How did I get here?

Chapter 17

I hear a faint steady beeping noise and I have no idea where I am. I keep my eyes closed as I listen to the hushed voices talking around me. I open my eyes slightly and see that my foot is in a boot, great it's broken. Suddenly it all came back to me, telling Tyler about the baby, Maxon and Aspen, and me getting slapped. I opened my eyes and I hear Aspen gasp.
"She's awake," he said and rushes to my bedside giving me a hug and there is a a line forming behind him.
"You're so stupid Mer," he gently whispers into my ear and I could feel his tears gently land on my hair. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I'm sorry," I said.
"I should probably give all these other people a turn," he said backing away from me.
Next up was Marlee who immediately bent down to hug me and she was also crying. Everyone crying made me start to cry.
"How did you even get to that point?" She whispered.
"I don't know," I said through my tears.
She gently pulled away and gave me a sad smile.
Lucy didn't say anything to me, she just gently hugged me and quietly sobbed.
Next up was Kriss and she hugged me and whispered, "I'm so sorry." And pulled away. 
The last person in the room was Maxon and he had tears brimming his eyes as he came over to hug me.
"We really need to talk," he whispered in my ear and I gently nodded and he let go.
"Where is he?" I ask.
"He is in a room under watch of a guard until mediation happens," Maxon answers.
"Mediation? Are we going to court?" I asked, I was thrilled.
"Yes, I'm assuming you want a divorce," Maxon said stating it as a fact rather than a question.
"Yes of course," I said. I can't believe it, I'm finally getting what I want for once. 
"Mer does your family know?" Aspen asked.
I shook my head, "unless one of you told them."
"You should probably let them know," Aspen says.
"I will," I said smiling, but then my smile faltered. They are going to be so disappointed in me. Disappointed for never saying anything, for staying in an abusive relationship, and because I fooled them into thinking I was happy.
Maxon suddenly cleared his throat and looked around the room, "can I have a second to talk to America?"
Everyone nodded and got up and Marlee and Aspen gently touched my shoulder as they left. Once they were all out of the room, Maxon started to pace back and forth. He did this for quite some time before he finally turned to face me, I could see how serious he was.
"Can I know the story, what happen?" He asked.
I took a deep breath, there was a lot I needed to get out.
"I guess it all started when I left the palace," as I said this and I looked up into his eyes and I could see he was blaming himself. "None of this is your fault," I said gently and he nodded his head, but I could tell he didn't believe that. "I was heartbroken and I honestly spent days locked up in my room. My Mom told me I had to get out and do something, so to make my family happy I did. I decided I would go for a walk hoping I wouldn't have to talk to anyone. Since I was depressed I was walking looking down and I bumped into Tyler in the street. He noticed my mood and took me over to a near by bench and started talking to me. I was so vulnerable at the moment, that I fell right into the trap. During the time we dated and our engagement, he was so nice and he gave me the sense of belonging I thought I needed. I was so Desperate for that love that we got engaged a month after meeting." I said and I saw Maxon make a wow shape with his lips.
"I know it was fast, but I felt like I needed to be loved even if I didn't love him. Then after our honeymoon he changed. And now we are here." I said.
Maxon looked in deep thought, probably trying to figure this out in his head.
"Why didn't you get out of the marriage?" He asked.
"He wouldn't let me and my family was so happy that I had found someone, I didn't want to disappoint them." I said.
"America," he said sweetly sitting down next to my hospital bed. "You wouldn't be disappointing anyone, if they want you to be happy, that relationship wouldn't be what they would want for you." He said. 
And of course, he was right, but I'm to stubborn to admit that.
"He wouldn't let me leave, I was his trophy wife." I said.
Maxon looked appalled at what I just said.
"Trophy wife?" He said, but it wasn't a question it was like he was accusing Tyler. "That isn't why you should marry someone! A wife is a companion not an object!" He scoffed a few times. I knew a comment like that would upset him, Maxon was a gentlemen and that was not what a gentlemen would say. "I'm so sorry," he said after he had calmed down.
"It's okay," I said.
"No it's not!" He said forcefully.
His sudden outburst made me jump and I was suddenly on guard. I wasn't going to let any angry man hurt me, but Maxon wouldn't hurt me? Then again that's what I thought about Tyler. "I'm sorry," he said. He must have seen my discomfort. I nodded and gently moved my hand to my stomach and I started to think about my baby. I would get to raise this baby on my own, with no Tyler to ruin it, this was perfect. I smiled down at my stomach and then looked up at Maxon.
"How's my baby doing? Did the doctor say anything?" I asked, after all I did take a hard fall it broke my foot after all.
Maxon shook his head and I started to get worried.
"I'm so sorry America, the impact from Tyler hitting you killed your baby."
I gasped and I felt tears in my eyes. He killed my baby and he was going to pay.