Chapter 4
I scoffed, voice icy. "Change? Giovani, there are some things that are just unforgivable."
"But we've been together for three years. Are you really just going to walk away?" Giovani said.
"You were the one who let go first," I shot back.
I turned away, refusing to look at him.
"Aimee, I messed up. I betrayed you, and I never should've done that. But I swear, I get it now. I'll end things with Sienna," Giovani said.
"It's too late," I said coldly.
"No, it's not. If you just forgive me, we can still make this work," he insisted.
I didn't reply. I just kept my gaze fixed on the window, silent and unmoved.
Giovani sat there for a long time before he finally left.
Lying alone in my hospital bed, I rested a hand over my flat belly, feeling utterly hollow inside.
"Baby, I'm so sorry. If only I hadn't acted on impulse, none of this would've happened..." I murmured, guilt crushing my heart.
The nurse came in to change my dressing. When she noticed the tears streaming down my face, she tried to comfort me. "Don't be too upset. You're still young. You'll have more chances to be a mom."
I managed a weak smile and stayed silent.
A future? There was no more. Giovani and I were just a story that had ended.
The next morning, my parents arrived after a long journey from our hometown.
"Aimee, darling, how are you holding up?" my mom asked, her eyes brimming with tears.
"I'm fine, Mom."
"How can you say you're fine? You just lost the baby, and you still say you're fine?" my dad snapped, his voice shaking with anger. "Where's that bastard Giovani? Where is he now?"
"Dad, please, just calm down," I said softly.
"How am I supposed to be calm? My daughter just went through something this awful, and he's not even by your side at the hospital?" my dad shouted, his face flushed with rage.
I told them about Giovani cheating on me.
My mom was so furious that she started trembling. "That bastard! Aimee, come home with me—we're done with him!"
"Mom, I just need a couple days to calm down before I can make any decisions," I said softly.
"What's there to be calm about? You wanna keep a jerk like that around as some kind of trophy?" My dad shot back, beyond angry.
That night, Giovani showed up again, carrying a bag of my favorite food.
"Aimee, are you hungry? I brought you some dishes," he said, trying to sound gentle.
I didn't even bother to look at them.
"Aimee, can we just sit down and talk this through?" Giovani asked.
"There's nothing left for us to talk about," I said coldly, shutting him out.
"So you're really not going to give me a second chance?" he pleaded.
I turned to look at him. "Giovani, honestly, if I cheated on you, would you really be able to forgive me?"
He just stared at me, speechless.
"You see? If you can't even do it yourself, then what right do you have to ask me for forgiveness?" I said.
"That's different. I'm a man..." Giovani tried to defend himself.
"Oh, so being a man means you automatically get a pass to cheat? Seriously, Giovani, when did your sense of right and wrong get so messed up?" I snapped.
Giovani just stood there, totally lost for words.
"Aimee, I know I messed up. I really do. Just give me some time, and I swear I'll change," he pleaded.
"You don't have to bother changing. We're over—there's nothing left between us," I said.
Giovani went down on his knees, his voice cracking as he begged, "Aimee, please, don't leave me."
As I watched him kneeling before me, my heart felt completely numb.
Honestly, there was a time I would've caved if he'd done this. But now, any love I had for him was long gone; my heart was already dead.
"Giovani, get up. Kneeling won't fix what's broken between us," I said.
"What would it take for you to forgive me?" Giovani choked out, desperation in his voice.
"There's nothing you can do. I'm never going to forgive you," I said.
Giovani stared at me, eyes rimmed red and voice shaky. "Aimee, you've changed."
"Of course I have. After everything you put me through, how could I not?" I shot back.
He stood up, his eyes filled with utter despair.
"Aimee, if you're set on divorcing me, I'll go along with it. But I want to divide our assets..." Giovani said.
I cut him off. "I don't want any of it. The house, the car, the savings—you can have everything."
"Aimee..." Giovani murmured.
"But there's one condition. We're done for good—never speak to me again," I said.
Giovani was stunned. "Aimee, can't you be a little less heartless?"
"Heartless? Giovani, what right do you have to call me heartless?" I shot back.
He didn't say a thing. He just quietly left the hospital room.
I knew it—our three-year marriage was officially over.
After I was discharged from the hospital, I moved back in with my parents.
Giovani tried calling a few times, but I hung up on him without saying a word. I ignored all his messages, too.
My mom saw how gloomy I was every day, and it really hurt her.
"Aimee, stop thinking about that heartless guy. Let me introduce you to some decent guys," my mom said, trying to lift my spirits.
"Mom, I'm just not ready for any relationship right now," I replied, my voice dull.
"Honey, it's not like you're planning to stay single forever, right? You're just twenty-six, still so young," my mom said.
I shook my head, exhausted. "Mom, please... just let me have some quiet for now."
A week later, I received a court summons.