MILENA'S POV
I expected a lot of things when I came home early. My husband in bed with my sister wasn't one of them.
I should have knocked. I wish I had.
It was too late. I was already in.
My lips were parted in a silent 'o' as I stared at my husband and my sister in bed, their bodies tangled under the sheets. You would think that they would scramble up to cover their shame but they just stared at me lazily from where I stood at the door.
I came home earlier than expected. Why wouldn't I have? I had news to share… but now, I stood rooted to the spot, my vision blurring with tears.
"Damien?" My voice cracked as I stepped inside the room, my legs buckling with each step.
My 'husband' groaned and sat up, the look in his eyes telling me everything I needed to knowㅡ I wasn't welcome hereㅡ. "Yes Milena?" He sounded bored, it was almost as if we were talking about the weather.
My sister simply tipped her head back against the pillow, watching me with a small smirk on her face, her fingers clutching the sheets around her body.
"Sienna?" I looked at her, feeling a tear roll down my cheek. No. Please. This had to be a mistake. They wouldn't do this to me.
"Yeah?" The sound of her voice brought me back to reality. "You should have knocked" She rolled her eyes at me and sat up on the bed, grabbing a shirt from the floor before she struggled to drape it over her half naked form.
My eyes widened as her words registered. Was she being serious right now? "Excuse me?" My voice went a tad higher as I stepped forward. "This is my husband's house!"
Damien stood up from the bed methodically, his fingers working on his belt buckle to fasten it and it took all my willpower to keep my gaze fixed on his face. I couldn't afford to look any lower or I feared I would burst into tears. "Correct, Milena. Your husband's house. Not yours"
Milena. Not Mia. Not Lena. Just Milena. The realization hit me like a pail of freezing water.
"I'm your wife" I took a step towards him, the look in my eyes nothing short of pleading, begging him to remember that we were married, that he loved me but the icy look in his eyes didn't falter.
He looked over at Sienna who was pulling up her hair in a bun casually then he looked back at me, his voice lowering as an amused smile curved his lips. "Surely…" he leaned closer, his lips just right by my ear, his breath tickling my skin and I shut my eyes, choking back a sob. "... You didn't think I would keep you, did you, Milena? You think I want a barren woman?" His words were filled with spite and each word felt like a dagger through my heart.
His words hurt. Out of everyone who scorned me for being unable to birth a child after three years of marriage to Damien Hale who was the most successful man in New York, I never expected that man who would hold me at night while I cried, would ever say such a thing to me. It wasn't something I chose. I wanted to have a kid also. If he wouㅡ
"Ugh, can you just leave? Also pack your bags, you're not needed here" Sienne groaned, getting up from the bed and shamelessly walking over to me.
I looked between both of them and my heart deflated at the malicious look in my older sister's eyes and the look of contempt in my husband's eyes.
"I'm still your wife" I pointed out through gritted teeth, my fingers clutching my purse tightly.
Damien sighed and reached for his bedside table where he grabbed a piece of paper from before he tossed it at me. "Sign it" he ordered closely.
My gaze flickered over the paper and I blinked back hot tears. Divorce papers? I looked back at him, my heart feeling like it had been ripped out and stomped on. "Are you serious?" I whispered, disbelief evident in my voice.
This wasn't happening. This had to be some kind of twisted nightmare.
I lifted my gaze to Damien, searching his face for something—anything—that would tell me this was a mistake, that he didn't mean it. But all I found was boredom. Indifference.
"Sign it, Milena," he repeated, his voice void of emotion.
My throat tightened. "Damien, please…" My voice cracked, the plea slipping out before I could stop it. "I don't have anywhere to go."
Sienna scoffed loudly, rolling her eyes. "Not my problem."
I clenched my fists. Not her problem? She was my sister. I had spent years protecting her, standing up for her, loving her… and now?
Now she stood beside my husband, smirking down at me like I was nothing.
I shook my head. "Damien, we can work through this. Please, I—"
The sharp sting burned across my cheek before I even registered what had happened. My head snapped to the side, my skin instantly throbbing where Sienna had slapped me.
My lips parted in shock as I lifted a trembling hand to my cheek. "You… you hit me?"
Sienna rolled her eyes. "You talk too much."
I barely had time to process her words before she shoved me backward. I stumbled, catching myself just before I hit the floor.
Damien sighed impatiently. "Enough, Sienna." He made no move to stop her though.
Sienna pouted, turning to face him. "Oh, come on. You've wanted to get rid of her for years. Just sign the damn papers and be done with it."
I felt my breath hitch. For years?
I looked at Damien, desperation clawing at my throat and I struggled to swallow back the bile working up my throat. "Is that true?" My voice was barely a whisper.
He didn't even hesitate. "Yes."
That was the final blow. I swallowed the sob rising in my throat. My hands trembled as I gripped the divorce papers. I didn't want to sign them. I didn't want to give up everything I had worked for in this house. But what choice did I have?
"You're pathetic. No one wants you" Sienna spat.
Damien didn't correct her. He didn't argue. He just… stood there, silent.
Sienna smiled, enjoying my suffering. "Oh, and one more thing." She leaned in, her lips brushing against my ear. "I'm pregnant."
I froze and I turned to Damien, my lips trembling. "She's lying." My words held no conviction whatsoever.
But Damien didn't deny it. His hand went to Sienna's waist, pulling her closer. "She's not."
My entire body went numb.
Pregnant.
My sister was pregnant with my husband's child.
I choked back the bile rising in my throat. This can't be real.
Sienna laughed. "Oh, dear sister." She placed a hand on her stomach mockingly. "You were never woman enough to give Damien a child. But don't worry, I'm more than capable."
Tears burned my eyes. My knees felt weak. I clutched my purse tighter, my nails digging into the leather. Tears streamed down my face relentlessly and I didn't bother to stop them.
Damien exhaled loudly. "Sign the papers and leave, Milena. You're no longer welcome in this family."
Fuck them. FㅡI swallowed the lump in my throat and signed the papers.
The moment the pen lifted from the paper, Sienna ripped it from my hands. "Finally."
She turned to Damien, grinning. "Now that that's over, can we get rid of her?"
Damien didn't even look at me. "Do whatever you want."
Sienna smirked. "Gladly."
Without warning, she shoved me hard. I stumbled backward, my heels slipping against the polished floor. I crashed onto the marble floor, pain jolting through my body and I instantly groaned in pain.
Before I could recover, Sienna grabbed me by my dress and yanked me toward the door.
"Sienna, stop!" I cried, struggling in her grasp.
But she was relentless. She wrenched open the front door and threw me outside.
I stumbled, my body hitting the cold pavement. Pain rushed through me but the worst part was it wasn't physical. It was the realization that I had nothing left.
I pushed myself up on trembling hands, my chest heaving. My sister stood in the doorway, arms crossed, eyes filled with triumph. "You've lost everything, Milena," she sneered. "Your husband, your home, your reputation. You have nothing left."
Tears spilled down my cheeks and I stared at her blankly.
Sienna's smirk widened. "Now do us all a favor and disappear. You should've never been born." With that, she slammed the door shut.
I just sat there, unblinking, I had lost everything. And then, the final, cruelest realization hit me.
I had come here with news.
News that would have changed everything.
I lifted a trembling hand to my stomach.
I was pregnant.