Chapter 7
“Divorced?” Ryan repeated, his voice a mixture of disbelief and mockery. “I never wanted a divorce. You tricked me into signing those papers.”
“Tricked?” I shot back, my voice sharp. “Like you tricked me by blocking my phone calls and refusing to see me when I was in the hospital?”
I met his gaze, cold and unwavering. “You’re the last person I want in my life, Ryan. If I could go back, I would never have married someone like you.”
His face went pale, his pleading eyes locking onto mine. “Baby, listen to me, I was wrong.”
I swallowed hard, the words catching in my
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vu killed my baby”
He froze, his face draining of color as he stared at me, his mouth opening and closing in shock. “I… I didn’t know, he stammered.
“Didn’t know what?” I fired back, my voice tinged with bitterness. “You knew everything, Ryan. Don’t act like you didn’t know. I fell down the stairs, alone and helpless, with no one there to care for me. And you were nowhere to be found.”
I saw the flicker of guilt in his eyes, but it didn’t last. Ryan would never truly understand the depth of his cruelty, the pain he’d caused. His empty words could never undo the harm he’d done to me.
“Just like back when I had that run–in with the Italian mafia, I continued, my voice steady but cutting, “you were just waiting for
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me to die.”
“NO! NO! How can you say that, Helena? You’re the one I love-”
Ryan’s voice cracked for the first time, shattering the cold, composed facade he always wore. The man who had never shown weakness was breaking in front of me.
“I’m sorry I survived, and I’m sorry I disappointed you” I said flatly. “But now that I’m out of the picture, you can have your grand wedding with Catherine.”
I couldn’t stop the bitterness from creeping into my voice. “I was never the perfect daughter–in–law your mother wanted. I tried so hard to please her, only to be treated like an outsider. Maybe Catherine can be the perfect daughter–in–law I could never be.”
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Ryan opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His face, once so proud and composed, was drained of color. His hands reached out for me, desperation etched in his features. I recoiled, his touch making me feel sick.
“I don’t need your apologies, Ryan.” I stood up, pushing him away. “I’m done.”
“Helena, I never thought about Catherine like that,” he pleaded, his voice cracking. “She was just like a sister to me. I lost my sister when we were kids-”
“So, you gave me your sister’s lingerie to wash when I was bleeding and miscarrying just hours ago?” I interrupted, my words sharp. “What a pure, sisterly bond.”
Ryan flinched at the coldness in my voice, but I couldn’t stop now. The truth had to be said.
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“I’ll change, Helena,” he begged, his eyes
wide with hope. “I’ll leave everything behind. Just give me one more chance. We’ve been together for five years. We used to be so in love..”
“Used to be,” I corrected him softly, my heart as cold as stone. “That was the past, and my past is over. My future has nothing to do with you. You broke me in ways I never thought possible. We can never be together again.”
Ryan’s face fell, the last shred of composure evaporating as my words sank in. His expression turned from disbelief to pure fury.
“You can have Catherine” I said, the finality in my tone cutting through the tension. “Because I already have someone else. Someone who means everything to me. I
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can’t imagine being with anyone but him.”
Ryan’s face paled, his jaw clenched as my words hit him like a punch. But he refused to give up.
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