“I’m sorry if i put you and Lorde in this situation, Hestia.“}}
Chapter 28%
I lowered the book I had been holding, trying to calm my mind. I was sitting in the garden, early in the morning. I liked the fresh air and the feeling of achieving something after it seemed like it would slip away.
“I know what I did was wrong. I ignored you while I married you,” he added.”
I didn’t speak. I watched him sit down in front of me, his eyes glimmering with guilt, though his expression remained calm in my sight.” “Chesca, I feel guilty that she died trying to save my child from another woman. From you.”}
I lowered my head, unable to hide the pain that hearing those words caused. We were married now, but back then, when we did what we did, it felt like a sin against everyone.”
“And yet, when I married you, I felt guilty for hiding the truth about Lorde. I was guilty because, every day, you showed me that you lost your memories because I pushed you too hard when you woke up. All because of guilt. Everything was my fault,” he said quietly. “And maybe because I admitted to myself how flawed I was, I was afraid to show that to you, or to our son.”
“And it ruined our marriage,” I added softly.”
“It ruined you, Hes. If anyone was ruined here, it’s you. I ruined you. Our son did too, and yet… when he was broken, when I was being pulled into the ruins, you came back. Still shattered, still hurt, but you came back because you never wanted us to be broken forever.”
I felt my chest release almost all the pain I had been holding in for so long. The pain I had suffered in silence, the pain I had hidden for years.
“You know I did love this family, Lucian. I tried my best to be perfect, and it wasn’t hard for me because… I felt like this was my purpose. To be your wife, to be Lorde’s mother.” I smiled at that. I had wanted to be the perfect mother and wife for them.
“Is it…” He stopped met his gaze, sensing the hesitation in his voice.”
“Is it what, Lucian?” I asked.
He looked away, and I could see his expression shift again, like he was hiding something.”
“I’d like you to be honest, bare, with a naked soul and naked thoughts, showing me who you really are. For a month, you’ve been like that, and it’s like… I’ve gotten to know you more,” I said. “Why are you hiding your truth again?“>
“I’m afraid of your answer.”
“Which you haven’t received yet,” I added.”
“Is it still your purpose now?” His voice was low, filled with shame.}
I laughed softly at that.”
“To be a perfect mother and wife to you?” I reached for the divorce papers on my lap and handed them to him. “No. It’s not.“@
His expression softened. He picked them up slowly, clearly afraid of seeing what was on the paper. He had thrown away the first one I sent. This was my final copy.”
He read through it, and to my surprise, he grabbed a pen and signed it, his hand heavy with the weight of the action.
“I’m sorry again, Hestia. For everything. For being the worst husband to you,” he murmured, his voice pained, as he handed me the paper. “And I’m sorry f–for making you feel unloved. I did… I did love you. I… I just find it hard to show it.“}
I smiled as I took it and looked at his signature and name. On the other side, it was still blank.
‘You’re just scared maybe because you don’t know how to love properly, Lucian. Someone must teach you that, you know.“}
I chuckled and I tore the paper in front of him.
“What…” he mumbled, shocked. “Hestia…“}
I smiled at him again.”
“To be a perfect mother and wife is no longer my purpose, Lucian. Maybe the reason you didn’t try harder before was because you saw me as perfect. You saw me as whole. Now, I’m incomplete. I need a piece of you, and a piece of Lorde, to make myself whole again.“} He stood up quickly and walked toward me.
“Hestia… does that mean…”
I chuckled softly, seeing how hard it was for him to say the words, as though he was afraid he might be wrong.”
I nodded slowly. “Let’s try again, Lucian. For Lorde, and for us.“@
I saw a tear fall down his cheek. He looked different now–clean, handsome, less stressed–but there he was, crying. I chuckled, but before I could say anything else, he pulled me into a hug.
“I’ll give you all the pieces this time, Hestia. All the pieces of my heart and soul. I promise.“}]
“I know. I can feel it, Lucian.“”
I’ve thought about this decision for a month–through the chaos, we’ve stayed strong because we’re a complete family. It hasn’t been easy, but we’ve made it because we’re whole. As my father always says, a united family is unbreakable. Didn’t I dream of this? I think fate is giving me another chance, and more than fearing a risk with Lucian, I fear wasting this chance with him and Lorde. With our family.
The end
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