Chapter 4 Get Out!

“They didn’t come home.”

Nia whispered the words into the quiet room as she sat up on the bed, her eyes swollen and sore from crying herself to sleep the night before. The other side of the bed was untouched, cold, and empty. She did not need to check the clock to know it was morning. The dull ache in her chest told her everything she needed to know.

Anthony and Rachel had not returned from their acclaimed dinner.

She swung her legs off the bed slowly, her body heavy, her heart even heavier. For a moment, she just sat there, staring at the wall, listening to the silence that now felt permanent in the house.

“I should have known,” she murmured.

She reached for her phone, not because she expected a message from her husband, but because she needed something, anything, to distract her mind from spiraling further. Her fingers trembled as she unlocked the screen and opened her Facebook.

After scrolling for a while, the first video that appeared made her breath hitch.

She frowned slightly and tapped on it without thinking.

Music blasted from the speakers as the screen came alive. Anthony stood in the middle of a crowded club, laughing, a glass raised in his hand. His friends surrounded him, cheering loudly. And beside him, pressed close, was Rachel.

Rachel’s arms were wrapped around his neck. Her head was thrown back in laughter as they danced, moving in perfect rhythm like they had never been apart. Anthony leaned close to her ear, saying something that made her smile brightly.

Nia’s phone slipped from her fingers and landed on the bed.

Her heart pounded violently as she stared at the screen. Slowly, she picked it up again, her hands shaking.

She scrolled.

One blog. Then another. And another.

Everywhere she looked, the same headline stared back at her.

Anthony DeLuca reunited with his high school sweetheart. Love finds its way back home.

Rachel Stein returns to her rightful place.

Nia felt the room spin.

“No,” she whispered. “This isn’t real.”

Her chest tightened painfully as tears spilled from her eyes. Her marriage had never been perfect. It had never even been good. But this… this was something else entirely. Public humiliation. Public replacement.

She pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling a sob.

“I’m his wife,” she cried softly. “I’m still his wife.”

Her stomach churned, and she quickly placed a hand over it, fear creeping in.

“Please,” she whispered. “Please be okay.”

After a long while, she forced herself to breathe. Sitting there would only destroy her further. She wiped her tears roughly and stood up.

“I need to eat something,” she told herself. “I need to stay strong for my baby.”

She freshened up slowly, moving carefully as if any sudden motion might shatter her completely. When she made her way downstairs, the house felt foreign, like she no longer belonged there.

She prepared something for herself at the kitchen then proceeded to sit at the dining table and forced herself to eat, though every bite felt like ash in her mouth.

That was when the front door opened.

Nia’s heart skipped. She looked up.

Rachel walked in alone.

Her hair was flawless. Her clothes were stylish. She looked rested. Satisfied.

The thought that Anthony and her must have made out the whole night, disgusted Nia.

Nia looked away immediately, focusing on her plate. She had no energy for this. None at all.

Rachel scoffed. “Ignoring me now?”

Nia said nothing.

Rachel walked closer. “You should know something,” she said casually. “Anthony wants you out of the master bedroom.”

Nia’s head snapped up. “What did you just say?”

“He wants me there,” Rachel continued smoothly. “I’ll be moving my things in today. You can use the guest room.”

Nia pushed her chair back and stood abruptly. “That’s not happening.”

Rachel raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“This is my matrimonial home,” Nia said, her voice shaking with anger. “You don’t get to kick me out of my bedroom. If you need comfort, go find it somewhere else.”

Rachel’s face darkened.

Nia grabbed her phone and headed for the stairs, her appetite completely gone. She took the steps quickly, desperate to escape.

“Get back here,” Rachel shouted as she went after her.

Before Nia could react, Rachel grabbed her from behind, fingers tangling painfully in her hair.

“Let go of me,” Nia screamed.

Rachel yanked harder. “You think you can talk to me like that?”

Pain exploded across Nia’s scalp. She clawed at Rachel’s hands, tears streaming down her face.

“Please,” Nia cried. “Stop. You’re hurting me.”

They struggled, bodies twisting violently. Their feet missed a step.

Everything happened too fast.

They tumbled.

Nia felt herself falling, her body crashing down the stairs. Her head struck hard. A sharp pain tore through her waist and stomach, stealing the air from her lungs.

She landed at the bottom in a heap, moaning in agony.

“Oh God,” she whispered. “It hurts… it hurts so much.”

She curled slightly, clutching her stomach, terror gripping her heart.

Rachel stood up almost immediately.

Not a scratch on her.

She looked down at Nia and smiled.

Then the door opened with Anthony walking in.

Rachel immediately screamed and collapsed to the floor, crying loudly.

“Anthony,” she sobbed. “She pushed me.”

Anthony rushed to her side. “What happened?”

“She attacked me,” Rachel cried. “All because I told her what you asked me to.”

Nia tried to speak. “Anthony… please… I didn’t…”

“Enough,” Anthony snapped.

Blood trickled from Nia’s head. Her body trembled violently.

“I warned you yesterday,” Anthony said coldly. “And you still dared to lay your filthy hands on her.”

He effortlessly lifted Rachel into his arms.

“I don’t want to come back here and see you,” he said, glaring at Nia. “Get out.”

Nia sobbed. “I’m bleeding… please…”

He turned away.

“Help me,” she cried weakly. “Anthony… please…”

He did not look back as the door closed behind him.

Nia’s vision blurred. Darkness crept in as pain and fear swallowed her whole.

Her eyes fluttered and then everything went black.