Chapter 1 Prologue

• "There comes the adulterous woman!" Roberta, Melissa's mother in-law said, folding her hand at Melissa who just walked in looking stressed and worn out.
• Melissa didn't know where such degrading title was coming from or who it was referred to. Her eyes shifted between her mother in-law and her husband whose frown deepened at the sight of her.
• "What is happening?" At that point, her eyes caught her boxes which were packed up at the corner. "Why's my bag outside?"
• "Take your things and get out of my son's house" Roberta yelled. "You think your secret will be hidden for long? Nothing can be hidden under the sun for long"
• Melissa gave her mother in-law a confused look. She was still trying to figure out what was going on. What could be up her mother in-laws sleeve. Mostly, her husband's silence was killing her. She knew all wasn't really well "Can you clear me up, mother?" Melissa asked. When she was coming back from her night shift, she had planned on coming home to sleep and not to meet this drama.
• "Here" Antonio, her husband, finally said something after being silent for so long. She looked at the papers he threw on her. She crouched down to pick one up.
• "What's this?" She gasped when she turned the picture. "I don't understand"
• "Of course you wouldn't!" Roberta scoffed, shaking her head at Melissa.
• Melissa was struck by the content of the picture. The picture contained Gerald, her stepbrother and her in a compromising position. She crouched down to pick the next picture. There were pictures of them in a room, at a bar, at the entrance of a hotel.
• "How could you do this to me?" Antonio spat at her. He was livid.
• "Darling..." She started, wanting to explain herself.
• "Oh please don't call me that." He said cutting her off. "I was busy being loyal while you were fucking my stepbrother behind my back?"
• "No.. no" She shook her head, walking up to him. She knew it was all her mother in-laws doing. The woman hated her guts. They were clearly edited but her husband was being oblivious to that fact.
• "Don't touch me! Stay away from me!" He yelled, making her stop her track.
• Melissa shook my head at him. She has never thought of doing that in her 5 years courtship and 2 years marriage, neither would she think of staying away from him now.
• "You even used your card to pay at the hotel where you guys lodged. You thought we wouldn't find out?" He continued, scoffing.
• Melissa opened her mouth to say something - to defend herself but was interrupted.
• "Night shift my ass! You fucking went to visit him didn't you?" He eyed her up and down, ignoring the tears that were now streaming down her eyes. He was heartbroken. He had been heartbroken ever since his mother brought back these evidence to him. His mother has never been one to lie to him and so he always believes her. Unknown to him that his mother is using one of the biggest lie to trap and control him.
• "Melissa..." He sighed Melissa eyes shot up at the tone he used to call her name. She had a gut feeling he was going to say what she wouldn't like "You seize to be my wife. I want you to pack your things and get out of my house" Antonio growled, pointing at Melissa's bags.
• On hearing this, Melissa fell to her knees. Antonio is the only man she has known all her life. He was her home. Where would she go? This can't be.
• "Antonio please! You can't do this to us. I am carrying your child!" Melissa blurted out, thinking it'll snap him out of his senses "You mean another man's child?" Roberta shot at her. She had began to panic, thinking her son would buy this. "Don't try to pin another man's child on my son"
• "I'm not! I was going to break the news to you tonight. We did it, baby" Melissa smiled at Antonio, hoping he'll soften at this. They've both waited for this day. "Are you not happy?" She asked when she saw he still had a scowl on.
• "I am not foolish. I AM NOT FUCKING FOOLISH!" He yelled, picking her up by her hand. "Get out of my house. I no longer love you. I have found a replacement for you and we will get married as soon as possible" He tossed her outside the house.
• "Antonio please. Listen to me, I beg you. Where do you expect me to go from here? You know my parents... Just please" Melissa crawled to his feet once more, ignoring the bruise she had on her knee.
• "Go to your fucking ... Oh here he comes!"
• As if on cue, Gerald slammed his car door walking slowly into the scene with a confused look plastered on his face.
• "What's happening - Fuck man" Gerald's sentence was shortened by the sudden collision of Antonio's fist in his jaw.
• "How dare you?" Antonio gripped Gerald's shirt, tugging him close to him.
• "I only fucking came here to give her back the jacket she dropped in my car this morning when I helped her back home on my way to work" Gerald said, pushing Antonio off him. He spat out blood from his mouth before cleaning his lips with the back of his palm.
• "You're both funny" Antonio laughed, of course picking the wrong meaning to what Gerald had said. "You fucked my wife and now you're here to return her jacket, you mean!"
• "What the fuck? You think your wife is that loose?" Gerald defended Melissa making her cry more that a stranger believed her more than her husband.
• "Pick that trash up and get her out of my fucking house. She seize to be my fucking wife!" Antonio stomped inside and returned few minutes with my bag "Gerald help me beg him" Melissa tugged at Gerald's cloth.
• Gerald knew it was a lost cause and so he just picked Melissa up, dusting her knee.
• "Yes, take her out. Despicable, adulterous woman" Antonio spat, shutting the door at our faces.
• "No, no! Antonio wait please" Melissa wanted to run to the door but was held back by Gerald. "Let me go! I need to make him understand that I'm pregnant for him!"
• On hearing that, Gerald heart broke for her. "He's not going to believe you. Let's go." Gerald said, pulling her away and locking her inside the car. Melissa struggled to get out. This wasn't happening to her.
• Melissa shook her head at him, begging him to let her out. Gerald ignored her driving out of the compound with a new promise to keep her safe and happy no matter what.
• "Shhh. He's going to regret it, trust me"