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ELEVEN
~ Elina ~
I was sore all over by the time we got in the car.
After that first night in bed, we hadn’t left the house. I was sure I hadn’t been so active even during my honeymoon. We had explored every inch of one another’s body, and yet I craved more. I reached across and squeezed Zane’s thigh with my hand as he pulled away from our lover’s nest for the weekend, and made our way back home. I was so entranced in my aura of contentment that I didn’t even spare a thought for what might be waiting for me when we got back.
That was a big mistake.
“Seth!”
My eyes widened as I noticed his bulky figure peeking out from underneath the light of my porch in the gloomy evening. My blood ran cold, and shivers trembled through my spine. Just looking at him made me nauseous, and I grabbed onto Zane’s hand. His jaw clenched, and he looked ready to fight. Noticing my unease, he looked across at me and gave me a rather unconvincing smile.
“Don’t worry. Everything will be okay. He won’t lay a hand on you, I promise.”
As we climbed out of the car, a feeling of dread settled in. We both grabbed our bags and made our way up the pathway to where Seth was waiting for us. He looked even worse than before. His gray hair was now messy and askew, his usual pristine clothing crumpled. Whatever was happening with him at home clearly wasn’t good, but he had no right to bring it to my doorstep.
“What are you doing here?” I cautiously asked as we got closer.
Seth narrowed his eyes, “What is he doing here?”
Zane stepped forward, “I’m here because Elina wants me here. You, on the other hand, shouldn’t be showing your face around here. You’re not welcome.”
Seth snarled, “So, I was right then? You two have been at it like rabbits behind my back this entire time?”
I shook my head, “No. Things have developed between us, but that’s only been since I moved back here.”
Seth’s laugh was harsh as he reached into his pocket and pulled a crumpled piece of paper out. He held it proudly in the air, but the writing was too small for me to read from where I was standing.
“Our divorce is final,” he spat, “But you couldn’t even wait for that, could you?”
Despite his presence, a feeling of relief washed over me. Knowing that Seth was no longer a part of my life just took a weight off my shoulders. Now all I needed was for him to leave and never come back.
“Is that what you came here for?” I asked, “To deliver our divorce in person?”
“I came here to see if this is what you really want.”
Now it was my turn to laugh, “Are you kidding me? You went behind my back, cheated on me, knocked another woman up, and then you dare to ask if I really want this divorce? Do you know how much you’ve hurt me?”
“Well, it wasn’t like you were going to give me the family I wanted.”
His comment stabbed me straight in the heart. It physically hurt as tears sprung to my eyes. I quickly turned away so he wouldn’t see me cry. Zane rushed to me and wrapped me in his arms, stroking the top of my head soothingly.
“You need to leave. Now,” he growled.
I tried to regain my composure as the men started to argue. All the while, Zane kept me wrapped in his arms so I could hear his heartbeat quickening with adrenaline. I knew that if I didn’t do something soon, there would be a fight. I pushed away from Zane and turned around, glaring at Seth.
“I may not have been able to give you children, but I was as good a wife as any. You’re the one who broke our marriage and betrayed me, and now I’m the one asking you to leave. I want nothing more to do with you, and I will file for a restraining order if I ever see you around here again. Do I make myself clear?”
Both men looked at me in surprise as I took a step forward, with hands-on-hips. I had finally had enough of being pushed around, for feeling guilty about something I had no control over. I wasn’t going to let Seth exert any more power over my life. I was done.
“But Elina…,” he started.
“Leave,” I hissed, “And don’t ever come back.”
Seth looked like he was about to say something when Zane stepped in front of me, his eyes narrowing. He pointed to the pathway, saying nothing, yet his silence spoke volumes. I knew that if Seth didn’t leave at that moment, things would get physical.
Luckily, he accepted his losses. Just before he left, he crumpled the divorce papers into a ball and chucked it onto the lawn. I waited for him to get into his car and drive off before picking it up, smoothing it out and bursting into tears.
It was finally all over.
