Honeymoon confessions

Ch. 25

Paris. That was her stop. The cold breeze hit her already wet face like hard pinches as followed the general butler, dragging both her suitcases down. She could feel the mocking stares as she descended to the mini bridge leading to land but her divided mind would not permit her to pay any mind. In an attempt to save her from going unconscious, her fragile mind detached her from the present.

She finally looked up when she stood on land. "Where did it all go wrong?" She These past few days started of wonderfully. It seemed like all the promises he made her would come true. Every night, as he held her tight, and whispered confirmations of his love gave her hope for a brighter future together but it was all lies.

These past two days, things have changed. His nighttime lullabies turned into sweet nothings. A one sided, manipulative marriage was what it unmasked itself to be.
She finally knew what heartbreak felt like. It was worse than when she lost her father.

It was the pain of realizing he wanted another as he laid down with her, leading her onto thinking she was insane that kept her in hiding for one whole day. Somewhere within those twenty four hours she had hoped she would wake up from this nightmare but reality struck her right where it hurt with an entire human; his child, Meadow-Reign.

She raised her head to meet his gaze. Gone where the cool green orbs she was accustomed to. There was no remorse in his eyes. It hardened when they met hers as his arms flexed in anger.

"Shandell!" She heard from behind.

Nora run to her. As lady like and well put together as she loved to appear, she didn't mind showing up in mere flip flops and a wrinkled sundress. "Shandell," she sighed once more as she finally stood before her.

Her bare face drew every painful emotion carved in her heart. "No," she whimpered, lowly.

Shandell ticked her lips before offering a shrug of her left shoulder followed by a sad smile. Nora was in too deep not to read between the lies. The rumor had spread faster than lightning the night prior and before day break, the lowly girl was the laughing stock.

"I'm sorry," she started with an apology but Shandell couldn't accept it. "It's not your fault," she pointed out.

Nora's toes fidgeted as her chest heaved. "How could he do this!" She spat. She would occasionally look up at Justin, Meadow-Reign and Michelle. From that picture she could understand why she hid herself the day before.

"So what do you plan on doing now?"

Shandell shrugged. "He wants a divorce so that's exactly what I'll give him." Nora only shook her head in disapproval. "That's what he wants so that's what he'll get." There was silence for a while before she added, "That's what I get for dreaming too high right."
She accepted Nora's pitiful look but as she lifted her hand to sooth her, she declined. "No, please," and as she finally looked up, she knew she had lost this game.

For the first time, as much as she hated to admit, she got the clear picture of what he wanted- the family he always asked for.

"There's no place for a girl like me here,"

"I was a stripper," Nora interjected. Shandell shook her head and smiled a pitiful smile, "it's not the same," she sobbed.

"You should go..."

"Shandell..."

"No! The ship is about to set sail. I'll be fine." Nora sighed and hugged her. "If there's anything you need..."

"I'll give you a call" she added, smiling. Although still hesitant, Nora complied. She give her a thirty second hug before reluctantly walking off. As if looking for some sort of confirmation, she looked up but where they once stood was now empty.

She couldn't control the tears which broke free. The very man she would once face with a bullet in his hands, pointed at her, yet trust he wouldn't pull the trigger hand turned into a familiar stranger. A face she knew, but could not identify in a crowd.

The journey back home was the longest she had ever encountered. As much as she tried, she couldn't keep the pain from registering. Fellow passengers were scared. Thrice, air hostesses were sent to make sure she was okay.

Mindlessly, she made her way outside the airport. "Shandy!" Jean exclaimed as she hugged her from the side. She forced a smile and faced her friend.

Shandell was always one to hide emotions; never believed in the concept of sharing problems. To her, that was sharing pain so as soon as she called, crying about how she was scared of losing Justin, Nora could only imagine how intense the situation at hand was.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. A sharp smile crossed her lips and Shandell shrugged, "let's go home."

Sighing, Jean nodded, grabbed one of the two bags and led the way, to the black SUV. Both women kept to themselves but from the corner of her eyes, Jean could see the tears roll her friends face. From time to time, Shandell would look at her phone, hoping Michael had sent a message but there was nothing. By the time mid night hit, the pair had arrived at home and just like Jean, May stood out, waiting.

As soon as she was out the car, May run her drawing out tears from her. She held her close enough to feel her chest heave. "What happened baby?"

"He left me."

Justin cracked his neck when he settled on the sofa, legs spread opened and eyes closed. He was exhausted. A familiar dark cloud hovered above his spirit. It brought out a personality he thought he buried after meeting Shandell.
He snickered at the thought of having changed to match her because he thought she was a saint.

"You're doing it again."  Michelle pointed out as she strutted over to him. He raised his brow. "I know you're thinking about her."

He rolled his eyes and sat up straight. "You have know idea how much I hate that woman," he spat.

The brunette smirked. Her gaze moved outside, to the ocean, for a mere second then back to him before speaking, "I understand your pain baby," she whispered, "Sha..."

"Don't mention her name!" He interrupted, his eyes sharper than a sword.

Words could not express the joy threatening to burst out of her. She mentally gave herself a pat on the back. Everything that could go wrong went wrong and she didn't even have to set it up. She sighed and settled on his lap in a straddling position. "It's going to be alright," she started, "everything you've always wanted is now in your hands.  I'm here and most importantly, our child-our daughter is here too. We will be one big family. That's all that matters."