Elena stirred just before her alarm could blare. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she frowned in confusion. She was lying on the bed, how? The last thing she remembered was collapsing on the cold floor last night, tears soaking into the rug. The ache behind her eyes reminded her it hadn't been a dream.

Groaning, she sat up slowly and cradled her forehead. A dull throb pulsed in her temples. Reluctantly, she pushed herself out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom. The sight that greeted her in the mirror made her flinch. Dark circles loomed under her puffy eyes, her cheeks were flushed and swollen, and her face looked thinner, as though the weight of her sorrow had physically drained her overnight.

Was this what heartbreak looked like?

She leaned forward, fingertips pressed to the cold glass. What did I do wrong? she asked her reflection silently. Don’t I deserve forgiveness? A second chance?

She sniffled and squared her shoulders. “I can fix this,” she whispered. “I’ve always fixed things. My home won’t be an exception.”

Her lips curled into a bitter scoff. “Her name is Pamela… nice name.” She paused. “But not nice enough to destroy my family.”

She stepped out of the bathroom, her eyes landing on Paschal, who was fastening his cuffs at the dresser. He didn’t look at her. She didn’t greet him, and neither did he.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked, settling at the edge of the bed. Her voice trembled but held firm. When he didn’t respond, she moved to the center of the bed, picked up his tie, and began to knot it, offering it to him with trembling fingers.

He took it, without so much as a glance.

“Haven’t I been good to you?” Her voice cracked. “Where did I go wrong? Paschal, please, talk to me.”

Tears welled in her eyes.

He finally looked at her, briefly, and then reached for his briefcase.

Elena grabbed it before he could.

“Please, don’t walk out again. Not like this.” Her voice wavered. “Did I hurt you in a way we couldn’t fix—without a divorce?”

Paschal exhaled and ran a hand down his face. “This isn’t your fault, Elena.”

“Then whose fault is it? Something must’ve gone terribly wrong for you to choose this.”

He hesitated, then sat on the edge of the bed, facing her.

“There’s a contract I’ve been pursuing for my company,” he said, his tone strained. “But the competition is brutal. I stand no chance unless I align with Pamela. It’s her father’s firm. She’s the future CEO.”

Elena blinked, confused. “How does that guarantee anything for you?”

Paschal’s voice lowered. “By marrying her. She’s in love with me. And her father... he’ll approve the deal if I become part of their family.”

There was silence.

Elena stared into thin air and nodded slowly, rhythmically. “So… you’re trading our family for a contract.”

“Elena, I loved you,” he said, finally meeting her eyes. “You know that. I would’ve asked you to stay, but Pamela doesn’t want to be a second wife.”

“You don’t need that contract, Paschal. I provide everything we need. We’re not struggling. I can even work harder...”

“I want to be a man, Elena,” he interrupted. “I want to build something of my own.” He stood up and straightened his tie.

“And I can’t support you?” she asked, stepping forward. “We’re supposed to be a team.”

He frowned, pulling his hand away when she touched him. “I know what I want. Please don’t make this harder. My mind’s made up.”

Elena’s lips parted, but no words came. He picked up the briefcase and walked to the door.

She sank to the floor as the door clicked shut behind him.

Her sobs broke free, raw and guttural. The kind of cry that only follows losing something irreplaceable. She wept like a widow. The ticking of the giant wall clock mocked her pain, reminding her this wasn’t a nightmare. This was her reality.

She was still wallowing in sorrow when her phone rang. She pushed herself up and sat on the bed, stretching her hand across to retrieve the phone from under the pillow. The screen read: Vicky, with a trail of heart emojis. She tapped the answer icon and put the phone on loudspeaker.

“Hi, babes!” Vicky’s voice was chirpy and warm.

“Hi, Vicky,” Elena answered faintly.

“Are you okay? Your voice doesn’t sound good,” Vicky asked, concern creeping in.

“Hmmm. I’m fine. But I’d love to see you,” said Elena, staring at the phone with the hope Vicky won't say she was busy or out of town. She is her best friend, and she's all she had left.

“I’m always here for you, babes. What time?” Vicky replied without hesitation.

“How about now? Are you free?” Elena asked.

“Yep. I’m trying to wrap up work. I’ll be free in five minutes. Where are we meeting?” Vicky asked.

“Our usual spot,” Elena said. She hung up quickly to give Vicky time to round up whatever she was doing.

She stood up and walked to her closet. Her fingers trailed along the row of clothes in the first partition until they paused at one dress. A small, wistful smile curled her lips as she took it out.

She had bought this dress a few days before discovering she was pregnant. Instead of resting like most pregnant women, she’d buckled down harder at work, designing more, pursuing contracts, chasing partnerships with fashion companies and modeling agencies. She had wanted the best for her son and a fulfilled heart before her growing belly slowed her down.

She had never worn this silky, silver, body-fitted gown. The left shoulder slipped off seductively while the other stayed firmly in place. A long slit at the back exposed her slender, fair legs.

She was dressing in contrast to her emotions. The perfect outfit for her mood might have been a black maxi gown with long sleeves, maybe paired with a vintage scarf and sunglasses to hide her swollen, red eyes. But she knew that would only sink her deeper into misery. So, she chose the opposite, hoping that if she dressed like she felt beautiful, she might just start to believe it again.

A few minutes later, she pulled into the hotel’s car park. Her eyes lit up when she noticed the red G-Wagon parked in the next line.

Vicky had arrived before her, as always.

She walked steadily into the VIP section. The space was nearly empty, a hush hanging in the air. She spotted Vicky and headed toward her.

“My babyyy!” Vicky squealed and stood up to pull her into a hug.

“How are you?” she asked, gently.

“I’m fine. Just that... it’s just that—” Elena mumbled and swallowed hard, steadying herself before she broke down.

Vicky stood and joined her on the sofa. She took Elena’s hand in both of hers and looked into her face with gentle concern.

“I’m sorry about what you’re going through. We’ve been friends since our first business venture. We’ve been through a lot together. So whatever this is, you’re not alone. We’re in it together.”

Warm tears welled in Elena’s eyes and slipped freely down her cheeks onto her chest. Vicky handed her a handkerchief.

“It’s Paschal. He wants a divorce,” Elena said, her voice cracking.

Vicky opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. She simply let the truth settle deep in her chest.

Elena, noticing her silence, felt the weight of reality solidify. Until now, everything had felt like a fever dream. But sitting here with Vicky made it real.

“Has he given any reason?” Vicky finally asked. Her brows furrowed, and her lips lost their usual playful curve.

“A business contract. And then there’s another woman,” Elena said, her voice trembling as she blinked to keep the tears from falling again.

“He said he’s marrying her to get the contract. Paschal is leaving me… Vicky.” Her voice broke, and she burst into tears. She covered her face with the handkerchief and sobbed. Vicky moved closer and pulled her into a hug, letting her rest her head on her shoulder. She stroked her back softly.

“This is awful. You don’t deserve this. Not after everything you’ve done for him,” Vicky said, her fists clenched and jaw tight. She knew Elena’s sacrifices. She knew how hard she had worked. And now they were throwing her away like she meant nothing?

“Have you seen the lady before? I mean, his mistress?” Vicky asked.

“No. Not yet,” Elena replied as she sat up and wiped her face.

“Okay. But you don’t need to focus on the divorce right now. I want you to focus on your child instead.”

“Yeah. I was thinking about that,” Elena said as she dabbed her face dry.

“I’ll be taking two weeks off work. I hope you can manage things while I’m gone. I’ll handle anything urgent from home.”

“Of course. You could take a month. Everything will be fine. I’ll let you know if anything needs your attention,” Vicky assured her.

When Elena got home, she dropped her bag on the couch and headed to the dining area to grab a glass of water. But a noise from upstairs made her pause.

She turned and ascended the stairs, each step heavy. She could now identify where the sound was coming from, and who the voice belonged to.

A soft laugh echoed from Timothy’s room. A woman’s laugh.

She blinked. No, it couldn’t be.

She stepped closer. The sound grew clearer.

“Aunty Pamela, you're joking, right?” Timothy’s delighted voice rang out amid giggles.

Elena froze. Her heart stopped.

Pamela is in my house?