02

"I don't love you anymore." He said coldly. "You're nothing to me." His cold and piercing grey eyes stared deep into hers.

Ashley let the tears fall.

He doesn't love her anymore?

"I don't understand. Dante, our children." She said softly, subconsciously putting her hand over her belly. "They can't live in separate homes. Whatever I did wrong, please tell me so that I can fix it. Our children need both of their parents."

Dante raised an eyebrow up at her. "Children? What do you mean by children? You don't mean?" he asked coldly.

Ashley nodded her head. She grabbed his hand and placed it over her stomach. "Yes, Dante we're having twins. I found out earlier today."

He gave her a cold look and roughly took his hand away. "Don't touch me." He hissed out at her.

Ashley whimpered and she backed up against the wall again.

Dante glared at her and took off his tie. "As for them, you don't have to worry. I'll sign away my rights. I don't even know if they're truly mine or not." He said before walking away from her.

"Dante wait! I don't know what's going on! What bought this upon you?!" Ashley shouted after him with her tears falling down excessively.

He paused for a second in his step. "I think you know exactly what I mean." He said coldly again but there was no mistaking the crack that was in his voice. "I trusted you." He said softly before leaving the house, slamming the door behind him as he left.

Ashley's knees buckled down from beneath her and she fell down. Loud sobs escaped from her mouth as her tears fell down one after the other. She buried her head into her hands and screamed loudly. She felt nothing but pain in her heart as it broke into tiny shards.

"What did I do wrong?" she asked herself out loud. Her hands reached out and touched the base of her stomach. Her heart broke even more if that was even possible knowing that there was a strong possibility that they won't even have a father.

She pushed herself up from the ground and winced in pain. She rubbed her stomach and sighed in relief when it went away. Wiping her tears, she told herself to calm down. Hiccups left her mouth and she let out a few more tears.

Using the walls as support, she started walking up the stairs and into her and Dante's room. Opening the door, she felt her heart constricting with pain as his familiar smell filled her nostrils. She let out a small sob before walking over to her bed.

She laid down on Dante's side and grabbed his pillow tightly. Inhaling his smell, she relished in it, knowing that possibly, this is the last time she'll be ever to be in the comfort of him. Tears continued soaking his pillow and she buried her head into it, sobbing softly.

She closed her eyes and prayed. Prayed that this was all just a nightmare and that she would wake up the next morning in his arms. Prayed that today had never happened. God how she wish it never happened.

A ring of the phone drew her away. She took her phone from the bedside and wiped away her tears. Without seeing who it was, she picked it up and answered it. "Hello?" she tried to hide any evidence in her voice that she was crying.

"Ashley? Sweetheart?" the voice of her best friend spoke up. "Are you okay? You sound like you were crying."

She felt herself tearing up again as she heard the words.

Never in her life has she hated the phrase 'are you okay' more than she did then.

"Mayla," her voice cracked and she clutched the phone tightly. Her eyes closed and tears continued to fall down.

They were endless and relentless. No matter how much Ashley willed they to stop, they wouldn't.

"Ashley what happened? Did you tell Dante the news?" Mayla asked her in a worried tone. "Did he not take it well?"

"I told him" she said quietly, "but."

"But what? What happened?" Mayla pressed on.

She wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. "Mayla, he wants a divorce."

There was a long pause at the other end. It was silent for about five minutes before Mayla spoke up again. "What are you going to do sweetheart?"

Ashley opened her eyes and stared at her wedding picture. She clutched the bed sheets tightly as she knew what she said next would impact her future for the rest of her life. "What is there to do Mayla? I'm going to give it to him.

.

.

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Ashley woke up the next morning with a pounding headache. She groaned and clutched her head, sitting up on the bed. She looked over to Dante's side and frowned when she didn't see him laying there like he usually was.

Looking at the time, she frowned when she saw just how early it was.

He was never up this early. And if he was, he would always wait for her to wake up before doing anything else. So where was he?

She stood up from her bed and walked into the bathroom. Looking into the mirror, she cringed when she saw her red blood shot eyes and dark circles.

How did that happen?

Sighing, she started washing her face. Taking her toothbrush, she started brushing her teeth while rubbing her stomach with her other hand.

When she was done, she patted her face dry and walked into her closet. She put on some of Dante's sweats and one his t-shirts before walking down to the kitchen. "Dante?" she shouted out.

When she got no reply, she frowned and walked into the kitchen. When she didn't see him, she felt worry stirring in the pit of her stomach. She sat down on the table and grabbed the home phone. She quickly dialed his number and waited for him to pick up.

When it went straight to voice-mail, she frowned and placed the phone on the table. Putting her head into her hands, she prayed that wherever he is, he was safe.

When she removed her hands, she saw a white envelope sticking up from where the napkins were supposed to be. Curiosity took over her and she took the envelope. She grabbed the contents that was inside and she felt her whole body froze.

Legal Separation of Marriage.

The memories of last night flooded her brain and she felt the tears falling down again. Her vision blurred and her hands shook as she read through the divorce papers. She put her fist on her mouth to muffle her sobs. He had done everything. Had signed everything.

The only thing that was left was her signature on both the divorce papers and the custody. She snapped her eyes shut and prayed that this was just a dream. She pinched herself and cried even more when she realized that this wasn't a dream.

This was reality.

She looked to the side and saw a pen next to the napkin holder. Her hands reached out and took it. Ashley looked down at the papers again and did the only thing that she could do right at that moment.

She signed the papers.