~KATERINA~
I blinked a few times just to make sure that my eyes were not playing some tricks on me. For a second, I thought that Lucas wouldn't make it home tonight but here he was, standing at the door holding a brown envelope in his right hand which I didn't give a damn about. All that mattered at the moment was the fact that he had come back home just like he promised me…
I wanted to be mad at him, to scold him for not making it back home on time. I wanted to be mad at him for keeping me waiting for hours. However, I couldn't find it in me to do it. How was I supposed to be mad at him when all I wanted was to bask in his arms?
I placed the plates back on the table and rushed to him, wrapping my hands so tightly around him. God, it felt so fucking good to be in his arms again. I felt safe in his arms. It felt like home, somewhere that I belonged, as if those strong arms were made just for me. I felt tears burning in my eyes and my grip around him tightened ten folds, burying my face in his chest and inhaling his strong scent deep in my lungs.
Lucas was hesitant to hug me and I couldn't help it but wonder what was wrong with him. However, he hugged me eventually and a big smile spread across my face. Perhaps my action took him by surprise. Maybe he thought that I would be mad at him because he didn't answer any of my calls and texts.
I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes after pulling back from the hug. I don't know why I was being so emotional. Perhaps it was because of the hormones as a result of the pregnancy.
" Where have you been my love? I tried to call you but you didn't answer any of my calls. I tried to text you back but…you didn't answer any of my texts." I complained, feeling sad when the memories flashed in my head. All I wanted was for him to text me back if he was too busy to answer my phone.
" I was busy with something." He answered briefly. I knew Lucas would never ignore me on purpose because he always answers my calls whenever I call him. My heart melted when I gave it a thought. For a second, I thought that he was ignoring me.
" I wanted us to have dinner together, that's why I called you a couple of times. I prepared your favourite food and dessert. However, I think…I'll be required to reheat the food." The corner of my lips curved into a smile. For my husband, I didn't feel any burden of reheating the food even if it's a thousand times. I'll gladly do it because I love him so much.
" There's no need for that," He cut me short and I creased my eyebrows in confusion, wondering what was wrong with reheating the food.
" Why? The food is too cold and that's not healthy, you know." I tried to reason out, worried for his health.
" I don't feel hungry." The frown of my face only deepened when I heard his words. Lucas has never said no to his favourite dish, this was the first time. I looked into those crystal blue eyes that I loved so much and that is when I realised that something was off…
There was something in his eyes which I couldn't wrap my fingers around. His eyes were cold and distant, they didn't have any warmth in them like it always does whenever he comes back home from a business trip. I was so happy to see Lucas that I didn't notice the slight change in his temperament.
My heart ached inside my chest as though someone was squeezing it into a tiny ball and it was becoming hard for me to breathe. I cooked beef wellington just for Lucas because I wanted him to have a good meal when he comes home from his business trip. My heart sank deep into my stomach when it dawned on me that all my efforts had gone to waste.
I swallowed the lump down my throat, " Is-is everything okay? Did the business trip fail?" I inquired just like any woman would ask her husband when she notices a change in his behaviour. Perhaps he had something that was troubling him that's why he was behaving strangely. I didn't want to blame him before finding out what was wrong.
" Everything is fine with me,unless you have something to tell me." He said with an emotionless face as though he was accusing me of something. I couldn't remember the last time that Lucas looked at me like that. As though I had committed unforgiving sin.
What was wrong with him? I couldn't remember us fighting before he left for the business trip. On the contrary, he made love to me the night before he left and promised me that he would come back to me in one week. We have been talking while he was away and the conservation was smooth. Why the sudden change? I couldn't help it but wonder.
"I…I'm fine." I said, putting on a small smile to mask the sadness that I was feeling in my heart. I wanted to tell him the damn truth. I wanted to tell him that I have been feeling sick and when I visited the hospital to check what was wrong, I found out that I was pregnant. I wanted to let him know that we are going to be parents! I wanted to inform him that he's going to be a daddy. I wanted to tell him that after four years of trying, the heavens had finally answered our prayers!
However, I didn't know how to tell him when he was giving me a cold shoulder…
" That's good." His deep voice brought me back to the present. "I would like you to go through these documents. If you don't like anything, let me know. I'm going to take a shower, I feel exhausted." He handed me the brown envelope and I took it hesitantly, wondering what was inside the envelope.
" Lucas…" I called when he was about to turn around and walk away, "I...I have something important that I need to tell you." I stuttered, feeling a little bit nervous because I didn't know if it was the right time to tell him about the news. However, I couldn't keep quiet about it. I wanted him to know that he's going to be a father soon. Who knows? It might light up his mood.
" I'm so exhausted, Katerina. Can't it wait for tomorrow?" He asked, heaving a deep sigh. I could see the exhaustion in his eyes and my heart sank when I heard his words. Heaving a deep sigh, I nodded and tried to put on a smile. He turned around and walked out of the dining room without looking back.
I remained standing at the same spot as I stared at the door as if he would materialise. Lucas didn't care to appreciate the effort that I had made to prepare the dinner. He didn't bother to compliment how I looked in the red dress that I had worn for him because I wanted to look good for him tonight. He ignored everything and my heart ached inside my chest. I felt tears burning at the corner of my eyes but I blinked countless times to hold it back.
' Perhaps he was acting that way because he was exhausted. Or maybe he grabbed something on his way home because he thought it was late dinner.' I tried to come up with a theory to explain his sudden change of behaviour.
Taking a deep breath, I opened the brown envelope and pulled out the documents carefully. I turned the documents around to have a look of what was written on it and my heart stopped beating for a while.
" THE DIVORCE AGREEMENT." The papers read and it had our names on it. Lucas had already signed the papers, leaving the place where I was supposed to sign pending.
My hands shook uncontrollably and my legs felt weak. I sat on the chair, tears burning in my eyes.
' Is this the reason why Lucas was acting cold towards me?' I couldn't help but question myself. I tried to recall if Lucas and I ever talked about getting divorced but it didn't ring any bell in my head.
Why? Why was he divorcing me? Why did he decide to divorce me now when I needed him the most? Tears streamed down my cheeks because I couldn't hold it back anymore.
My phone on the table dinged but I didn't care to check what the message was all about. I continued to stare at the divorce papers as tears rolled down my cheeks.
What about the innocent soul growing inside my belly? What will I tell the baby when she/he asks about his daddy? More tears streamed down my cheeks when I gave it a thought. I subconsciously wrapped my hand around my stomach, trying to protect my unborn baby. All I wanted was to give my baby a complete family…
My phone on the table dinged nonstop and I couldn't ignore it anymore. Wiping tears from the corner of my eyes, I picked the phone to check who was texting me nonstop.
I turned on the phone with blurry eyes and I froze when I saw the picture that was sent to me…