Cast Away The Slipping Sand

When I woke up again, Walter was nowhere to be found.

I took the drafted divorce papers and went to Walter’s company. From his lounge, I heard overlapping cries and moans.

Walter’s guttural groans were mixed with Belle’s high-pitched gasps. The sound was so loud it hurt my eardrums.

My hand trembled on the doorknob. Through the blinds, Belle shot me a cold, quick look.

I could not hold back anymore. I slammed the door open.

Walter instinctively shielded Belle behind him and quickly threw a jacket over her.

He turned around and roared at me, “Zara, you have a fever. Why aren’t you staying home? What are you doing here?”

I yelled at him hysterically. “Walter, is this what you keep calling a ‘work relationship’?!

“You cheated on me while I was pregnant. What do you take me for?”

Walter just let out a careless, dismissive laugh. He put on his clothes while smiling and said, “Zara, you need to understand this. We’re thirty years old now. Stop obsessing over the meaningless kind of love that only exists in fairy tales.

“Look, we have financial freedom, and that’s the truth. Just look the other way and live a worry-free life as Mrs. Sterling.

“Honey, believe me. Every guy cheats when his wife’s pregnant. If you truly love me, could you really stand to leave me hanging?”

Walter’s shameless justification for cheating made me so sick that I actually gagged.

I stared at him intensely. My lips trembled as I said deliberately, “Walter, you can go find yourself a wife who’ll put up with your cheating. That’s not me. I can’t even stand having a speck of dirt in my eye. I’m done.”

Walter’s phone suddenly rang. He gave a scornful, cold laugh and brushed me off.

“Honey, you don’t have your youth to fall back on anymore. That body you were so proud of is wrecked from pregnancy. Besides me, who else would even want you?

“Be good. I’m going to step out and take this call. You should think this over.”

With that, he answered the call and left the room.

He had barely stepped out when Belle brought her aggressive dog inside.

That large dog bared its teeth and barked nonstop at me. My whole body jolted with fear.

Belle covered her mouth to laugh dramatically.

“Don’t think that just because you’re carrying his child, you’re on the same level as me.

“You know, we’ve been together for four years already. Every single day you couldn’t reach him, Walter and I were busy having the time of our lives in bed.

“Why don’t you take a good look at yourself in the mirror? You’re as fat as a pig. Do you really think Walter is going to give you a second look?”

I pursed my lips and stayed silent. I was afraid that if I opened my mouth, I would start to sob uncontrollably.

For four years, all those days when Walter used excuses like business trips and overtime, he was actually with Belle.

Every time I caved, I just made myself look like a complete joke.

Belle became inexplicably angry when I remained quiet.

She glanced at her dog. The next second, that large dog charged at me with a bark.