Series 1 Chapter 1 The Last Straw
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“Please… please come get me. I’ll do anything, I need to leave this place,” I sobbed into the phone as I clenched it tightly.”
A sharp worried voice sounded immediately, “What’s wrong, Aria? Are you hurt?”
I wiped my tears and cleared my throat, “I’m fine. I’m just done with this sham.”
“When should I come?” the voice asked.
“Come in three days time,” I answered.
“This is the last time, Aria, don’t disappoint me.“}
The call ended with a click and I stood up from the floor I was sprawled on.
“Aria, you’re free to go,” the nurse said to me.N
I nodded and smiled at her before I limped out of the hospital.
I hailed a cab to take me home as I scrolled through my phone hoping for a text message or phone call but there was nothing.
I wasn’t sad, it would make leaving very easier, I mused.
I stepped out of the cab and entered the house I’ve lived in like a stranger for the past three years.§
My father was in the sitting room watching a football match.
He barely spared me a glance before yelling at me, “Get out of the way you useless thing!“}
I stepped away from the television and he continued watching his match.
“You couldn’t even help us catch a stalker. You’re as useless as your dead mother!!” he hissed.”
The bedroom door opened and I saw Austin coming out with my step–sister, Mira who was giggling and holding him.
The moment they saw me they pulled away from each other and Austin cleared his throat before frowning.}
I smiled bitterly, there was no need to deny it. Three weeks ago, I already saw the video and found out that he has been sleeping with
Mira.
“Why are you back here? You didn’t help us catch the stalker that has been stalking Mira,” Austin barked at me.
“Perhaps if any of you had picked their call I would have been able to catch the stalker,” I said quietly.
I felt a sharp sting on my left cheeks as stars appeared in my line of vision.
Blinking back the tears, I saw my father standing before me angrily.
“You ungrateful bitch!” he barked, “Are you trying to blame us for your failure, huh? Same way you tried blaming Mira for framing you when you almost ran my company into the ground! You good–for–nothing ingrate, maybe you should have just died alongside your mother and brother!”
My heart broke at his words but I kept quiet. It wasn’t the first time he was wishing I had died with my mother.
But my brother’s death was so fresh how could he say this?”
1 blinked back the tears just as Mira’s voice sounded.
“Oh, papa, please don’t say that. It’s not Aria’s fault she’s not good at business and can only play with her beads,” Mira said in a sweet voice but I knew she was mocking me, “It’s also not her fault the stalker escaped, at least he’s not bothering me again.”
“Stop defending her, Mira, you give her too much credit. Your father is right and she’s worthless. I feel ashamed to introduce her as my wife which is why she’s a secret, Austin said coldly.}}
I stared at Austin and my heart broke more. Austin Harrington, the boy I’ve loved for twelve years.
Austin never spared me a glance until three years ago after Mira broke his heart–abandoned him at the altar and disappeared. Drenched in rain, I had gone in search of him when he almost jumped off a cliff out of embarrassment and heartbreak.
That night he slept with me and I let him. Even though he was heavily drunk and sad but I’ve loved him long enough I didn’t care.
The following morning he claimed I saved his life and asked me to marry him.
Without thinking twice I agreed. Six months into the marriage, Mira returned filled with sorrow and asked for his forgiveness.
He assured me he wouldn’t look at her and I had nothing to worry about but he was deceiving me.
He had accepted Mira and they’ve been having an affair right under my nose while he treated me coldly and kept our marriage a secret.
1
Three weeks ago I was forced to lure Mira’s stalker out and while I ran away from the stalker, Mira sent me twenty–two sex videos of her and Austin in one night.
Even while I was at the hospital being stitched up from the knife wounds the stalker inflicted, my phone kept buzzing with more video messages from Mira.
“Did you die or something?” Austin’s cold voice sounded as he snapped his fingers in my face.
I blinked and smiled, “What is it, love?”
He wrinkled his face, “Don’t call me that! I’m going for a business meeting with Mira and your father. Don’t wait up.”
“Yeah, maybe if you weren’t so dumb you might have actually joined us,” my father mocked.
They laughed and walked away. Immediately they were gone, I sighed and sat down on the couch.
brought out my phone and started scrolling through Facebook to contact someone when I saw a post I was tagged to. It was an
Divorced My Ex, Marned His Uncle
11:58 PM
I brought out my phone and started scrolling through Facebook to contact someone when I saw a post I was tagged to. It was an
unknown account that tagged me.N
I opened the post and a photo of Austin and Mira popped up.
They were holding hands in front of a courthouse three weeks ago, exactly a day after the stalker’s incident.
Mira in a white dress. Austin in a gray suit.
Between them–a framed ultrasound.
The caption:
“Just wedded and soon to be 3 #LoveAlwaysWins”
I stared at the screen for so long it dimmed.§
So on the day I was fighting for my life in the hospital, my step–sister and my husband had gotten married and my father witnessed it.
As if that’s not enough she’s also pregnant for him and here I am still his secret and worthless wife.
I didn’t cry. I called the lawyer.}
“This is Aria Harrington,” I said. “I’m ready to file for divorce.“>
“Are you sure this is what you want, Aria? You insisted on this wedding,” the lawyer said.”
I nodded, “Yes, my decision is final.”
“Alright. I’ll mail the documents to you and you both have to sign it and send it back to me in two days so I can finalize it,” the lawyer said.§ “Don’t worry, I will find a way to get Austin to sign the document,” I said.§
The front door swung open as Austin walked in with a frown.”
“Get me to sign what?!” he barked,}
