Chapter 006

Caleb looked shocked to find me in his parent’s house.

His well-pointed nose flared and his grey eyes darkened as he balled his fist. He must have thought I came to cry about the divorce from his parents.

I sighed, and put on my sunglasses.

“I have signed the divorce papers, your parents will tell you the rest,” I said.

“Huh?” Caleb muttered, his eyes widening in shock.

“Goodbye,” I mumbled and walked out of the house.

I felt Caleb’s eyes on my back as I disappeared into the garage.

The chauffeur opened the car door and I got in, sighing repeatedly.

I faced Caleb without fear or intimidation. We are no longer couples, we are exes.

Caleb is no longer the boy I fell in love with, he is no longer the guy I shared my first passionate kiss with. Caleb is my ex.

“Where do we go?” the chauffeur asked, interrupting my thoughts.

“Take me to the cemetery.”

He nodded and ignited the car.

My eyes lingered on their building as the car rolled away.

I remember the first day I visited this house. I had come with my parents for a dinner night with the Thompsons.

Caleb was just fourteen and I was ten.

I had fallen in love with him at first sight, though I only loved him like a brother then. When I turned twelve, my feelings for him bloomed every day.

This house became my home. I always looked forward to dining with them. Mrs. Cassandra became a mother to me, she loved me so much that people who didn’t know our family roots thought I was Juliet’s elder sister.

Juliet looked up to me as a sister figure. We were always there for each other.

They loved me selflessly, but I loved them because I was in love with their son.

Perhaps, they discovered my schemes when the wedding came up and hated me passionately.

It is not their fault that they hate me, they couldn’t help it. I deserve all the hate and misfortune.

I was the hated daughter, the unwanted daughter-in-law, the unloved wife, and the reckless mother.

I was Rosy Connor, the thieving witch!

The car jerked to a violent stop and my head bounced forward, almost throwing me off my seat.

I gasped, snapping out of my reverie.

My eyes wandered around the driver’s seat and glared at the driver.

“What are you doing?” I snapped, trying to control my heavy breathing.

“I’m sorry ma’am, I wanted to hand you a handkerchief,” he said, dangling a white silver-lined handkerchief in his hands.

That was when I noticed the ball of tears rolling down my cheeks.

My anger and fear vanished.

“Thank you,” I muttered, collecting the handkerchief.

“Are you okay, ma’am, did something happen?” the chauffeur asked, his eyes rheumy in worry.

I shook my head.

“Let us go to the cemetery, I need to get home quickly,” my voice cracked as I spoke. He seemed to notice and kept his gaze on me.

“It’s about Sherry, it’s nothing much,” I faked a smile.

“I’m sorry about her loss,” he said and faced the road, igniting the car again.

I sighed and strapped the seatbelt.

I closed my eyes, trying hard not to think about my present situation.

I felt the car stop moving and opened my eyes.

“Have we arrived?” I asked.

“Yes ma’am.”

I stepped out of the car and breathed in sharply.

I walked into the cemetery.

As I shuffled towards Sherry’s grave, my vision blurred. I slumped down in front of the grave and read the words engraved on the tombstone.

‘SHERRY THOMPSON

26/4/2016 –7/5/2023

May the flowers that fell too early become a bright star in the sky.’

“My baby,” I mumbled, running my fingers over the words.

“I and your dad got a divorce today. He says he doesn’t want me in his life anymore.”

“Everyone hates me and blames me for your death. Do you hate me too, Sherry? Will you ever forgive me for letting a beautiful flower fall too early?” tears stung my eyes and poured down my cheeks.

“Will you ever forgive me?”

I sniffled and cupped my face into my palm.

Pain, regret, and sorrow stabbed me multiple times.

How long I stayed at Sherry’s graveside, I couldn’t tell.

Only the rain that dropped on my face pointed out that I had stayed there for hours.

I felt numb, I felt shattered, I felt dead. I read the words scribbled down on the tombstone. I read it over and over again till it became blurry lines.

My body shook and my toes and fingers started to freeze.

I felt my head swirling around and my eyes dilating. I couldn’t control myself anymore, my body dropped to the ground in paralysis. I tried to scream, my lips only moved but no words came out. My heavy eyelids began to shut against my will.

Am I going to die? Will I join Sherry soon?

If that happens, then I will be happy. I just want to go with my baby.

I heard running footsteps approach me as the rain fell harder, I didn’t move from my position.

An umbrella shielded me from the dreadful shower and a strong pair of hands shook me.

“Rosy! Rosy!”

Who was that?

The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place the owner.

My eyes snapped open and my blurred vision returned.

“Rosy! Open your eyes, Rosy, open your eyes!”

“Caleb, is that you? Why are you back?” I muttered, unsure if I was hallucinating.

The hands clasped around my shoulder withdrew and silence fell over the place.

“Ma’am, it’s me. The chauffeur” heard a calm reply.

I was cupped into his arms and he plodded towards the car. He dropped me into the passenger’s seat and got into the car.

“I should take you home, ma’am,” he breathed out, sneezing.

“No,” I whispered.

“Huh?” He mumbled, leaning back to hear me.

“Take me to my parent’s house.”

“Why?” he shot his head back in confusion.

“I am no longer married, I am divorced.”

“What? Divorced?” he muttered in shock.

“Take me to my dad, that’s why I brought my bags.”

He nodded and didn’t ask further questions.

Before we got to my parent’s mansion, I was able to regain full consciousness of my environment.

He pulled the door open and I staggered out of the car. The chauffeur held me from falling to the ground.

I gently pushed him away, assuring him that I was fine. I staggered out of our garage and walked to the front of the house. I knocked timidly on the door, my heart beating loudly.

A maid chipped a response from within the house and the double door was unlocked and pulled away.

Her face paled when she saw my state.

“Miss Rosy, what happened to you, what are you doing here at this time?” she inquired.

“Is my dad in?” I asked.

She nodded and made way for my entrance. I staggered into the home I had always eluded and wished never to return to.

My parents were having dinner when I entered.

“Honey, look at this designer bag, I…” Karen, my stepmom trailed and blood drained off from her face as she gapped at me.

“Rosy! What are you doing here?” Karen, as she has always told me to call her, sprang up.

My dad dropped his phone and glared at me.

“Shouldn’t you be at your husband’s place, what are you doing here by this time?” my dad snapped, glaring at my intrusion.

I have always been an unwanted member of my family.

The chauffeur rolled my suitcases into the living room and they stared at it dumbfounded.

“Well, unfortunately, I don’t have a husband anymore,” I muttered.

“What… what do you mean?” Karen stammered, her eyes bulging out.

“What’s with the suitcases, Rosy?” my dad asked, pointing at the suitcases behind me.

I stared at my parents, anger and regret building up in my eyes.

I sniffed and glared at them with rheumy and sad eyes.

“Mom, Dad. I am back.”