Chapter 33

"THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING this David. It means a lot to me" Stella said as they walked out of the hospital building and into the cool evening breeze.

David looked up at the blanket of stars that stretched to infinity and blew out an audible breath. "After five years it's the least I can do," he said, brushing back his bangs lightly.

"It must be hard. I mean, keeping everything from your wife and all"

"It is. It's very hard" he sighed. "But it's necessary"

"Thank you, David"

He shrugged softly and glanced at his watch. "I should get going now. My wife's probably waiting for me"

Stella smiled and nodded. "I understand. Take care"

"You too"

He got into his car, waved at her, and drove off with strained thoughts of his wife suddenly occupying his mind.

It was selfish but he couldn't help himself. He missed her and as much as he loved spending time with Alex, he needed to be with his wife tonight.

He needed to feel her wrapped around him, he needed to fist a handful of that lush hair, to kiss her, to make love to her, and most of all, he needed to tell her how much he loved—

His phone rang, momentarily pulling him out of his thoughts. He picked it up, immediately grumbling at the sight of Luke's ID illuminating on his screen.

"What?" He bit off with a light snort.

"David, I —" Luke coughed, stuttering. "There's something I need to tell you"

"Get straight to it then" he gruffed.

"Well, uh — I think I uh —well I — David I'm sorry I —"

"Luke" he sighed. "I know you probably have something to say but I'm honestly not in the mood for this, I'll call you when I get home"

"Wait! No David! Don't hang up, just please hear me—"

"Bye, Luke" He hung up, tossed the phone to the side, and blew out a frustrating breath before continuing with his driving and after a while on the road, he finally arrived at the confines of his home.

"Dawn?" He called, toeing off his shoes and undoing his blazer as he climbed up the mahogany stairs. "Dawn honey?" He repeated, crossing the hallway and entering into the dimly lit room.

For a moment, he paused by the door and watched as Dawn gracefully brushed the edges of silky mane hair.

"Dawn" he called again, stepping further into the room but she stayed silent, squeezing the edge of her comb tighter as she continued to brush.

He threw his suitcase on the bed and quickly crossed the short distance between them.

"You're not answering me" he murmured casually. "I've missed you," he added, leaning down to nuzzle into her skin as his arms gathered her and the more he pulled her into his warmth, the more it caused a flame to ignite wilder through her veins.

She abruptly dropped her comb and turned, a curiously guarded look on her face.

David raised his brows at her sudden stiffness. "Everything alright?" He asked, trying to read her but he couldn't and a heavyweight of unknown silence became potent until Dawn opened her mouth to ask the one question that burdened her heart.

"Why, David?" She asked, hearing her heart break with every second of silence coming from him.

"Why what?" He asked her, genuinely confused.

"Don't play dumb, David. Just don't"

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."

Dawn laughed bitterly and shook her head, "I was such a fool"

David creased his brows, a wave of confusion startling him as cold blood suddenly rushed through his system. "What's going on?"

Dawn sucked in a deep breath, her chest ripping apart and heart breaking inside her as she said those next words. "I thought that this could work, I thought that if I loved you with everything I have, It would be enough to keep you with me. I thought that if I ate less and kept a beautiful shape it would be enough for you, I thought that if I kept silent and held it in I could save my marriage but I cant David"

David reached out for her hand. "Dawn I don't—" she pulled away from his touch as if it was fire.

"Remember our wedding day. We made a promise never to hurt each other, never to lie or keep secrets" her knuckles clenched into fists as she tried very hard to hold back her bitter tears. "You broke those promises, David, you... Broke them"

David sighed, a hand coming to brush his face. "Dawn if you're accusing me of cheating again I advise-"

She pulled out Stacey's journal and as his gaze dropped to it, he instantly froze, lungs and mouth going dry as his eyes wandered over to the half-open safe.

"How did you—"

She cut him off. "Did you honestly think changing the code would stop me?"

He gulped hard, heart beating ten times faster and shoulders tensing. "Dawn, I can explain, it's not what you think"

Dawn opened the journal. "You know, I already had my suspicions but Luke made it all easy"

"Luke? Did he tell you?"

"He didn't have much of a choice"

"Shit" he cursed, thinking fast and hard.  "Dawn, honey it's not what you think okay, I didn't cheat, it's just a misunderstanding"

"How can having a child be a misunderstanding?!" She yelled, her mess of emotion suddenly exploding inside her. "You have a child, a child you so desperately claimed you never wanted, or was it just my child you didn't want?"

"Dawn"

"How could you, after everything. You promised, you said you'd never hurt me, why David Why!" She lashed, taking a few steps away from him as hate, anger, and pain took over her body to a point that she found herself breathing hard.

"You don't understand"

"Then make me understand how you have a child and why you kept it away from me!"

"I didn't know Dawn, I only just found out, it's been five years and I didn't think this would happen"

"Do you honestly expect me to believe a word of say? You've been lying straight to my face for God knows how long!"

"I didn't want to hurt you" he came closer but she backed away.

"But you did David! You hurt me! I gave you my heart trusting you not to break it, but you, you tore it to pieces for your selfish reasons"

"It was all so sudden, he needed my help I didn't have a choice"

"You had a choice David, you could've come clean to me but you didn't because, in the end, I didn't matter"

"What would you had done if I told you I had a kid with another fucking woman"

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me! I am not the one who went whoring around!"

"Dawn!"

"She wasn't just any woman David, I know how much you loved her, she loved you too, it's all written in there!" she jabbed on the book and threw it pitifully at his chest.

He groaned. "Why won't you just understand that it's in the past for crying out loud. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have—"

"Married me?"

"I wouldn't have fucking slept with her, it wasn't part of the plan, none of this was!"

"You know what, It doesn't matter if it was part of the plan or not, you did it and now you have a child together" she inhaled deeply and released her curled fists. "I have no use here anymore" she walked to the dresser and drew out her already packed suitcase.

"What are you doing?" David asked immediately she walked back out.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm leaving" she turned around to walk away but he dragged her hand and held her back.

"You can't do this to me, Dawn, I won't let you," he said, taking her hands in his and squeezing.

"We're done, David, let me go"

"No we're not, we don't have to be" he got in front of her, his eyes pleading with hers desperately. "Please, I'll do anything"

"Get out of the way David!" She blurted, angry tear drops slipping from the side of her eyes.

"You're not walking out on me, not like this, I'm sorry I lied, I'll make it up to you, I'll make things right please just don't leave me. Don't lea—"

"I'm pregnant"

He paused, the grip on her hand loosening as he stared open-eyed at her for a second.

"You're what?"

She turned and looked him straight in the eye. "I'm pregnant David and guess what, it's yours"

David staggered back, the impact of the unexpected statement making him feel sick.

She chuckled bitterly and pulled his hands away. "But I guess you never really wanted a child so it doesn't matter"

David moved away further. He fisted on his hair and shook his head mumbling. "No no no" as his thoughts went rampant and after a few seconds of pacing around, he turned. "You can't have that child"

Outraged, Dawn clenched her knuckles into fists and took a step forward. "How can you stand here and say such things to my face. Don't I mean anything to you?!" She yelled, not realizing her tears had spilled until she felt it touch her skin.

David bit his lip. "You don't understand Dawn, you just can't have it"

"I will not terminate my baby!" She flared, angry tears blinding her vision as her fingers curled harder.

"I have lost everything I held dearly Dawn, I am not ready to lose you!" He retorted, yanking her elbow and pulling her along.

"David let me go!" She screamed, pulling her hands away but he grabbed them back, ignoring her cries as he hauled her to the door.

"We're going to the hospital and you're gonna get it out, I won't let you die, I refuse to lose you, I refuse to chose. I—" his words flung back into his throat, the room suddenly going quiet as the sound of her slap resonated.

He let go of her hand, instinctively clasping his burning cheek as he tried registering what had just happened.

Dawn slid her ring off, her heart shattering as the recalls of her wedding vows invaded her memory —the cheers, the smiles, his words, his vows, the love in his eyes — nothing felt real anymore, absolutely nothing.

She tossed away the ring and watched it pitifully roll underneath the table.

"Goodbye David" she'd said but the man in front of her remained stilled as they locked eyes for a long moment before she wordlessly turned around and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind her.