Life With The Men I Love: Lies, Love and Pain

Chapter 9

*** TREY ***

It had been a full week—seven long days—without a single sign of India. It was another Wednesday, and I'd been sitting around in our empty house since morning, hoping she might finally come through that door. I'd lost count of how many times I'd tried calling, texting, waiting, but no response. Just silence. She was gone, and all I had was this quiet house filled with ghosts of the life we'd built together.

After hours of waiting, boredom turned into frustration, so I started cleaning just to keep from losing my mind. Now, it was four in the afternoon, and I'd given up. I was done. Lacing up my sneakers, I grabbed my phone and keys, ready to head out. But just as I reached to switch off the TV, I heard the door open.

There she was.

Relief hit me first, flooding through me like a wave. She was safe. But then, just as fast, it turned to anger. How dare she disappear like that? How dare she make me worry myself sick?

I brushed past her without a word, heading straight for the door.

"Tremaine, where are you going?" Her voice was soft, unsure, but I didn't care.

I ignored her, striding toward my car. I could hear her footsteps behind me, but I didn't slow down, didn't look back. I unlocked the door, got in, and started the engine. Maybe this time she'd get the message.

But before I could even throw the car into reverse, she slid into the passenger seat.

"Get out of my car, man," I said, gritting my teeth.

"No."

"I said get the fuck out of my car!" My voice was louder now, practically shaking.

"And I said no!" she shot back, crossing her arms defiantly.

I scoffed, kissing my teeth in frustration. Fine, if she wasn't getting out, I'd just drive. I turned up the radio, letting the loud music drown out my anger as I pulled out of the driveway and onto the road. Maybe if I drove fast enough, I could forget the pain that had gnawed at me all week.

But she reached over and switched the music off, her stubborn silence filling the car instead. Glancing at her, I shook my head and turned it back on.

"Tremaine!" she shouted over the noise. Her voice was breaking, but I kept my eyes on the road. I wasn't about to let her off that easy, not after what she put me through.

As the city lights blurred past, I realized I wasn't even sure where I was going anymore. I wanted to go home, but with her in the car, I couldn't. Sharon would be there, and it would just make things worse. The light ahead turned red, and I stopped, finally turning down the radio.

"Where the hell have you been?" My voice was rough, sharp, and I could see her jump slightly. "Home."
"What, you've been home all this time and couldn't answer a damn call or text?"

She took a shaky breath, her voice quiet, almost fragile. "I... I've been going through some stuff. I just needed time for myself."

I let out a bitter laugh, gripping the wheel. "Going through some stuff? And that means you couldn't send a single text to let me know you were okay?" My frustration bubbled up, my words harsher than I intended. "What stuff, India? What could be so complicated that you just ghosted me?"

She glanced away, looking out the window. "It's... complicated," she whispered.

"Complicated," I echoed, laughing bitterly. "You know what's been complicated, India? Us. For years. You don't see me cutting you off, leaving you in the dark!" I felt a honk behind me and realized the light was green. I hit the gas, speeding down the road, trying to drown out the anger twisting in my chest.

"You act like I'm the reason for all the complications," she snapped, her eyes flashing with defiance.

"Yeah, 'cause you are," I shot back, gripping the wheel tightly.
"I gave myself to you—twice, Tremaine, And both times, you just walked away. First,  at that damn restaurant, then again at that wedding..." her voice trailed off, but the pain lingered, raw and fresh. "I'm still here, still waiting for you to pick me. But you never do. It's always gonna be Sharon, isn't it?"

Her face crumpled, and tears started streaming down her cheeks. "You think it's easy for me? You think I haven't waited, hoping you'd finally choose me? You let me walk away, over and over. I loved you enough to wait, but I'm still losing." Her voice cracked, raw with years of hurt.

I exhaled, feeling the weight of it all pressing down on me. "What do you want me to do, huh? Just up and leave Sharon? She's my wife."

"And what am I?" she cried. "I could have been your wife, but you blew it, Tremaine!"

"Stop it," I muttered, gripping the wheel so hard my knuckles turned white. "I'm done with this. I've heard it all before. The truth hurts, but it's still the truth. You left me. For days. Talking about it was complicated."

"Stop turning this around!" she shouted. "For once, it's on you."

"Then tell me, India!" I yelled back, my voice a raw plea. "What was so complicated, huh? What was so damn complicated that you couldn't pick up the phone?"

She fell silent, staring down at her hands, fingers trembling. I watched her, waiting, the silence like a weight pressing down on both of us.

Finally, her voice broke the silence, small and barely a whisper. "I'm... I'm pregnant."

The words hung in the air, heavy and crushing.

"And it's... it's not yours."

The world seemed to stop. My hands froze on the wheel, my mind struggling to process what I'd just heard. She was pregnant—with someone else's child. And she'd kept it a secret, let me sit here worrying, waiting, while she was off with...

I stared ahead, my jaw clenched, my whole body tense as the truth sank in.

"Get out," I said quietly, each word a struggle.

"What?"

I looked at her then, feeling the anger and hurt boiling up inside me. "I said, get out!" My voice was louder now, sharper.

She held my gaze for a moment, her own eyes wide and filled with pain. But she didn't argue. She opened the door, stepping out of the car. And then, she slammed it shut.

I didn't look back. The second she was clear, I hit the gas, speeding off into the night, leaving her standing there on the empty road.

Please vote and comment and pleeeaaase  don't hate me for this.

XoXo Lilly