[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-260313014099-54":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},54,6,"Chapter 6: The Shattered Truth","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">My heart shattered into a million pieces, making it hard to even breathe.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">My throat felt like it was closing up. I turned my head, unable to face him.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"...You can stop pretending now. I saw your DMs with her.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Archer looked completely blindsided, stammering, \"...Who?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Lilith,\" I spat out, a bitter laugh escaping my lips.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">My supposed best friend of years. The woman my husband was cheating with. The ultimate gut punch.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The thought sent a chill down my spine. I glanced back at Archer. His familiar face now seemed like a stranger's.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Honey, listen to me, it's not what you think, nothing really happened between us...\" Archer pleaded, his voice laced with panic.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">His words were so absurd, I couldn't help but laugh. And I did.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I saw you kissing her. On my birthday.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Actually, I hadn't. I'd only overheard their voices.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">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.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Honey, I swear, I have no feelings for her. I just... she seduced me...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to keep my voice steady.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"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.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Archer’s hand, still holding mine, started to tremble.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"...Honey, you can't do this. It was a one-time mistake, I promise it won't happen again...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I’d heard enough. I pulled my hand away, slid the divorce papers across the table, and placed them in front of him.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">My voice was flat, emotionless. \"Let's get a divorce, Archer.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He numbly retracted his hand.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Suddenly, a flicker of something – desperation? – crossed his face.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I won't sign. We... we have the baby. For the baby's sake. Please, forgive me. I love you, honey.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The mention of the child growing inside me made my breath catch. A tear pricked at my eye.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">If he cared about our child, why hadn't he begged me to stay when I was pleading with him?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Just to make him stop, I lied, \"The baby... I've already terminated the pregnancy.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Archer's face contorted into a grotesque mask. His eyes, bloodshot and wild, fixed on me.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"...You... you what? How could you? That was our child! How could you...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I could see him spiraling. I pushed the divorce papers firmly towards him.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I stood, grabbing my phone, and scrolled to recent contacts.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">As I started to dial, Archer knocked the phone from my hand and shoved me back.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">My back slammed against the hallway console. A searing pain shot through my abdomen, followed by a warm, wet rush.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He grabbed my face, but I felt nothing, meeting his gaze with icy calm.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Archer’s furious red eyes bored into me, but the fight finally drained out of him. He crumpled to the floor.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I picked up my phone, the call still active. \"Come get me,\" I said into it.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">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.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Seeing Jesse waiting by the roadside finally made me exhale. Then, the world went black.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The first thing I saw when I woke up was a blinding, sterile white.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Hospital.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The realization hit me. I reached a hand to my abdomen.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A hollow, dead silence.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">I closed my eyes for a moment, then pushed myself up.\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272931468]