MI

wilderment that had shrouded me since I saw Alex at the

y for three days, without saying anything. And throughout those three d

I could tell that something was odd. If not, why was he

ing the front door. My pulse raced with

e moved past me, his face remained expressionless. There was no word, not even an apology, for

tched him walk up the steps, waiting and hoping-Please, Al

t tight with a combination of su

come to be this way? I stopped for a second bef

n. Making sure stuff was set for him had taken me hours earlier, and all I could hope was th

d the latch turned. I knocked ligh

e had fully shut me out. I leaned my face against the cold w

bs of attention and holds out hope that he would change? But the fact was

But what about this child?...A flicker of hope flared inside me, w

nt, he'll look at me the way I've always hoped. But even as I stood there, I could feel

at my hands. I could not sleep. How could I when my head was spinning under the weight of everything? The memory of him in the hotel played over and over in my min

I could still feel the way he slipped the ring onto my finger-no warmth or emotion. It was evident then that he did not love me. His voice had be

romised me on our wedding day. I clung to the optimism, b

k. It was 4:39 A.M. I

w. Again, I assured myself, this baby will make a difference. I chanted it like in supplication, that

aming through the curtains of th

past eig

him today. I would force him to pay attention. He should be aware about the

n up before meeting him. As I came o

iece of paper slid from the file and landed on the floor. When I stooped down t

ed in the mail. The love of my life, Alessia, has returned. I need you to carefully

ead them several times. Split up? I fell into the bed, the paper falling from my fingers and my limbs

course he does. He didn't want me to begin with. What about today? Why today? Why, on our anniversary-the day I planned to inform him about the

This can't be real. But it was. The papers were real. The words were true

reams that welled up from deep inside. Why did I beli

ike this-as if I were nothing? After three years of trying, sacrificing, and bending over backwards to gain a p

baby, he could adjust his mind. He didn't know

. He's already departed. He was never truly here. Not for

reality of my situation settling in with each breath. The

she sounded worn, as if she had been carrying a great load for too long. "Camilla..." she began soft

ealised this sooner. He's... He has never genuinely been

n. "But what about the baby...? I thought

full with pity. "Camilla, a baby w

been clutching to that hope like a lifeline, but it

ruth of everything crashing down around me. He's gone. He's genuinely gone. An