Andrew stared out the window of his office, the city skyline blurring into a haze as his thoughts drifted back to Calista. Their relationship had once been promising, filled with the kind of hope and love that made him believe they could overcome anything. He remembered the early days of their marriage, how she had radiated warmth and joy, how her laughter had filled their home with a sense of peace he had never known before.
But as the years passed, things changed. His family, with their unrelenting expectations and harsh judgments, had slowly chipped away at that joy. His mother, Eleanor, had never approved of Calista. She saw her as an outsider, someone unworthy of their name and status. Eleanor's constant criticism, her demeaning comments about Calista's background and upbringing, had created a chasm between them.
His sister, Victoria, with her arrogance and temper, had only made things worse. She treated Calista like a servant, belittling her at every opportunity. And then there was his brother, Marcus, whose advances towards Calista had crossed boundaries Andrew hadn't initially seen.
Andrew's indifference towards his family's treatment of Calista wasn't born out of cruelty but rather a misguided attempt to keep peace. He had always been the one to maintain order in the family, to ensure that the Anderson name remained untarnished. He believed that by ignoring the tensions, by focusing on his work and the business, he was protecting Calista in his own way. He had convinced himself that she was strong enough to handle it, that she would eventually win them over.
But that night, the night of the accident, something had shifted. He had expected Calista to be the same passive woman she had always been, but she had confronted him with a strength and determination he hadn't seen before. Her decision to ask for a divorce had caught him off guard.
He replayed their confrontation in his mind, her words still echoing in his ears. "I see things more clearly now. I understand your motives, your fears. You may think I'm powerless, but you're mistaken." Her eyes had burned with a resolve that left him confused and uncertain.
Andrew had always seen Calista as a gentle, fragile woman who needed his protection. Her sudden display of strength had shattered that image, leaving him with a sense of unease. He couldn't understand where this newfound courage had come from or why she had chosen that moment to reveal it.
His confusion deepened as he thought about the accident. He had rushed to the hospital, expecting to find her broken and defeated, but instead, she had faced him with a quiet, unwavering resolve. Her words about their lost baby had pierced through his indifference, leaving a lingering guilt he couldn't shake.
"I lost my baby because of this family's cruelty and indifference. But that child gave me strength even in his absence. His loss is my catalyst." Her words had stirred something within him, a flicker of regret he had tried to suppress. it didn't matter how much misunderstanding and coldness was between him and calista, this was their baby, his child, his future heir, but now he was no longer in this world.
Andrew had always believed that he was doing what was best for Calista by maintaining the status quo, by keeping his family's harshness at bay through his indifference. But now, he wasn't so sure. He had seen a side of her he didn't recognize, a side that was strong, resilient, and determined to break free from the chains that bound her.
He thought about his own actions, his coldness towards her. He had distanced himself emotionally, convincing himself that it was necessary for the sake of his family and their business. He had let his mother's opinions influence him, had allowed his sister's arrogance and his brother's transgressions to go unchecked. He had been blind to the suffering Calista had endured, blinded by his own need to maintain control.
Now, as he stood in his office, the weight of his decisions pressed down on him. He realized that he had failed her, that his attempts to protect her had only driven her away. The image of her lying in the hospital bed, broken yet defiant, haunted him.
Andrew knew that things could never go back to the way they were. Calista had changed, and so had he. He couldn't ignore the guilt that gnawed at him, the regret that clouded his thoughts. He had always prided himself on being in control, but now he felt lost, uncertain of how to move forward.
As he turned away from the window, his mind filled with questions and doubts, one thing was clear: he had underestimated Calista. She was no longer the passive woman he had married. She had found a strength he had never seen before, a strength that both frightened and fascinated him. And as much as he tried to deny it, he couldn't help but wonder if he had lost her for good.