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It definitely wasn’t.
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“That’s right, I am. You’re the biggest liar, so of course you’d be able to tell. After all, isn’t it your job to twist the truth?”
“Are you calling me a crooked lawyer?”
I went too far.
“Judging by your lack of a response, I’m gonna assume you didn’t mean what you said.”
My wounded ego had made things worse. I hated going “cave-mode,” and I wished he could realize how it was hard for me to step out of my cave when I was afraid. Not of him… of having to reveal what hurt me. I felt stupid and was mad at myself.
“We’re heading home and we’re gonna talk about this, Aria—whether you like it or not.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Not Over You
Natalie was staying at a hotel that night with her children. Leaving Rob and calling the police was the best decision she had ever made. An officer had informed her they arrested her husband for felony assault and battery; he was spending the night in jail. Natalie knew that someone would eventually bail him out, but at least now she could prove that he was not fit to have shared custody of their children.
The twins were sleeping peacefully in bed when their mother stepped out of the bathroom. Having taken a shower, her body was still sore from the assault. Natalie was in shock. The bruising around her face made her feel ashamed. She had promised herself that if Rob would get violent again, she would leave him for good. Following through on her word, she was proud of herself for finally having the courage to leave. But her mind was exhausted and still racing. She needed someone to confide in. Phoning her mother was not an option since she was against divorce. Natalie got her iPad from her bag and connected it to her wireless keyboard before she sat at the desk. Opening her email, she noticed a message from her friend Candice; it had been sent two days ago. They had always kept in touch, evenafter Natalie had uprooted her life to New York. Scrolling down the page, she read Candice’s letter.
From: Candice Hartwell ([email protected])
Sent: October 23, 2013
To: Natalie Mitchell ([email protected])
Hey Natty,
You never emailed me back or returned my calls last week. I’m worried. Please get in touch when you can. I’m in St. Petersburg at the moment—Russia’s amazing! I’m visiting Dimitri’s family tomorrow and I’m kind of nervous. I don’t regret marrying him. I never thought I would leave Joey, but people change, right? I know things are rough between you and Rob. I just want you to know you have my support, no matter what you decide. I want your happiness. I’m your best friend. Please don’t shut me out. Once I get back, come to Florida with the kids and stay at our place. You could use a vacation. Please let me know how you’re doing.
Love you lots,
-Candi
A sad smile appeared on Natalie’s lips as she clicked the reply button and started typing away. She made a mental note to create a new email address. She no longer wished to be associated to Rob.
From: Natalie Mitchell ([email protected])
To: Candice Hartwell ([email protected])
Hi Candi,
I’m sorry for not getting in touch with you sooner. I’ve had a hectic couple of weeks—I’m all right though, so please stop worrying. Rob and I have been to marriage counseling and things aren’t going so well. He tried to change his ways, but theproblem is that I don’t love him anymore. I’m not in love with him. He’s hurt me more times than I can count, and the only reason I stayed is because we have children together. It’s sad how resentment can kill a partnership.
Natalie wondered if she should reveal how Robert had put his hands on her, but decided not to. She did not want to upset her friend while she was on vacation. Releasing a deep breath, she continued writing.
I’m tired of being in this loveless marriage. I want to be happy; I think I deserve that much. I know you’re probably going to shake your head when you read what I’m about to tell you, but I have to tell someone. Seeing Noah again has stirred up feelings I thought were gone. I’m still in love with him. Now, before you send me an email listing all the reasons Noah is bad news, let me tell you this: he helped me pay off my debts and gave me a generous amount of money to put away for my children’s college fund when he didn’t have to. Let’s just say that it’s more than enough to help me start a new life. I hadn’t accepted it at first because there was no way I could pay him back in this lifetime, but he had insisted that he didn’t want the money. He sincerely wanted to help me. And here I thought he hated me all this time… But I was wrong. He’s given me hope. Noah was never the bad guy, Candi; his mother was.
I need a fresh start. My kids deserve to live in a safe and loving environment that is free of abuse, and I can’t pretend to be happy when I’m not. I’m seeing a divorce lawyer this week and looking for an apartment. It’s about time I moved to some place new. By the way, I got promoted to top sales manager at work yesterday! My boss is opening another boutique, and she wants me to manage the store. I’m taking this all as agood sign. It feels right. Hopefully by January, I’ll be in better circumstances.
This is the best decision for me right now. I know Aria will emotionally support me through this, since she knows how hard it’s been to live with Rob. She’s shown no interest in wanting a relationship with her father ever since we got back from California. Honestly, I don’t blame her. I know she still talks to Noah. She feels closer to him, despite the paternity results. But with Robert, she wants nothing to do with him. She looks up to Noah. He’s been out of the country because of work. I can’t wait till he’s back in New York. I really think there’s a chance he and I could rekindle what we once had. There’s still something between us—I feel it.
Now that he’s single, and I’m single—well,soonto be—we can have a second chance. Aria adores him. I doubt she would have a problem with us dating again; I think she would jump for joy. It saddens me knowing that Robert was rarely a good father to her. I constantly turned a blind eye to the abuse. But not anymore. This time, I’m putting my foot down.
If I’m lucky enough to have my happily ever after, maybe I can finally give Noah that baby he’s always wanted. I’m probably getting ahead of myself, but it’s what I truly want. I’ve had to sacrifice so much for Rob. Sometimes I don’t even recognize who I am anymore when I look in the mirror. I used to be so beautiful, vibrant, and happy. Now I feel like I’m just a ghost of my former self. Robert has damaged me in more ways than one. I don’t mean to trouble you with my problems, Candi… I just need someone to talk to while I go through this divorce. You’ve already been down that road, so your support would mean the world to me.
