CHAPTER 5

Upstairs, I made my way to the bedroom I had been banished to.

The room that had once been my comfort zone now felt cold and empty, a mirror of the future Tyler had left me with.

I spotted my charger on the bed and remembered I needed to power my phone. I rushed to plug it in, knowing I needed to call Ann, my friend. She was the one person I could always rely on, and right now, I needed her support more than ever.

As the phone screen lit up, I felt a slight sense of relief; at least I wouldn't have to face this alone.

With that done, I took a deep breath and turned to face the rest of the room. The sight of my belongings scattered around felt surreal, like remnants of a life that no longer belonged to me.

I walked to the closet and pulled out a suitcase, the reality of leaving sinking in with every item I packed.

My phone buzzed, breaking the calm of the room.. I pulled it up to saw a new message from Anna.

"Hey girl! What's wrong with your phone?! Call me, it's important."

I couldn't ignore her, not when my world was coming apart.

I dialed her number, my heart racing as the phone began to ring.

The phone rang once, twice, and then Anna's voice came through, loud and urgent.

"Sam! Wtf is wrong with you? Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you! There's something important to talk about"

"Ann..." I drifted off, unable to keep up with Anna's normal energy, my voice breaking with emotion.

Anna's tone softened after a brief pause. "Sam, something's wrong. What is it?"

I took a deep breath, holding back the tears that threatened to pour over. "Tyler... he... he wants a divorce."

Anna let out a gasp of amazement and shock.

"What the hell?! Divorce?? No way, Sam, you can't be serious. Did something happen? You were just settling into married life. What changed?"

I let out a bitter laugh, the weight of the situation too heavy to bear.

"Apparently, Tyler's been seeing someone else, his secretary. He dropped the bomb on me out of the blue, probably because he wants to start a new life with her."

I paused for a moment, the words feeling like shards of glass in my throat.

"I tried to reason with him, but he's made up his mind. He doesn't want me anymore. I don't know what to do, Anna. I don't know if I can do this alone."

Anna's voice, although coming through the phone, felt like a hug. "Sam, listen to me. You are not alone. I'm here for you, okay? You're gonna get through this, and I'm gonna be by your side every step of the way. And Tyler? He's a fool. He doesn't know what he's lost."

I closed my eyes, taking in her words. But even with her support, the fear of being left behind still gnawed at me. "But what am I supposed to do? I've never been on my own.

"Well, for starters," Anna said, her voice filled with determination, "you're going to move in with me until you get back on your feet. You'll stay in the guest room, and I won't take no for an answer."

I smiled despite myself, Anna's stubbornness always a source of comfort.

"But seriously, Sam," she added, her tone softening, "you're stronger than you think. I've seen you tackle life's challenges before, and you always come out on top. This is just another hurdle to jump over, and I know you can do it."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to digest what just happened. "I thought we were happy, Anna. I thought…"

My words trailed off, and the silence was heavy with hurt. Anna didn't need me to finish my sentence, she already knew the rest.

"Sam, you can't blame yourself for this," she said gently. "Sometimes, people make their own choices, even if they don't make sense to anyone else. But I know one thing for sure.. you deserve to be with someone who loves and respects you.

"Take a deep breath, and remember who you are. You're not just someone's wife..my best friend is an amazing woman, with so much to offer the world."

Anna's voice was a calm, steady sound, stabilizing me in the tumult.

My heart swelled with gratitude as Anna's words of encouragement washed over me. She had a way of making me feel like I could conquer anything, even in the face of heartbreak.

"Thank you, Anna," I replied, my voice thick with emotion. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Hey, what are best friends for?" Anna replied with a chuckle. "We've been through thick and thin together, and this is just another chapter in our story. So finish packing, and then get your butt over here."

"You're right, we've got this," I said. "I'll pack up the essentials, and be over in an hour."

"Perfect," Anna replied. "Oh, and Sam? Don't forget your favorite blanket. We both know you can't sleep without it."

I laughed, despite the heaviness in my heart. "Always looking out for me, aren't you?"

"That's what I do," Anna replied.

I forced a feeble smile, appreciative for the strength in Anna's voice. "Thank you, Anna. "I will be there very soon, say in the next few hours," We said our byes and I hung up the phone.

The room grew quieter, the sound of my movements the only thing breaking the silence.

As I zipped up the suitcase, I took one last look around. It was a farewell to the room, to the life I thought I had, and to the person I had been.

With a final, deep breath while wiping the tear that had escaped from my eyes, I grabbed my suitcase and headed downstairs.

As I walked down, I heard Tyler's voice echoing through the hallways. "I miss you, Julie. When can you come over? I really need to see you."

His words cut through me, a painful reminder of the betrayal happening right in front of me.

So it's Julie. Tyler's new secretary. She was the reason my marriage was falling apart.

My heart hurt, the pain sharp and deep. I pulled my bag towards the main door, past my unfaithful husband who stood indifferent.

I rushed to my car, my fingers fumbling with the keys in my desire to flee this place of lies and betrayal.

With a screech of tires, I sped off, my mind racing as quickly as the car.

The tears poured freely now, blinding my vision as I relived every minute of Tyler's betrayal and Julie's deceit.

The pain was a real thing. It was gripping my chest so tight that I could hardly breathe.

I drove on autopilot.

My thoughts were full of what I had gone through in the past hour.

How had it come to this? How had my life unraveled so completely? I had married Tyler thinking it was a new beginning, but suddenly it seemed like the end.

My mind kept returning to the positive pregnancy result, the small life growing inside me.

What was I going to do?

A distant part of me saw the red traffic light ahead, but my foot continued on the pedal, as if my consciousness had gone from reality.

In a moment, a truck came from the corner. Its horn was loud, but it was too late to stop what was going to happen. I hit the brakes hard, and my tires screamed.

But it was too late.

The truck hit my car so hard. It sent it spinning out of control.

My head hit the steering wheel, and a sharp pain exploded behind my eyes.. everything blurred.

I struggled to stay conscious, gasping for air as the acrid smell of burning rubber and smoke filled my lungs.

The pain was overwhelming, a sharp agony that radiated through every inch of my body.

I tried to move, to escape the twisted metal trapping me, but my limbs felt heavy, unresponsive.

In the midst of the confusion, I clung to a single thought.. my baby. The life inside me, the one thing left to fight for.

But the pain was too much.

My strength was slipping away, and the pull of unconsciousness was too strong to resist.

Tears streamed down my face as I whispered a silent apology to my unborn child, a desperate hope that we might still have a chance.

With one final, trembling breath, I let go, surrendering to the darkness.

The last thing I felt was the warmth of my tears on my cheeks, and then... nothing.