ManyWriters

I had just entered the house, clutching the pregnancy report I'd spent five years working towards, when I caught sight of my husband guiding his young female assistant into the nursery.
Holly Winter wrung her hands, bowed her head, and began to weep, intentionally showing the red marks on her neck.
"Alex, I have nowhere to go. Please allow Mr. Thornton to take me in," she begged.
Darrell Thornton grasped her hand, his voice sharp and defensive as he addressed me.
"She's the promising student you supported. She's freshly graduated and can't afford rent. You're a mature woman—don't make a big deal out of helping a young girl."
He gave me a cold look.
"Moreover, you're unable to bear children. We have plenty of spare rooms. What's the harm in letting her stay temporarily?"
I watched silently as he transformed the nursery we had prepared into her bedroom.
With a deep sigh, I made a phone call.
"Mom, is it too late for me to accept your previous conditions and return home?"

Nursery Becomes Mistress's Bedroom

"Which child? Alex, let's discuss this calmly. Please don't create a commotion in public."


"If Holly's the issue, I'll dismiss her and evict her from our home right away. Can't we return to how things were before?"


My tolerance was wearing thin, and my eyes betrayed my exasperation. This meeting was meant to be about business, but it was veering off course.


"You're not grasping the situation, Darrell. I'm determined to end our marriage. You'll receive official notice in three days."


Darrell's face creased with worry, his anxiety growing with each statement. He hadn't believed I would follow through. His thoughts raced, convinced someone had persuaded me to leave him.


A wave of rage overtook him, clouding his judgment. He glanced at Colin with contempt, muttering under his breath.


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