In no time, we were out from the house, and I can confidently say that this was the first quality family time we have had in years. Henry rarely has time for us, he was either occupied with his mistress or engrossed in his company affairs.
My heart swelled with joy upon seeing the gleaming expression on Jasmine's face; one glance was enough to tell her exhilaration for this outing. Witnessing my daughter radiate happiness like this was my ultimate goal; she was my greatest source of pride, after all.
The drive seemed to be longer than I anticipated, and I couldn't help but wonder where Henry was taking us. Despite my polite inquiries, he refused to say anything to me, he was too preoccupied with making calls and barking orders at whoever was on the receiving end. At one point, I chose to remain silent and enjoy this rare opportunity to spend time with Henry… peacefully.
Jasmine was beyond thrilled and couldn't stop talking; she bombarded us with questions every time we passed something unfamiliar, and being a responsible mother, I had to offer explanations each time. She even attempted to engage her father in conversation, but it was clear that Henry wasn't in the mood; taking us out was already a stretch for him, so expecting him to say more was like asking for too much.
Finally, the car came to a halt in front of an unfamiliar building, and even though I couldn't recognize it, I still had to step out because both Jasmine and Henry had already alighted.
I glanced around, trying to find the name of the building, but my curiosity got the best of me, and I ended up asking Henry instead.
“What is this place, Henry?” I inquired.
He stopped in his tracks and gave me a brief frown before quickly plastering a smile on his face when he noticed Jasmine watching us.
“Why don't you come inside and find out, my dear wife?” he replied, and I couldn't help but detect the sarcasm in his tone when he referred to me as his wife.
Sighing, I chose not to comment on his rude behavior; after years of marriage, I had grown accustomed to it. Jasmine wanted the both of us to hold her hands as we made our way inside, and we complied. The security guard at the gate greeted us with a smile and promptly opened the gate for us, and as soon as we stepped inside a small gasp escaped my mouth, as I beheld the wonder of this miniature paradise. It was a sight to behold, beautiful and there were only few people moving about.
“Do you like it, Jas?” Henry's question snapped me out of my reverie, as I turned to look at our daughter. Her eyes widened in excitement, eagerly nodding in response.
“I love it, daddy! Can I go play there?” Jasmine asked politely.
“Of course, my dear. This place is yours after all,” Henry dropped a bombshell that left me speechless. Did he really mean that this whole amusement park belonged to our four-year-old daughter? How on earth could a four-year-old own this place, for Christ’s sake?
But Jasmine was too excited to care about it, after all, she doesn’t understand what Henry just said. She let go of our hands and ran towards the swing she had pointed out earlier.
I wanted to go after her, but Henry held me back. “What?” I glared at him, still reeling from his statement earlier. I couldn't just forget or brush it off.
“Don't ruin this day for her, Gwen. Act like everything is okay,” Henry said, walking to the other side.
I sighed and reluctantly went to join our daughter, helping her onto the swing and pushing her back and forth with gentle force. We also tried out the trampoline and the shooting game, with Jasmine's energy showing no signs of waning even at lunchtime.
“Let's go have our lunch, baby,” I stretched out my hand, but Jasmine shook her head, pouting her lips.
“I still want to play, mummy. I don't want to leave,” she whispered.
“You can continue playing after we eat, Jas. Come down now, or I won't let you play even after lunch,” I warned, and she quickly relented, taking my hand as I carried her.
As we walked towards the snack stand, I looked around for Henry, but he was nowhere in sight. I pushed the thought aside and focused on getting Jasmine's favorite sandwich for us to enjoy.
“Here, take a bite baby” I handed her the sandwich and she eagerly accepted, opening her mouth without hesitation.“Do you like it?” I asked, and she nodded as she munched on the food, her mouth too full to speak.
As we continued eating, there was still no sign of Henry. Despite my promise to myself to not let him bother me, I couldn't help but feel anxious sitting here and doing nothing.
Soon enough, we finished our meal, leaving some sandwich and a bottle of soda for Henry.
“Mommy, where's daddy?” Jasmine asked.
I forced a smile as I packed our used bags. “Don't worry, daddy will be back soon,” I reassured her.
“But daddy was the one who suggested we come out, and now he's not here,” she retorted, her smile wiping from her face as she spoke. My hand, which was reaching for the empty bottles, froze.
I hated seeing my daughter like this—hurt because of her father's actions. If he wanted to punish me, then that’s fine. But he shouldn't hurt our daughter.
I gently held her chin and lifted her head, my heartbreaking again as I saw tears gathering in her eyes. I forced another smile and shook my head.
“Don't cry, sweetie. Wasn’t it daddy who brought us to the park?” I asked, and she nodded.
“That means he cares for us. We had a great time today because of him, so don't be sad. How about this,” she blinked innocently at me.
“How about you stay here while I go look for daddy? Maybe he couldn't find us and got lost.” I suggested. Jasmine giggled and nodded in agreement.
“Okay, Baby, you wait here while I find daddy and then get us some ice cream on my way back. You like that, right?” I laughed at her excited expression.
If there was one thing that could cheer Jasmine up, it was ice cream. They were practically best of friends.
“Alright, I'll be right back.” I kissed her on the cheek before getting up with the empty wrappers and bottle in my hand.
I didn't know where to begin my search for Henry, so I decided to call him. The phone rang, but he didn't answer. I didn't bother trying again, and instead threw the trash away before walking down the road we passed earlier on, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. Despite my efforts for finding him, Henry was nowhere to be found in the park or the spot where we had last spoken. Suspecting he may have left or may be outside, I went outside the park in search of him.
As I approached the gate, my heartbeat quickened, sensing something bad was about to happen. I chose not to dwell on this feeling, and continued my walk to the gate. Upon reaching the gate, my eyes were immediately drawn to Henry's broad back. Something I can picture even in my head; his body. A wave of relief washed over me, but it was quickly replaced by a stab of disappointment as I noticed that he was not alone.
He was in the company of another woman-his lover.
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Standing there with a shattered heart, I observed the pair in front of me. My thoughts wandered, wondering why Henry would bring us to this place when he knew his lover would be here. Why did he even take the time to be with us when he knew he couldn't be fully present?I tried to calm my racing heart and consider my options: should I go back inside to meet jasmine, or approach the two of them? After much contemplation, I decided to confront them. As I approached, it became clear that they were engaged in a heated argument. Henry's body was tense and alert, while the woman was the one doing all the talking."What's happening here?" I inquired, focusing my gaze on Henry and pretending not to see the lady next to him."Perfect! It's great that she's here, Henry. Why don't we fill her in on what's going on?" She sneered.I turned to Henry, but he refused to even acknowledge my presence. "Henry, why are you here? Jasmine has been looking for you," I said, trying to brush off the woman's c
Gwen.Throughout the car ride home, Henry remained silent, completely disregarding my presence. But I paid no mind to it; I knew it had become his preferred course of action. We arrived home just before dinner, and I carried the sleeping Jasmine out of the car. I turned to Henry, who had not bothered to come out."Are you not coming in?" I inquired. Sometimes I wondered why I even bothered with him, but he was my husband after all."No," he replied before turning the car around and driving off.I stood there, watching the car leave our home, for a long time. I only went inside when Jasmine stirred in my arms. I first went to her room and laid her down on her bed. I removed her dress and tossed it in the laundry basket. Then, I grabbed a damp towel and wiped her body, knowing she wouldn't sleep comfortably with a sweaty body. After that, I dressed her in a light nightgown and left the room once I was certain she was comfortable.Thankfully, Sheila was not around. It was a double stroke
Gwen's life flashed before her eyes as the word “divorce” echoed in her mind. She couldn't believe it. Henry was divorcing her - no, he had already divorced her. All that was left was for her to sign the papers, and that thought terrified her. Struggling to control her breathing, Gwen looked at Henry. He was staring at her like he was looking at something other than a person. “What do you mean, Henry?” She asked, still unsure of what she heard. “Don't tell me your ears are broken as well?” He sneered.But Gwen didn't have time for his taunts. If he wanted to mock her, he could do it later. Right now, the situation was far more serious than he could imagine. How dare he think he could divorce her whenever he pleased? When they signed the marriage certificate and exchanged vows, he promised to be with her until death did them part. So why was he suddenly bringing divorce papers to her?“I still don't understand what you're trying to say, Henry,” I said, picking up the papers from th
Gwen. I was right when I said that Emily was nothing but a slut, and she will continue being one. Henry knew it was true, but he wouldn't admit it. I mean, who would? Who would sit quietly and let someone insult the person they're in love with? As much as he tried to deny it, I was right. We became silent for a moment, both of us looking at each other straight in the eyes. Neither of us spoke, but with the tension and quietness around us, one would think we were preparing for war. He looked away and pulled back, his eyes staring at me as his nose scrunched up in disgust. “You'll sign those papers, and I swear you'll do it today.” I scoffed. So this was his way of avoiding the subject. But guess what? I wasn't done. “Do not try to avoid the subject here, Henry. We both know that she's the cause of whatever rift we have between us. She is the reason your daughter had to spend countless nights waiting up for you. She's the reason you abandoned your family and left us to stay in th
Gwen. The next morning, Henry was up, and his side of the bed was cold when I woke up, which meant that he had left many hours ago. I sighed, but didn't let that trouble me. My gaze peered at my little sunshine who was still sleeping beside me, a smile graced my lips, and I marveled at how peaceful and cute she looked even in her sleep. While sitting there lost in my thoughts, my mind went back to the conversation we had last night. “The divorce.” Henry was so persistent about it, and I wondered why I didn't give him what he wanted last night. I mulled over it last night while pretending to be asleep, there was no need to fight for him when I have already lost the fight. It was clear as day that Henry didn't and doesn't belong to me. He wants a divorce, so why not give it to him? He can go stay with Emily and his little family for all I care. I was done taking his bullshit and his tantrums, done hoping he would one day change his mind and be with me fully. Like they say, everyone
Gwen.Loud chatter and laughter filled my ears as Jasmine and I made our way downstairs. My brows furrowed as I couldn't help but be curious about who that was. My heart ached when I heard the hearty laughter again. Something in me snapped and all I wanted to do was to get that person to shut their mouth. They shouldn't be happy when I'm so miserable. Everyone should be sad because I am. Call me petty, but that's how I think. Taking the last step, Jasmine let go of my arm at the sight of her father. “Daddy!” she rushed to his side. He seemed to be in a more jovial mood because he picked her up and peppered kisses all over her face. I looked around, and my heart dropped when I saw who was here with him. It was his mother and his naughty sister. “Good morning, Mum,” I greeted, trying hard not to roll my eyes. What the heck was she doing here? I thought she wouldn't be back for another week. Why was she here? She didn't answer me, only narrowing her eyes at me. My breath seized wh
Henry. I would have to admit that divorcing Gwen wasn’t and isn’t part of my plans for her. I wanted to make her stay in this unbearable marriage miserable for the rest of her life. If she thinks I’m someone whom she can easily manipulate and use to her advantage, then I was going to show her that Henry Baldwin isn’t one to be messed with. But then Emily ruined that plan—well, I won’t completely call it ruined because she gave me one of the best news since we have been together for years. Turns out, Emily wanted to announce her pregnancy to Gwen the other day at the park, and it took all of my willpower not to let her blabber. The confusion and curiosity on Gwen’s face was one thing I loved. She was utterly curious and would want to know about something even though that particular thing was dangerous. So, after dropping Gwen and Jas off, I drove back to Emily’s house, and that was when the real deal started. Emily told me about her being pregnant with my child. Was I elated or sh
Henry.I had a difficult time sleeping last night with Gwen's constant sniffing and soft crying. So I waited until she and Jas were fast asleep before leaving the room as quietly as possible. After that, I called my mother and told her about the divorce. I was a little mad when she screamed in excitement. It felt like she didn't want this marriage with Gwen at all.“Really! Are you telling the truth, Henry? Are you truly divorcing that woman?” My mother bombarded me with questions.I sighed and noticed how she referred to Gwen as “that woman”. I have known for a long time that my mother doesn't like Gwen. It wasn't a new thing. I have even watched her mistreat Gwen like she was a slave in this house, so why do I feel angry when she called her that?“Hello! Henry, are you still there?”“I'm here, Mother.” I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. This feels so awkward.“I'm so glad, Henry. You don't know how happy I am to hear this. This is the best news I've heard in weeks, if not yea