A little conflict.

(ARIELLE'S POV)

I paused, trying to assimilate Ashley's words. Slowly, I locked my gaze with hers. "You're kidding, right?"

"Do I look like I am?" Ashley retorted, her voice firm and serious.

I took a breath, trying once again to make sense of her suggestion.

Divorce Jared? Somehow the very idea felt surreal, foreign. My mind raced as the thought took root-why would I ever divorce Jared? I had invested everything into this marriage, fought so hard to make it work...

I shook my head, trying to laugh it off. "I don't think you're serious Ash," I said, though my voice betrayed a slight tremor.

"Well, I am. You can't keep being the person Jared second guesses, Arielle. You're his wife, for crying out loud. He's a grown man and should choose who he wants. If he's still stuck up with Sofia, then he should be with her. If he wants you, he should be decisive about it, and one of the ways to do that is to put Sofia in her rightful place. And trust me, her place is not in your lives or in your matrimonial home!"

Her words stung, but I couldn't shake the truth in them.

"...I understand your concern, Ashley," I said quietly, struggling to find the words. "But... I don't know. I really don't. Would it be right to divorce Jared while I'm still pregnant? Marriages go through rough patches, even relationships do. Wouldn't it be better to try and fix things instead of making it worse?"

"You see, that's the point, Arielle-"

"What point?" I interrupted, confused on where the conversation was headed.

"You're so scared of having a broken marriage, hence your decision to endure and fix things even when you're being disrespected. Pregnant or not, a relative or third party, not to mention someone your husband had feelings for in the past, is not meant to live with you and your husband in your matrimonial home for so long. Accept it Arielle, you're scared of having a broken marriage like your mother, hence-"

"Enough!" I hissed, abruptly rising to my feet. "How dare you bring that up? You know how much I hate being reminded about it, and you dare bring it up?"

was not a sight anyone gets to see all the time, as I would rather tow the path of peace than lose my temper. But I'm not to blame, Ashley just hit a

sorry," Ashley whispered, realizing her mistake. "I shouldn't have said that. I just wanted to point

cut her off, my voice came out tighter than I'd thought, "I just need

Ashley hesitated. "Arielle, I-"

"Please..."

"I will

not trusting myself to speak. I sank back onto the couch, the weight of everything pressing down on me. "Arielle?" Ashley called, as

I looked up.

would never

it was not intentional. It was sincerely from

my palms. I tried not to think about all that

***********

the dresses Ashley offered me. We were now seated having dinner,

had called and

when he

my phone

to pick the call to avoid raising his suspicion. I further warned her not to inform him I was at her place as I was not in

was always tortured with the image of him and Sofia kissing, their tongues latched into each other. "Are you okay, Arielle?" Ashley's voice cut into my

I blinked. "I'm fine,

picking on your food, and now, you just stopped eating entirely." Ashley said, looking at me with so

my plate, and I discovered that I had unconsciously dropped my spoon. "I...um...I zoned out for a bit,

you don't have to be. I might not know how you feel, but I know it definitely

does. To

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255