Chapter 3 Divorce And Heartbreak

• (Bella)
• The doorbell rings and jars me awake. I fling my eyes open, pulling myself up from the couch.
• My back hurts..
• Just then I realize it's the next day and I had slept off on the couch waiting for Dean.
• This only means one thing, Dean didn't come home last night.
• The very first day he's sleeping out.
• My eyes hurts as fresh tears stride down my cheeks but the doorbell rings again, this time continuously.
• I spring up. It could be Dean.
• Quickly I move over to the door, and swing it open.
• My breath catches in my throat. It's not Dean.
• Judy, Elena and an older man. And then when she shifts, I spot Ashley standing right behind.
• Before I could process what's going on, Judy pushes me aside, striding in like the queen of England. Elena, Dean's aunt, gives me a horrific look as she walks in.
• And then the man and Ashley came in.
• Ashley casts me a weird look as she brushes past me.
• I step in. "What are you doing here, the both of you?" I'm forced to ask, as much as I'm exhausted, I can't let them intimidate me.
• "We should be asking you that." Elena spats back.
• Judy settles into the couch, her posture annoyingly serene."This is Dean's house, of course I have every right to stop by and see if you need any help getting your sorry backside as far away as possible,"
• "That's right. If there's anyone who shouldn't be here, that's you my darling," Elena seethes at me.
• I don't reply her though. That's Elena for you, always poking her nose into other people's business. Oh, she'd give anything to see that I'm out of Dean's life.
• I shift my gaze to Ashley, who's supposed to be my best friend and by my side. "Ashley, why are you here with them?"
• Judy replies instead. "Stop asking stupid questions, Bella. Now's not the time," she retorts, taking a file from the man and throwing it my way.
• My eyes flickers to the file. "What's this?" I ask, as I pick it up.
• "I bet you can read. Why not open and see for yourself," Judy says with a poker face.
• My heart raced as I pull the papers out. My eyes widens as I read the letters boldly written. "Divorce papers,"
• I furrow my eyebrows. "This is between Dean and I. Where's he?"
• "Of course it's my—-, our business, pretty head. You cheated on my son and I'm here to serve you divorce papers. A marriage that wasn't meant to be but you used your sluty body to keep him and then he has seen you for who you truly are," She snaps.
• I put the papers back. "I'm not signing this. I want to see Dean," I retort, my tone firm.
• Ashley gives a small laugh and I turn my gaze to her. "Don't be stubborn, Bella. What makes you think he wants to see you?" She spat. "You disgust him."
• I can't believe Ashley would say that to me.
• Someone who's meant to stand up for me, defend me, tell them I wouldn't do such a thing.
• Am I missing out on something?
• I can't seem to wrap my head around it but then it clicks.
• The birth control pills in the drawer, how did it get there?
• It has to be someone close.
• The pictures, it was me in those pictures but I can't remember how I ended up in such positions for the pictures to be taken.
• I stare on the ground thoughtfully.
• A week ago, Dean was gone for a business trip. Ashley invited me out for a girl's night out. We had quite a lot to drink.
• I woke up the next day, but she was beside me.
• It did feel off at first. Why are we in a strange room and not in her house or mine?
• When I asked, she just said we were both too drunk to drive. It made sense, I didn't think much about it.
• Putting the pieces together now.
• I move over to the table quickly, picking up the pictures. I gasped in shock as I stared at the room, it was the same room I woke up to after that night.
• Anger surged through me as I turned to Ashley. "This was all you, right? The pictures, the pills in my drawer. How could you?" I spat, throwing the pictures at her, while tears streamed down my cheeks.
• "Oh, please, Bella. We both know you don't fit in here. I'm just doing you a favor," she spat, not remorseful.
• God, how do I handle such betrayal?
• I'm still nursing everything going on between Dean and I and now it's Ashley.
• Why'd she do this to me?
• She's supposed to be my best friend, the person that should look out for me, understand me the most.
• "You are my best friend, Ashley. How could you do this to me?" I say amidst tears.
• Judy clears her throat. "It's a little too late for that. Don't you think so?" She smiles wickedly, I'm sure she's in on this with Ashley.
• I ignore her. "Where's Dean? I need to speak with him," I cry out. "Please let me speak to Dean, I beg you," I pleaded helplessly. Not sure what else to do.
• "Oh, stop wailing like a child, bitch." Elena fumes.
• Judy snickers."You don't get it, do you?" She spat. "He's done with this charade of a marriage. It was pure lust, you trapped him with your body. Now, he can see what you're really like, a filthy slut, a gold digger. You don't belong in our world Bella. Took Dean long enough to realize that,"
• My stomach twists, a sharp pain coursing through me. I haven't had anything to eat and it feels like I'm tired out from crying, feels like I'm going to collapse.
• I maintain my stance though. "I'm not signing that till I speak with Dean!"
• "Then you'd have to wait till forever. Dean isn't coming back and I'm selling the house," she announces.
• My mouth drops. Selling our house?
• I feel the color drain from my face as realization hits me.
• "You have no choice here, Bella. You're either signing this easily or in a harsh way," she winks, her threat is very real.
• I'm at a point where I don't know what else to do. I don't want a divorce, but Judy, Elena? they're crazy.
• And now that Dean, who always protected me from them, is no longer here.
• I can't fight and win against Judy. And I know to take her at her word. She doesn't bluff.
• It's either I sign this divorce papers and walk away or wedge war against Judy, which I'd obviously lose even before I attempt.
• She has judges, police, politicians in her pocket.
• Ashley's watching on with a poker face while the man I assume to be an attorney is transfixed on me.
• "Mrs Brennan. It's in your best interest to sign," his tone looks like he's sending a warning.
• "It's Bella. Just Bella in a few minutes," Judy corrected him.
• I glance at him, to Judy, to Elena and then lastly Ashley. She fixes me with a hard look.
• I shift my gaze to the divorce papers I had dropped on the table.
• Judy pulls a pen out of her purse as I pick it up, she really came prepared.
• I take the pen from her, my heart aches badly as I look
• around my home, tears striding down, pouring on the divorce papers.
• Slowly I signed.
• This is it.
• The end to my once perfect marriage.