Dear Ex, It's My Turn

I crouched on the icy marble floor, my knees throbbing in agony as I scrubbed with the last remnants of my strength. A sharp, burning pain pulsed through my arms and legs, a brutal reminder of the countless hours I had spent doing this, not just today, but every single day since I became Theo Ivan's wife.

This was my life now. Cleaning, scrubbing, cooking, an endless cycle of chores that Theo insisted were for my own good.

"You need this," he'd said with that charming smile of his, shortly after firing all the maids. "It'll help you lose weight and stay active."

I had believed him. What choice did I have?

I paused, panting like I'd just run a marathon. My chest heaved, my body trembling, begging me to stop, to rest. But I didn't. I couldn't.

How long can I keep doing this? The thought gnawed at me as I wiped sweat from my forehead. Slowly, I stood, wincing as pain lanced through my knees like needles piercing bone. Swallowing the groan rising in my throat, I forced myself upright and surveyed the space I had just cleaned.

The floor sparkled under the light of the chandelier. It was spotless. Perfect. At least it was worth it, I thought bitterly. With a shaky breath, I gathered the cleaning tools and trudged toward the janitor's closet. Each step felt heavier than the last, as if my body were collapsing under the weight of its own exhaustion.

But I kept moving. I had to. These chores weren't just tasks, they were my lifeline. My only way to get in shape. My only way to keep Theo happy.

I dumped the tools into the closet and leaned against the door, my mind drifting to the memories that had brought me here. Memories I had tried so hard to bury.

I was always too much. Too big, too heavy, too wrong.

With a BMI of 30, I didn't fit into society's rigid mold of beauty. And because of that, I didn't fit into anyone's idea of love, either.

My first date? A disaster. I had met him at one of New York's finest restaurants, desperate to impress. I wore a dress so tight it bit into my skin, the fabric digging into my ribs with every step.

But all my efforts had been in vain. The moment he saw me, his face twisted in disgust. He barely masked his displeasure, staying through dinner only because he realized I was footing the bill. Afterward, he left without a goodbye, leaving me alone at the table, humiliated and broken.

That night, I cried myself to sleep in my mother's arms, the only person who never judged me. But even she wasn't mine for long. Fate took her and my father from me in a car accident, leaving me alone with nothing but their memory and the fortune they left behind.

Until Theo.

Theo was a miracle. The first man who looked at me without flinching. He didn't judge me for my size, my looks, or my inheritance. When he saw me...

He showered me with the kind of love I had only dreamed of. He held my hand in public, unbothered by the stares and whispers. "I love you," he'd say, loud enough for the world to hear, gripping my hand as if daring anyone to challenge him.

But love, I realized too late, can be a cruel illusion.

By the time I finished preparing his favorite breakfast, I heard the sound of his footsteps. My heart lifted instinctively, my body responding to the thought of him before my mind could catch up.

"My love, I made your favorite," I said, my voice warm as I approached him. I leaned in for our customary morning kiss.

But Theo stepped back, cold and abrupt.

I froze, my smile faltering. "What's wrong, honey?" I asked, my voice soft, unsure. My mind raced for answers. Did I smell of sweat from the chores? Why is he acting strange all of a sudden? "Do I stink? Don't worry, I'll shower before you leave for work."

He didn't respond. His dark brows furrowed, his jaw clenched. Without a word, he extended a file toward me.

"Sign them. We're done, Lana."

His words hit me like a blow. My chest tightened, and I struggled to catch my breath. My trembling hands took the file as if on autopilot. "What's this?" I whispered, my voice barely audible, fear clawing at my insides.

Theo looked away, guilt flickering briefly in his expression before he hid it. He didn't explain. He just stood there, silent and unyielding.

I opened the file with shaking hands, pulling out the neatly typed document inside.

Divorce Agreement.

The bold title blurred through the tears welling in my eyes. "Divorce?" I choked out, my voice cracking.

"Yes, Lana. I'm done with you," he said flatly. His voice carried no trace of the affection it once held.

"No... no, Theo," I stammered, tears streaming freely now. "You promised me. You said you'd never leave me. You said you loved me-"

"Enough!" he snapped, his voice cutting like a blade. "Did you really think I'd spend the rest of my life with this?" He gestured at me with disgust.

I staggered back, clutching the papers to my chest, shaking my head in disbelief.

"You're pathetic, Lana. A burden. Sign the papers."

I stared at him, desperately searching for some trace of the man who had once held my hand so tightly, who had stood by my side and declared his love for me. But he was gone.

The Theo I knew had been a lie.

I had given him everything. My love, my trust, my very sense of self. I had sacrificed my dreams, my dignity, and my freedom for a man who saw me as nothing more than a stepping stone.

And now, he was discarding me like I was nothing.

I clutched the papers tighter, the weight of his betrayal crashing down on me. Tears blurred my vision as my chest heaved, the ache inside me far greater than any pain I had felt from cleaning or scrubbing floors.

"Theo... please," I pleaded, my voice breaking, raw with desperation. "After everything I've done, how can you say this? I gave up so much for you."

Theo smirked, leaning lazily against the dining table, his casual demeanor cutting deeper than any harsh words ever could. His indifference mocked me, taunted me, and yet I couldn't tear my gaze away. "Gave up what, Lana?" he sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You think I cared about any of that? I got what I wanted, and now I'm moving on. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

My sobs faltered, replaced by a suffocating numbness that spread through my chest, making it hard to breathe. I stared at him, my mind looping over the cold cruelty of his words. I got what I wanted.

And then, like a cruel twist of fate, realization dawned on me.

The inheritance.

I remembered it clearly-just days ago, Theo had come to me with soft words and gentle promises. I had signed every document he placed before me, relinquishing control of my parents' fortune-everything they had worked tirelessly to leave behind for me.

He had promised me he wouldn't leave. He had promised he loved me.

Even now, with the truth staring me in the face like a mirror reflecting a reality I didn't want to accept, I clung to hope. "I don't care if this is all about my parents' fortune," I whispered, falling to my knees as the last shred of my dignity slipped through my fingers. Tears blurred my vision as my hands trembled, clasped together in a pitiful plea. "Please, don't leave me. I love you. I'll do anything you want."

Theo's smirk widened, his dark eyes gleaming with triumph. He folded his arms across his chest, tilting his head as though I were some amusing spectacle. "I was never with you," he said coldly, his words a knife to my heart. His tone carried a mocking edge, every syllable laced with disdain. "Do you have any idea how much I had to endure just to get what I wanted from you?"

The breath left my lungs as if I'd been punched. His confession shattered what little hope I had left. Endure. That was what he thought of me? That was all I had ever been to him? A hurdle. A nuisance.

The man I loved, the man I had trusted with everything, had never loved me. Every sweet word, every tender gesture, every promise-it had all been a lie. He had played his role to perfection, knowing exactly how to break through my defenses.

I stared at him, trembling, unable to form words.

"What are you waiting for, Lana?" he demanded, his voice sharp and impatient. He stepped closer, looming over me like a predator circling its prey. "Sign the papers, or I'll make sure you don't have a choice."

I opened my mouth, trying to respond, to plead one last time, to tell him how much I loved him, how hard I had tried to become the woman he wanted. But my voice caught in my throat, choked by the weight of my grief.

Before I could find the strength to speak, faint laughter drifted in from the living room.

"Your wedding dress is the most exquisite I've seen in ages," came a voice, smooth and familiar. It sent a chill racing down my spine. "It will be the talk of the town, no doubt."

Another giggle followed, softer and more cheerful. "Thank you, Mrs. Ivan," a second voice replied warmly.

My breath hitched. Wedding dress? Mrs. Ivan? The words echoed in my mind, refusing to make sense. My heart pounded as I tried to process what I was hearing. The first voice-it was Theo's mother. But who was the other woman?

Before I could piece it together, a figure appeared in the doorway of the kitchen.

She walked in confidently, her heels clicking against the marble floor. She was young, beautiful, and effortlessly elegant. Tight black leather pants hugged her slender frame, and her flowing floral chiffon top draped over her like it had been tailored for royalty. Her makeup was flawless, her lips painted a deep crimson that only emphasized the smug smile curling up at the corners of her mouth.

Her eyes met mine, and in an instant, I knew.

Theo turned toward her, his cold, detached expression melting into something warm and tender. A smile I hadn't seen in years spread across his face as he approached her, wrapping an arm around her slim waist.

The sight of his touch, so casual, so intimate, made my stomach churn.

"My love," he greeted her, his voice soft and affectionate as he leaned in to kiss her.

I froze, the scene before me so surreal that it felt like I was trapped in a nightmare. He had never touched me like that. Never kissed me with such unrestrained passion.

The young woman smirked at me, her expression dripping with disgust. She was confident, radiant, and utterly unapologetic.

"Theo?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the roaring in my ears. My hands clutched the divorce papers against my chest, crumpling the edges. "Who... who is she?"

Theo didn't even glance my way. Instead, he turned to her, his gaze filled with an adoration that once belonged to me-or so I had thought.

"This," he said, his voice brimming with pride as he caressed her cheek, "is my real love. The future Mrs. Ivan."

And with those words, the fragile remains of my world shattered.

The woman looked at me in disgust and laughed softly, her smirk growing wider. "Oh, I'm sorry he didn't tell you earlier," she said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "I'm Emily. His fiancée, and we've been together since before he met you."

I felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. Fiancée? The word echoed in my mind, each syllable cutting deeper than the last.

Theo didn't even flinch. Instead, he kissed her softly on the lips once more and turned to me, his smile widening. "Emily and I are getting married soon. Isn't it wonderful?"

My heart shattered, the weight of betrayal pressing down on me, leaving me hollow and suffocated. My legs trembled as I struggled to stand, my body aching just as much as my soul. The room seemed to spin, the air thick with humiliation and grief. I could barely look at Theo, let alone form the words that clawed at my throat.

"You've already replaced me?" I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of disbelief. The words felt fragile, as if they would break apart just like I had. "You're parading her in my house while demanding I sign these papers?"

Theo scoffed, his lips curling into a disdainful sneer. His cold gaze pierced through me, void of any trace of the man I once loved. "This was never your house, Lana," he said, each word a dagger to my chest. "You were just keeping it warm for someone better."

The woman, Emily, as I now knew, chuckled softly, her laugh dripping with malice. Her smirk deepened, her eyes raking over me with contempt. "Don't take it personally," she said, her voice a syrupy mockery. "But let's be real, you're too fat and ugly to ever be addressed as an Ivan."

Her words sliced through me like a blade, sharper than anything Theo had said. I blinked rapidly, my vision blurring as tears spilled freely down my cheeks. My chest heaved with silent sobs, the pain tightening its grip on my throat. I turned to Theo, hoping, praying, for some sign that he would stop this cruelty, that he would stand up for me.

But Theo said nothing. Not a single word. His cold silence spoke volumes. The look in his eyes was clear-he wanted me gone. He wanted me erased.

"I trusted you," I choked out, my voice trembling with pain. Each word was a struggle, a small crack in the dam holding back my devastation. "I gave you everything, Theo. Everything. How could you do this to me?"

Theo rolled his eyes, his expression a mix of irritation and boredom. "Don't drag this out, Lana," he said flatly, his tone devoid of any emotion. "Just sign the papers and move on."

My hands trembled as I stared down at the divorce papers, the sharp black ink blurred by my tears. The reality of the situation crushed me, pressing down on my chest until I could barely breathe. I clutched the edges of the papers tightly, my fingers curling against the smooth surface, but no strength came to me.

"I don't understand..." I mumbled, my voice cracking under the weight of my grief. "Why are you doing this to me? I know I'm fat, but you always told me beauty lies within, not on the outside."

Theo's face hardened, his jaw tightening as his patience wore thin. His eyes narrowed, his tone sharp and cutting. "Lana, stop. You're embarrassing yourself."

The words hit me like a slap, hot and stinging. I stared at the papers in my hands, the edges crumpling under my grip. I wanted to rip them apart, to scream and lash out, but my hands were too weak, my spirit too broken. Instead, I let the papers slip from my grasp, watching helplessly as they fluttered to the floor.

"I can't..." I whispered, my voice barely audible, broken into pieces. "If you don't want this marriage anymore, at least give me back what you took from me. My parents' legacy. Everything."

Theo groaned loudly, frustration boiling over as his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "Enough of this nonsense!" he snapped, his voice rising, but before he could continue, the sharp clicking of heels against the marble floor interrupted him.

The sound was cold and deliberate, each step echoing like a warning.

Mrs. Ivan entered the room with an air of superiority, her sharp gaze sweeping over me as if I were nothing more than an inconvenience. Her lips curled in mockery, and the dramatic roll of her eyes made my stomach churn.

"Why is she still here, Theo?" she said, her tone icy and impatient. "I thought you were going to deal with her."

Theo glanced at the scattered papers on the floor, his irritation growing. "She's refusing to sign the divorce papers," he muttered, his jaw clenching as he shot me an exasperated look.

Mrs. Ivan let out a frustrated sigh as she strode further into the room, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. Her sharp, narrowed eyes flicked to the crumpled papers on the ground, her disdain evident. With a brisk motion, she bent down and snatched them up, her movements precise and deliberate.

She straightened, her towering presence filling the room with an air of malice. Stepping closer, she thrust the papers toward me, her gaze blazing with anger. Without warning, her hand shot out and slapped me hard across my face. The sharp crack echoed in the room, leaving my cheek stinging and my head reeling.

Before I could even recover, another slap followed, harder, sharper, sending a jolt of pain through me. My vision blurred as tears welled in my eyes, the bitter sting spreading across my skin.

"Listen here, you blubber," Mrs. Ivan spat, her voice dripping with venom. Each word was a dagger, cruel and unforgiving. "My son no longer needs you. Either you sign these papers, or I'll make you sign them myself."

I stumbled back, clutching my throbbing cheek as tears spilled freely. My chest tightened, the humiliation crushing me as I turned toward Theo, silently pleading for him to intervene. My heart screamed for him to stop his mother, to speak up, to do something.

But Theo didn't move. He stood there, his face cold and detached, his indifference like a dagger to my heart. I saw then what I had refused to see for so long-there was no love in his eyes. The man I once believed cared for me had abandoned me completely.

The realization hit me like a wave, knocking the air from my lungs. I was utterly alone. I forced myself to speak, though my voice cracked under the weight of my grief. "How can you do this to me?" I asked, the words trembling with heartbreak. "I loved you... I gave you everything. How could you let this happen?"