Chapter 6 Bear the Brunt

Kelly's POV

I walked out and went to the bedroom. I grabbed a pillow and a blanket. I turned and was about to leave when Pierce entered the bedroom and looked at me.

"Where are you going?"

I looked at him sharply. "Why do you care?"

"I care because you're my wife, Kelly!"

A sarcastic laugh escaped my mouth at what he said. I looked at him with rage. "We're divorcing anyway."

"Kelly, you can't just run away like this. We have to talk about the problem."

"I don't have a problem, Pierce. It was you who had a problem, and you created it, just to remind you."

He grabbed my wrists and held me in place when I tried to leave. His jaws were clenched as his eyes bore into me angrily. "My father is angry, Kelly. He's accusing me of cheating on you."

I tilted my head. "Are you not?"

His forehead creased. "I am not an asshole, Kelly. Did you see me kissing her or fcking her? I still have my sanity with me. I won't get intimate with her as long as you're carrying my name-"

"Frankly speaking, I'm not carrying your name, Pierce," I cut him off. He was taken aback by what I said. "No one even knows that we're married."

"Kelly!"

"Don't worry. I'll talk to your family about this. I will tell them that I'm no longer happy with you and that I want a divorce."

He swallowed hard and stared into my eyes. "Y-You'll do that for me?"

I laughed without humor. "I'll do that for myself."

"Wait, Kelly..."

I pushed his hand away and shot him cold stares. "What?"

He looked down and licked his lips. He looked really guilty now, and from that moment, I saw the man I fell in love with. I saw my best friend.

He sighed and walked toward me. He gently grabbed my wrist and wrapped his arms around my tiny body, giving me a warm and apologetic embrace.

I felt him kiss my hair as he whispered, "I'm sorry... I-I was stupid for lashing out at you. I was just... worried about Lexi. You know my father; he would ruin her."

I squeezed my eyes closed. You're afraid that she'd get ruined, but you're not even worried that you're ruining me. I wanted to punch him, to hurt him, to hit his head with the hope of waking him up.

"Stay here, please. Sleep beside me, Kels..."

That's my cue. I pushed him away and hugged the pillow tighter. I looked him in the eyes and shook my head. "There's no reason for us to sleep together, Pierce. I'll be sleeping in the guest room."

"Kels..."

I turned my back and left him in the master bedroom. I went straight to the guest room and dropped my exhausted body on the bed. I caressed my cheek, thinking I was crying unknowingly again, but there were no tears. I'm in pain, but I'm not crying anymore. Is this the stage of heartbreak where you're getting used to the pain and just accepting it wholeheartedly? Pathetic! I feel like this is just self-pity.

"Kels..." Pierce's voice was followed by three knocks. He tried to open the door, and I'm so stupid for forgetting to lock it.

He entered carrying a tray of food. He pressed his lips together and walked toward me. He stood beside the bed and looked down at me as if weighing my reaction.

"I brought your dinner. I heated it too. I'm sorry for interrupting your meal."

My eyes landed on the tray of food. He never let me eat alone before. Even if he was full, he would eat with me, especially if I cooked the food.

A bitterness crept into my heart. Quit reminiscing, Kelly! Those memories were just an illusion. Those times were borrowed.

He sighed and put the tray on the bedside table before he looked at me again. "Mom sent me a message. She's inviting us to dinner tomorrow night. I hope you can come with me."

"Obviously, it's about us. They would be suspicious if I didn't come. It's also time I should tell them about our divorce."

He sat on the bed and looked at my face. He did everything he could to catch my eyes. He even used his fingers to lift my chin so our eyes would meet. Even when he's hurting me, a simple touch, a simple care, a simple stare from him makes me tremble and weak. One soothing word from him and my wound is healing.

"I'm sorry, Kels... Please forgive me. I shouldn't have agreed to marry you in the first place. I know I'll just hurt you. I'm sorry..."

I hid my balled fists behind me. "You regret marrying me?"

He shook his head. "I don't regret marrying you. I've been very happy during those three years, Kels. What I regret is I put you in a situation where you'd be the one who'll get hurt. You are my best friend; I swore to protect you, but I was actually the one hurting you."

I looked away. Good to know that he knows his responsibility. What's shameful is he doesn't know what he did to me. He didn't even realize I had feelings for him. He thought I just saw him as my best friend.

***

Everyone at the long dining table was silent. I was sitting beside Pierce. At the center of the dining table was Pierce's father. In front of Pierce was his mother, and Phoebe, Pierce's younger sister, was absent from the family dinner today for her school training.

"We should eat first," Mrs. Anderson cleared her throat and smiled at me.

I gave her the sweetest of my smiles. She's been the perfect mother-in-law. I respect her and will always respect her even after all of this. She's my dad's best friend, actually.

We started eating in silence. I looked at Pierce when he started putting food on my plate. If I didn't know him, I would think he was acting, but I knew him well. He was naturally caring. He was naturally sweet.

I felt like salivating when I saw the food I used to hate before. I badly wanted to eat it, but I knew Pierce's parents would notice it and think it was strange, so I restrained myself.

"I didn't know you're a dirty dog, Pierce." We were in the middle of dinner when Mr. Anderson spoke with a hint of disgust and anger. He lifted his face and glared at Pierce. "Do you want your grandmother to die early? If she heard about your stupidity, she might die."

"Honey..." Mrs. Anderson caressed her husband's arm.

I swallowed hard as I saw Pierce's balled fists under the table. I knew he'd been afraid of his father ever since he was a kid. Mr. Anderson was a perfectionist. He was very strict and disliked mess.

"Where did your balls go, Pierce? You're already married and yet you're seen somewhere with a slut?"

Pierce was about to say something out of anger when I lifted my arm, stopping him. He's hurting me, but I can't bear to see him hurting. This is stupidity, but I knew my heart would always do everything to protect him, not just because he's my husband, but because we were best friends before he married me.

"He's not cheating, Dad."

"Don't defend him, Kelly!" Mr. Anderson strictly warned me, but I shook my head.

"I want a divorce, Dad."

"Oh my God!" Mrs. Anderson gasped and sobbed.

"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE, PIERCE!" Mr. Anderson shouted and punched Pierce's face.

"NO!" I shouted and blocked Mr. Anderson when he attempted to attack Pierce again.

"Get out of my way, Kelly. I will teach that punk a lesson."

"I asked for a divorce even before he was seen with Lexi. And Lexi is the company's new model. They were working when they got spotted together."

Mr. Anderson looked at me with a creased forehead. "What did you say?"

"Kelly..." Mrs. Anderson sobbed.

I looked at her and smiled. "I love your son, Mom, but not the way you want me to. He's my best friend, and I'm sorry that I just agreed to marry him for the sake of Grandma. I want to correct my mistakes. I was the one who wanted a divorce, so don't blame it on him."

Everyone went silent after what I said. I was looking at everyone with courage, but it slowly faded when I heard someone behind me speak.

"What did you say, Kelly?"