A DEVASTATING DECISION

Fernando came back home as if nothing had happened, but when he looked at the main wall of the living room, he noticed that his imposing portrait was no longer there. He frowned.

"Where is the painting?"

He took a few steps and found Arabella sitting on one of the sofas. She had a bandage on her head and her face was marked with bruises.

He ran to her, alarmed, and knelt by her side, unable to hide his bewilderment.

"Arabella , my love... what happened to you?"

He scanned her with his gaze, looking for more signs of damage.

Arabella stared at him, without blinking.

"I want a divorce, Fernando," she said calmly, but with an irrefutable tone.

He jumped to his feet, vehemently denying it.

"Divorce? Of course not, Arabella . My love, what are you talking about? Whatever happened, we can fix it. Don't ask me for this... not now."

"Fernando, I've already made a decision," she replied, firm.

"No, my love... Arabella , please, be reasonable. This isn't the time. Not after everything we've been through. Do you remember when we ran away and left everything behind to be together? We've fought too hard."

"That's exactly why, Fernando. You think you have an emotional responsibility to me, but you don't. I want a divorce. Besides, you're already married," she said, showing him the photos on her phone.

Fernando took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

"Is that why, Arabella ? You're confused, my love. Those photos have an explanation. Mariana wanted to take them because she was feeling very depressed. I feel guilty for taking away her opportunity to raise her son. It's normal for her to feel that way... she's his mother."

"How considerate of you, Fernando. I want a divorce!" this time, she screamed it.

"My love, I already explained it to you..." Fernando insisted, but Arabella stood up from the sofa with determination.

"I want a divorce. I've already told you, Fernando."

Exasperated by her persistence, he changed his tone and looked at her with rage.

"You're overreacting, Arabella . Are you jealous of a secretary?"

"I'm not jealous. But I don't like what's between you two."

"She's pregnant. I've told you a thousand times: she's carrying our son. Do you want to force her to have an abortion?"

Fernando clenched his teeth, and Arabella became even more enraged.

"Our son? He's not my son, Fernando."

At that precise moment, when the conversation reached its most tense point, Fernando's phone began to ring insistently. Arabella glanced at it. He answered immediately.

"Tell me, Mariana."

On the other end of the line, the secretary insisted in a trembling voice: she felt unwell and said she needed him.

Arabella looked away, hiding the tears that were welling up in her eyes. Noticing it, Fernando softened his tone and approached her, taking her arms gently.

"My love... Arabella , please, forgive me. Everything will go back to normal, I swear. We're going to be happy, I know it. We'll have that child we always dreamed of. I love you very much, Arabella , and I know you love me too. We're not getting a divorce... because we both know we can't live without each other."

He lightly brushed her cheek with a kiss and left without saying more.

Arabella burst into tears and locked herself in her room. She sat next to her nightstand and, among some memories she still kept, found a letter. It was the old note where Fernando had written his wedding vows, on that day they got married in the small chapel.

She felt a knot in her stomach as she read every word, every promise he had made to her back then... until she reached the last sentence.

"If I ever hurt you, don't hesitate for a minute to leave, my love."

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her thoughts dragged her back to that night they ran away together. She remembered his tenderness, his unconditional love, and how he swore he would never make her suffer.

She looked at the letter one more time and, with a broken heart, tore it into pieces.

She wiped her tears and took out her phone. She searched for the number of an old college friend, a prestigious lawyer known for her experience.

"Hello."

"Pandora, it's me... Arabella ."

"Arabella ? Arabella Hopkins ! Friend, it's been so long! How are you?"

Arabella took a deep breath before replying.

"Yes, it has been a long time... I'm sorry to call you only because I need you, but there's something urgent going on..."

She began to tell her in detail about her intentions to get a divorce. Pandora, on the other end of the line, listened carefully while taking notes.

"Arabella , give me an hour and I'll send you the documents. But... by the way, your father has also contacted my services."

"My father? For what?"

"Because of the man you were going to marry years ago. Do you remember him?"

"Yes... how could I forget?"

"Eduard Hostings. He's pressuring your father to pay him the money he owes him. Apparently, he could never forgive you for leaving him at the altar."