Page 122 of Eternally Yours
“You got it.” He winks and disappears.
It takes me another forty-five minutes to finish up my work before I shut off my laptop and join my husband in the kitchen. When I get to the island, the smell of buffalo chicken assaults my nose and makes my stomach growl.
“Mmm, that smells good,” I say, walking over to him and trying to peek over his shoulder.Trying, being the main word. I don’t even reach his shoulder.
“Buffalo chicken wraps. I dialed down the heat for you since I know you aren’t a fan of that.” He looks back at me and smirks.
“Always so thoughtful.” I turn and grab us two plates and a bottle of water each, setting them down on the island. The moment my hands are free, Sy’s phone starts ringing. I look over and notice his agent’s name. “Hun, your agent is calling you.”
Silas removes the chicken from the stovetop and turns to grab his phone. “Barry?”
Immediately, his agent starts spitting out words at lightning speed. I can’t hear what he’s saying, but he sounds animated. Silas frowns the more he listens. “Who?”
Barry answers, and Silas’s eyes shoot up to meet mine, panic taking over his features. I don’t know what’s happening, but by the look on his face and the tone his agent is using, I’m guessing whatever it is isn’t good.
“SHE’S WHAT!?” His voice rises loud, startling Milo from his nap on thekitchen floor.
Just then my phone begins to ping with notifications, one after the other.No... not this again...
My hands grow damp as I reach out for my phone with shaky fingers. Multiple notifications from social media are coming in. I look up to my husband before pressing on any, and the look I find guts me.
His face has drained of any color, his eyes look heartbroken and pained. I quickly tap on the latest notification, knowing full well that this will change everything.
A wail leaves my lungs when I read the headline. My hand comes to my mouth, tears blurring my vision. I shake my head from side to side aggressively. “No... no God, please. No. Anything but this.”
This can’t be true... it has to be a lie. I need him to tell me it’s not true.
But he doesn’t. Instead, he tells Barry to get in touch with his lawyer, and I fall apart at the defeated look on Silas’s face. I shake out of my shocked state on a sob and run out of the room, up the stairs with my phone in hand. I quickly dial the number I’m looking for, and luckily, he picks up on the first ring.
“Clay! Please come and get me. Please… I can’t be here anymore...” I cry through my words, praying he understands.
“I know, C. I’m already on my way. I’ll be there in two. Just hold on.”
I don’t bother saying more, simply hanging up and throwing my phone on the bed.
From downstairs, I hear Silas yell,“FUCK!!”And something smashing, then him stomping up the stairs.
I rush into the closet, grabbing my suitcase and a big duffle bag, then set them open on the bed. I’m completely distraught as I begin to throw things in, wiping furiously at my eyes to stop the tears from blinding me.
“No, please, Minnie. Don’t do this. We... we can get through this. We’ll figure it out. Please don’t leave.” He tries to grab my hand, but I pull away quickly, moving away from his touch to continue packing my things.
“I can’t, Silas. I can’t stay. I can’t do this anymore…”
“That’s not true, this doesn’t change anything. It’s still just you and me, like we promised. You said we were worth it, that you wouldn’t give up.” He follows behind while I move around, trying to stop me from shoving things in the suitcase and bag.
I stop what I’m doing and turn to him, hurt at his choice of words. “This changesEVERYTHING,Silas! I was able to look past the fact that you slept with her and that the whole fucking world knew about it. But this? This I can’t.” I press my hand against my heart that burns with pain.
“Jesus, Silas. You havenoidea how hard it was for me! Every time I closed my eyes, I could see her face, I could see your lips against hers. You touching her the way you’d touch me. I could hear her voice in my head every time I fell asleep... and it nearly broke me.” My voice cracks as another sob falls from my lips.
“But I was able to move on from it because it was in the past. It would never happen again, and I would never see or hear her again. She was gone for good. But that’s not the case anymore, is it?” My body shakes violently, I feel nauseous, and I just want to be gone from here. Away from him and this life that’s killing me from the inside.
“Cecilia...” He tries to reach for me again, but I swat his arm away.
“NO, SILAS! It’s not! Because now she’s carryingYOURchild. Something that should have been mine... and now she’ll be in our lives forever. I can’t do that, Silas. I can’t live with a constant reminder of the night you ruined us. I’m sorry.” I’m crying uncontrollably, watching the tears roll down Silas’s cheeks as he realizes that I mean every word.
That I’m done.
I turn my back to him, needing to look away. It pains me to see him like this as much as the news of that woman’s pregnancy does. And I know if I look at him for too long, I’ll break and change my mind.
