Chapter 2
I collapsed on the sofa and stared at the messages on my phone for a long time.
Carlos and I had been together for almost ten years, yet our romance ended so messily.
Carlos didn't come home until the next day. When he saw me curled up on the couch watching TV, he frowned.
"Didn't go to work today?" he asked.
After Carlos and I got together, we made a pact to build our future side by side.
He had run away from his wealthy family to work and put part of his salary into our joint savings account every month.
To keep things fair, I refused any support from my own family and found a job to work alongside him.
My family was only moderately well-off, but we had enough savings for me to live comfortably for the rest of my life.
Since Carlos had broken his promise first, why should I continue living like this?
"If I don't feel like going, then I won't," I replied, my voice flat.
There was a comedy show playing on TV, but I couldn't even crack a smile.
"Not again. Do you even care how wiped out I am from work?" Carlos said.
He sighed deeply, putting as much distance between us as he could by sitting at the opposite end of the couch.
After a long silence, he finally spoke up, acting like it was no big deal.
He said, "I did marry Cora, but it was an arranged marriage by my family. It wasn't my choice.
"Cora can't have children. You're the only one who can carry on the Herrera bloodline with me, so what are you still unhappy about?"
Rage surged through me.
My hands and feet trembled, and my head spun. I felt as if I were being pressed into the sofa, unable to move.
After a long time, I finally managed to choke back my tears and demanded, "Oh, an arranged marriage?
"You make it sound so easy. You two are married, so what does that make me? The other woman? Your side piece?
"Carlos, don't insult me."
Carlos's voice grew impatient.
He said, "I didn't have a say in this. What do you expect me to do? Divorce her? My parents would kill me. And Cora..."
He paused for a long moment before saying, "Cora's got depression. If I leave her, she might do something crazy. We grew up together. I can't bear to see her suffer."
I finally broke down, tears streaming down my face.
Carlos gently lifted the blanket from me and leaned in, trying to soothe me.
But I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face.
He had been raised in luxury. Even after he started working, he still had a spoiled temper, and no one had ever dared to hit him.
I saw the stunned look on Carlos's face and gave him another slap, even harder, right on the same side.
Carlos hit the floor, his right cheek blazing red and swollen.
I stood up.
I said, "This is my house. You've lived here for ten years and never paid a dime in rent.
"I'm not hurting for money, so I won't chase you for back rent. But I give you three days to pack your things and get out of my house.
"Carlos, we're done."
Carlos stared blankly for a long time before getting up from the ground. He wiped the blood from his nose and muttered under his breath, "Shit."
He towered over me, arrogance written all over his face.
He said, "Brynn, you've gone too far this time.
"Fine, I'll leave.
"If you come running back, begging me to take you in, forget it.
"I'll give you three days to think it over. Decide whether you really want to break up."
He grabbed his coat and slammed the door as he left.