Chapter 0217
I’d been scared, to say the least. I didn’t know how to be a father. For heaven’s sake, I’d never even been near any babies. It was overwhelming, but I knew I loved the baby already.
“She wanted to get an abortion. I couldn’t let that happen, so I threatened her.” I take a deep breath, feeling my throat close tightly against the bubbling emotions. “I took her to my grandfather’s house. I’d hoped things would get better. That she would learn to love the baby and me, but I was wrong.”
“She was hell to live with. I won’t lie to you; during that time we still had S** when the mood struck her, but it didn’t make up for the ugly way she behaved towards me. She would curse me, call me names and sometimes even slap me. She said I ruined her life and that she hated both me and the baby”
I look at the floor. I tried to understand that she was going through a lot. That she was pregnant, heartbroken, and still in love with another man. That’s why I let her let out her frustrations on me.
I I
“It was hard. I wanted to walk away so many times, but then I would remember my child. Sometimes I would remember the times she was sweet, or when she cried and begged me not to leave her. I was
hurting while trying help her with her pain.
Ava takes my hand and squeezes it. Lending me her strength as I felt mine diminish.
“When Gunner was born, she refused to see him. She went back to being a stone–cold bitch. She told me she never wanted to see me or him again. I took my baby and left the hospital. I didn’t hear from her until
probably a year later.
“What did she want?” Ava asks.
I didn’t want to tell her this part because I’m ashamed of it. Ashamed of how I let Emma use me for years.
“Sex.” I breathe, “She wanted S**. She said she tried sleeping with other men, but she couldn’t bring
herself to. I was overwhelmed with being a single father so I gave in. I wanted the release. Ther
next
morning, when I woke up, she was gone. She didn’t even want to see her son, nor did she say goodbye.”
I continue. “It went on like that for years. She would drop by just to have S** with me. I let it go so long because I’d hoped she would change. That she would learn to love me and our son, but she was only interested in what my body could give her.”
I feel sick to my stomach as I tell Ava everything. I feel disgusted with myself for allowing her to use me for so long. Most of the time, I hated both her and me. Her, for hurting me and myself for being weak.
The day Gunner saw her, he was about seven years old, and she was sneaking out in the morning. He had been awake. Gunner asked me if she was his mom. I couldn’t lie to him, so I told him the truth. She got
+15 BONUS
I’d felt so angry and bitter toward her. So resentful because I had to pick up the pieces of my son’s broken
heart.
“I called her and told her to give her relationship with Gunner a chance. When she refused, I cut all
communications with her. I could no longer allow her to string me along while she hurt Gunner.”
“I wanted a fresh change for me and Gunner, so we moved here, where I was born and raised. I wanted a
fresh start with him. I just didn’t know that you would be my neighbor or that Emma too had moved back
home.”
“I’m sorry for everything you’ve gone through, but I’m glad you saw your worth. You’re a great guy, Cal, and
you deserve someone who’ll love you wholeheartedly,” she says with a smile.
I smile back at her.
“Thanks Ava, you too deserve the world after what you went through with Rowan.”
I pull her into my arms and hug her. I feel so lighthearted. Like a burden had been lifted from my shoulders.
I didn’t want to tell Ava this, but I was glad when I realized that she would be my neighbor. I wanted her to figure it out. I wanted her to tell everyone the truth because I was so sick of Emma keeping him a secret. I i was glad that now everyone knew what kind of woman she truly is.
Synopsis
Ava: Nine years ago I did something terrible. it wasn’t one of my best moments but I saw an opportunity to have the guy I’ve loved since I was a young girl and I took it. Fast forward to years later and I’m tired of living in a loveless marriage. I want to free both of us from a marriage that should never have taken place. They say if you love something…. It was time to let him go. I know he’ll never love me and that I’ll never be his choice. His heart will always belong to Her and despite my sins, I deserve to be loved. Rowan: Nine years ago, I was so in love I could barely see right. I ruined it when I made the worst mistake of my life and in the process I lost the love of my life. I knew I had to step up in my responsibility and so I did, with an unwanted wife. With the wrong woman. Now she has once again flipped my life by divorcing me. To make matters even more complicated, the love of my life is back in town. Now the only question is, who is the right woman? Is it the girl I fell head over heels in love with years ago? or is it my ex wife, the woman I never wanted but had to marry?
