off had body language, it would be her with her crossed arms and furious glare, her chin lifted.
“Yes,” I replied, wanting to add ‘unfortunately’ but knew better. I’d be sober the entire time I stayed here; my mother wouldn’t let me drink myself into an oblivion. I’d be out on my ass, and this was my last hope of somewhere to live before I had to pay again.
I chanced another look at Lila, my heart skipping a beat as I found her studying me. Maybe this was an intervention; maybe she’d come to take me home.
Fuck, I would die for that right now.
Except…
“I’ve come to ask you to sign the divorce papers, and to tell you I’m putting the house on the market.”
Well, fuck.
My stomach sank. It was really happening—she was selling the house. There wasn’t anything I could do about it—Lila was done with me. I dropped my head into my hands.
What could I say?
Nothing.
I literally had no defence at all.
“We’ll leave you both to have a private conversation,” Mom said, and I heard the scraping of their chairs as they rose to their feet. The door closed, and I finally looked up.
Lila was the only one left in the room with me, and for the first time in forever, I could at least try and talk to her.
“I know you hate me,” I began, and she nodded.
Great.
“But I want you to know, I love you more than anything. I know I haven’t shown it, but I do. Always have, always will.” The lump in my throat made my words sound thick, but I couldn’t disguise that.
Lila looked away, but not before I saw the tears in her eyes. That meant she still feltsomething,didn’t it? Hope rose in my chest, but the way she scrubbed at her eyes and glared at me extinguished it.
“It doesn’tmatteranymore, Victor.Lovewon’t save this marriage.”
It was like a knife being driven into my heart. I couldn’t breathe. Even though I knew I’d lost her, hearing it from her in real time made me want to vomit.
Thiscouldn’tbe my reality.
I don’t want it.
“Everything is going to shit,” I admitted as I spied the divorce papers glaring at me from beside her.
Fucking brilliant.
“You only have yourself to thank for that.” Lila’s normally soft voice was cold and guarded. “We’re not here to talk about ‘what ifs’ and ‘what could have beens,’ nor the emotions you feel from your shitty actions. I want to move on, Victor, and you need to let me.”
Our eyes met, and fury, love, obsession, and regret soared through me.
