Divorced Love (Stauren) {Book 1}

Chapter 1

••Flashback: Steven and Lauren's wedding day••

{2007}

I couldn't bring myself to look in the mirror that day, for every little voice in my head told me that what I was doing was wrong. All I wanted to do was fight off those voices haunting my thoughts that day.

"You ready?" My mother's calm voice asked, snapping me back into the reality I did not want to face. Her soothing voice calmed my nerves a bit, myself sighing with relief. She used her cold fingers to gently gathered up all of my hair to put it up into a fancy bun, and I breathed in a shaky breath.

"I don't know," I replied honestly.

My mother stopped messing with my hair and placed a single hand softly on my shoulder. "Do you love him?"

A long silence lingered throughout the small dressing room as I pondered my mother's question. "I do love him," I began, and a small sigh escaped my lips. "I just can't help but feel like I'm making a bad decision. I don't know if this is the right thing for me to do with my life. I don't want to regret it."

"If you love him you have nothing to worry about." I could tell from her tone of voice that she had a smile on her face as she looked at me in the mirror, but I didn't look up from my lap.

It was only a few minutes later when my mother finished my hair, and she placed her hands on my shoulders. "Look at yourself in the mirror, Laur. You look so beautiful."

Slowly, I lifted my head up to glance at myself in the large mirror on the vanity. My mouth fell open slightly in shock at the sight before me. I stood up to look at myself fully. I wore my mother's wedding dress that day along with an expensive hair clip that had been passed down through my family for generations. Along with that, my face had only a little bit on makeup on, and my hair in a braided bun.

"It's time," my mom said, making my nerves come back all over again.

Outside the dressing room, my father stood in a fancy suit with a smile across his face. "You look so beautiful," he said as tears forming in his eyes.

"Thanks dad," I replied while blushing a bit.

"Go get your man," my mother said before going to her seat with everyone else who waited for the ceremony to begin.

As soon as the music started, I felt another wave of fear. My dad and I slowly walked with linked arms to where the aisle began.

That when I saw Steven standing with a smile on his face at the end of the aisle as he waited for me, and that's when I knew that I wasn't making a mistake.

••Flashback over••

••Flashback: The birth of Lauren and Steven's child••

{2010}

Pain.

I had never felt so much pain in my life. It felt as if someone was slowly ripping me open from the inside.

"Come on, Lauren!" Steven said as he grasped my hand, the other one stroking my sweaty hair. He was doing his best to sooth me as I gave birth to our child, but it wasn't exactly working well. "You can do it. I know you can!"

Another loud cry escaped my lips as the doctor told me to push once again. My fingernails dug into the skin of Steven's hand and he let out a groan of pain.

"Sorry," I muttered with my teeth clenched together. "It just really hurts, Steve."

"I know you can do this, Lauren," he continued. Then, I felt Steven's soft lips on mine. Automatically, I felt a bit better and gave him a small smile of thanks.

"One more push, Lauren," the doctor said, earning a quick nod from me.

"One more push until we have our little baby." Steven's words suddenly motivated me to push as hard as I could as I squeezed my eyes shut.

Then, a small cry filled the room, making me open my eyes to see the doctor holding a little baby.

"It's a girl," the doctor said, handing the crying baby to Steven as the doctor cut the umbilical cord. I could see the tears welling up in Steven's eyes as he looked down at our daughter, causing me to tear up as well.

Steven came over and placed the little girl in my arms. "Look at her, Laur," he said.

I stared down at my new baby girl and began to immediately cry. "You're so beautiful," I said as tears began to fall down my cheeks. "I love you so much baby girl."

"What's her name?" The doctor asked.

Steven and I looked at each other with huge smiles spread across our faces.

"Isabella."

••Flashback over••

••Flashback: The divorce••

{2015}

"I now grant Steven Yeun and Lauren Cohan both partial custody of Isabella Yeun," A judge said before pounding his gavel onto the his large stand.

A devastated sigh escaped my chapped lips, and my mother rubbed her hand up and down my back to calm me. I couldn't help but let heavy tears fall from my watering eyes as people began to stand up and leave the courtroom.

"Are you okay?" My mother asked.

"I'm fine," I snapped back. Before anyone could say another word to me, I stood up. "Come one Bella, I'm taking us home."

My daughter had absolutely no idea what was going on, for she was only five, so she happily took my hand as we walked out of the court room. She didn't understand that Steven wanted to leave us, she didn't understand any of this mess.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Steven taking with his parents. It struck some fear in me, so I picked Bella up in my arms and began to walk towards the door as fast as I could. On the inside I was desperately hoping he wouldn't notice me.

"Lauren!" Steven called out, footsteps rapidly approaching me from behind. Before turning to face him, I let a quiet sigh escape me. "You don't have to be like this."

Rage began to fill me and before I knew it, I was yelling. "I don't have to be like what? Mad?!" Steven was taken aback by my sudden tone of voice. "You divorced me, Steven! How could I not be mad when you divorced me?! All I ever did was love you!"

With that, I spun back around and made my way to the door.

"Can I at least tell Bella goodbye?" He asked.

I pressed my lips into a straight line and snapped, "You'll see her this weekend."

"Bye daddy," Bella mumbled sadly as I walked towards the car. She gently let her chin rest on my shoulder as I carried her through the doors of the building.

"Don't feel bad for him, Bella," I began, stroking her long dark hair.

"Your daddy doesn't love us anymore."

A/N
I hope you all are enjoying this new Stauren story so far! Obviously Stauren will get back together at some point, but I'm excited for this story! Comments about how you like it so far???