The Pain of Love

Prologue

Ashley bit down on her bottom lip nervously and looked over at the clock.

It was half past nine. Three hours haves passed since Dante should have been home.

She stood up from her seat and started fiddling with her fingers, staring out the window every few seconds.

Where is he? She thought as she listened for the sound of a car driving in. He has never been home this late before. He didn't even call.

Ashley knew that she sounded like a clingy wife right now but she couldn't help but worry for her husband's safety. He was never one to come home late but yet, three hours have passed and he still wasn't home.

She took her phone off the table and stared at the screen.

Zero new messages.

A small groan escaped her lips and she stared at the window, as if her husband was going to magically appear right before her. She sat down on the couch again and turned on the T.V. hoping that it would keep her mind occupied.

The sounds coming from the T.V. did nothing to cease her worry. Ashley felt her heart beating faster and faster as the seconds passed. She breathed in slowly to calm down her breathing knowing that being stressed out wasn't going to help out her situation one bit.

A small noise emitted from her phone and she snapped her head down. A disappointed sigh came out of her lips when she saw that it was only her mother-in-law, reminding her of tomorrow's gathering.

The nerves grew even more now that she remembered that tomorrow is Dante's twenty-fifth birthday.

She still haven't gotten Dante anything yet but she planned on giving him news that would change their lives forever. She looked down at her stomach and smiled.

Placing her hand on her belly, she gently whispered to it. "Hello my little darlings."

Dante knew that they were expecting but what he didn't know that they weren't just expecting one. They were expecting two babies.

Two miniature versions of either Dante or her.

She was hoping for a boy who looked exactly like Dante with a few traces of her in him. Dante also hoped it was a boy so that he could help his father protect their younger girls from possible suitors. She knew that he would be happy with either a boy or a girl though.

All that matters is that their babies come out healthy and happy.

She closed her eyes and dreamed about her babies.

The birth of them, their first word, first step, first birthday.

She thought of all the happy memories that she and Dante would make with their two beautiful babies. How Dante and her would teach their children to ride a bike for the first time, how they would teach their children various sports to teaching them how to clean and cook.

She knew that she shouldn't be thinking that far ahead but she thought about their children's graduation and their prom night. How Dante would stare down their daughter's date and how she would fuss over her son's tux.

She thought of how Dante and her will sit in the porch and watch their grand kids playing in the sand.

That would her happy ending. That's how she wanted their lives to live out.

A sound of screeching tires snapped Ashley's out of her thought and she moved the curtains to look out the window again.

A huge grin made its way to her face when she saw that it was her husband's Audi. She squealed lightly and opened the door up, waiting for him to reach the steps.

As he came closer to the light, Ashley frowned when she didn't see the happy-go going smile that was usually plastered on her husband's face no matter how rough the day was. As he came to her, she leaned in to kiss him but met his cheek instead.

Thinking nothing of it, she took his blazer and hung it up. Turning around, she almost bumped into Dante, who was staring at her with the coldest look ever.

"Dante? Are you feeling okay?" she asked worriedly, putting her hand to his forehead.

He looked at her and took her hand, pushing it away from him. It was gentle but at the same time, had an underlined roughness to it. Ashley felt hurt when he did that but she quickly covered it up and sent him a smile.

"I have some news for you," she said, smiling brighter.

"I have news for you too Ashley," Dante's business-like voice rang through her ears and she frowned. He have never used that voice on her before.

"Well, why don't we sit down and you—"

"I want a divorce." Dante stated calmly, looking her straight in the eyes.

Ashley's eyes widened and she felt her heart beating against her chest rapidly. "What? Dante what did you just say?"

"Did I stutter? I want a divorce Ashley." He repeated again.

As soon as those words came out of his mouth, Ashley knew that her life would never be the same ever again.