Chapter 2 The Betrayal

The words hung in the air like a bomb about to explode.

Mia's breath hitched, her mind reeling as she tried to process what Jenna had just said. "What do you mean, 'us'?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Ethan's words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. "Jenna and I are expecting a child."

Mia stood motionless, her heart pounding against her ribs as if trying to escape the pain. Her hands trembled at her sides, her mind desperately trying to convince itself that she'd misheard. Ethan wouldn't-he couldn't. Not today, not after everything.

"Expecting a child? H- how?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Ethan didn't respond, his gaze steady and unyielding. Jenna, standing smugly at his side, rested her hand protectively on her stomach, the gesture like a knife twisting in Mia's chest.

"This isn't funny, Ethan," Mia said, her voice rising as her composure cracked. "Is this some kind of twisted joke? Because it's not! It's our anniversary, for God's sake!"

Jenna sighed dramatically, leaning into Ethan as though seeking protection. "I told you she wouldn't take it well," she murmured, her voice soft and laced with mock concern.

Ethan reached out and lightly stroked Jenna's hair, his touch gentle-too gentle. It was a gesture Mia had craved for years but had never received. "Don't worry about it," Ethan said, his tone calm, almost dismissive. "I'll handle it."

Mia's chest constricted as she watched the intimate exchange, her presence in the room entirely ignored. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she scoffed, the sound sharp and bitter.

"Handle me?" she snapped, her voice trembling with fury and heartbreak. "Today is our wedding anniversary, Ethan! And this is your gift to me? Announcing that you've been cheating on me with your secretary? That she's carrying your child?"

Ethan's face twisted in irritation. "Don't be dramatic, Mia," he said coldly.

"Dramatic?" she echoed, her voice cracking. "You have the audacity to call me dramatic after what you've just done?"

"What I've done?" Ethan repeated, his tone mocking. "Let's not pretend this marriage was ever real, Mia. It was a convenience. You were nothing more than a trophy wife-"

"A trophy wife?" Mia interrupted, her voice rising in disbelief.

"-only, you weren't even worth showing off," Ethan continued, ignoring her interruption. "The only thing you brought to this marriage was your inheritance, which, might I remind you, you've already handed over to me."

Mia's knees wobbled, and she stumbled back a step, her hand clutching at the edge of the dining table for support. Her vision blurred as the weight of his words crashed over her. Used. She had been nothing but a pawn in his game, a means to an end.

"That's not possible," she whispered, shaking her head. "You're lying. This can't be real."

Ethan's lips curled into a sneer. "Oh, it's very real, Mia. You've served your purpose. And now, it's time for me to move on. Unlike you, Jenna has value. She's giving me something you never could-a child."

The words struck her like a physical blow, and she stumbled again, clutching her chest as though to steady her pounding heart.

"A child?" she repeated, her voice breaking. "You wanted a child? How could I give you one when you wouldn't even touch me?"

The room fell silent, her words echoing off the walls. Jenna's smirk faltered slightly, and Ethan's expression hardened.

"Alright, alright," Ethan said dismissively, waving a hand as though brushing away her pain. "We're not going to rehash old arguments. Let's get to the point."

He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a sleek black folder, tossing it onto the table in front of her. The sharp slap of leather against wood made Mia flinch.

"What is this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Open it," Ethan said simply.

Mia's trembling hands moved to the folder, her gut twisting with dread. Slowly, she flipped it open. The bold, cold words staring back at her stole the breath from her lungs.

Divorce Agreement.

Her fingers tightened around the edges of the paper as the room spun around her. Her knees buckled, and she sank into the nearest chair, her breaths coming in shallow gasps.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "No, this isn't happening. You can't do this."

Ethan crossed his arms, his face devoid of any emotion. "It's already done, Mia. All you have to do is sign."

Tears streamed down her face now, no longer held at bay. "You used me," she choked out. "You manipulated me, stole my inheritance, and now you're throwing me away like I'm nothing."

"Don't make this harder than it needs to be," Ethan said, his tone almost bored. "If you'd been able to give me a child, maybe I would have considered keeping you around. But you didn't."

Mia's eyes snapped up to his, blazing with fury despite her tears. "You didn't let me!" she screamed. "You locked me out, ignored me, and treated me like I was invisible!"

Ethan sighed, as if tired of the conversation. "We're done, Mia. Just sign the papers and move on with your life. I've already moved on with mine."

Jenna stepped forward then, her face a perfect mask of sympathy. "Mia, I know this is hard for you, but Ethan and I-"

"Don't," Mia hissed, cutting her off. Her voice was low and dangerous, trembling with suppressed rage. "Don't you dare say another word."

Jenna stepped back, her faux innocence replaced by a flicker of fear. Ethan, however, merely scoffed.

"This conversation is over," he said, turning toward the door. "Take some time to think about it. But don't take too long. I don't have time for delays."

Mia stared at his retreating figure, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces. As the door closed behind him and Jenna, she let out a choked sob, clutching the divorce papers in her hands.

Her world had just crumbled, and she was left standing amidst the ruins, alone.