My heart shattered into a million pieces, making it hard to even breathe.

My throat felt like it was closing up. I turned my head, unable to face him.

"...You can stop pretending now. I saw your DMs with her."

Archer looked completely blindsided, stammering, "...Who?"

"Lilith," I spat out, a bitter laugh escaping my lips.

My supposed best friend of years. The woman my husband was cheating with. The ultimate gut punch.

The thought sent a chill down my spine. I glanced back at Archer. His familiar face now seemed like a stranger's.

"Honey, listen to me, it's not what you think, nothing really happened between us..." Archer pleaded, his voice laced with panic.

His words were so absurd, I couldn't help but laugh. And I did.

"I saw you kissing her. On my birthday."

Actually, I hadn't. I'd only overheard their voices.

Archer’s mask must have slipped. He didn't even question how I saw it, just desperate to cover his tracks. He dropped to his knees, reaching for my hand.

"Honey, I swear, I have no feelings for her. I just... she seduced me..."

I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Archer, after all these years, you know me. If the love is gone, it's gone. I don't want this marriage to end in a dumpster fire."

Archer’s hand, still holding mine, started to tremble.

"...Honey, you can't do this. It was a one-time mistake, I promise it won't happen again..."

I’d heard enough. I pulled my hand away, slid the divorce papers across the table, and placed them in front of him.

My voice was flat, emotionless. "Let's get a divorce, Archer."

He numbly retracted his hand.

Suddenly, a flicker of something – desperation? – crossed his face.

"I won't sign. We... we have the baby. For the baby's sake. Please, forgive me. I love you, honey."

The mention of the child growing inside me made my breath catch. A tear pricked at my eye.

If he cared about our child, why hadn't he begged me to stay when I was pleading with him?

Just to make him stop, I lied, "The baby... I've already terminated the pregnancy."

Archer's face contorted into a grotesque mask. His eyes, bloodshot and wild, fixed on me.

"...You... you what? How could you? That was our child! How could you..."

I could see him spiraling. I pushed the divorce papers firmly towards him.

I stood, grabbing my phone, and scrolled to recent contacts.

As I started to dial, Archer knocked the phone from my hand and shoved me back.

My back slammed against the hallway console. A searing pain shot through my abdomen, followed by a warm, wet rush.

He grabbed my face, but I felt nothing, meeting his gaze with icy calm.

Archer’s furious red eyes bored into me, but the fight finally drained out of him. He crumpled to the floor.

I picked up my phone, the call still active. "Come get me," I said into it.

Archer scrambled to stop me. I looked at him, my expression unreadable. "If you don't want this whole messy business exposed, don't follow me."

Seeing Jesse waiting by the roadside finally made me exhale. Then, the world went black.

The first thing I saw when I woke up was a blinding, sterile white.

Hospital.

The realization hit me. I reached a hand to my abdomen.

A hollow, dead silence.

I closed my eyes for a moment, then pushed myself up.