Chapter 1

• It was their third anniversary and Gloria was preparing a sumptuous dinner for his husband happily.
• David was out for work but he would be anytime home which was making her nervous.
• She wanted everything perfect according to his taste.
• That’s why she made every dish and was arranging everything how David liked them.
• Three years of marriage must not be a special thing for people, but for Gloria, it was a great achievement.
• Only she knows how much effort she has given to keep this marriage stable.
• She was surprised when David suddenly ask for her hand on the day of her twentieth birthday and they get married within a week.
• She had always wanted David as his boyfriend since the time she was twelve but never could muster up the courage to ask him out.
• Gloria never thought even in her distant dream that David would suddenly ask for her hand and she will become Mrs. Collin overnight.
• But these three years were not a smooth journey for her.
• Even though David was the one who proposed to her; over these three years, he has behaved coldly with her.
• He didn’t ever initiate conversation, and neither they have shared any romantic event.
• If it was not for him making love to Gloria every night, she would have thought, he don’t like her.
• But after passing so many years with him Gloria thought this is how he normally behaved.
• Though he was cold and distant he have always taken care of her, which kept Gloria content
• But who would have thought her dream would break down today?
• The sound of the car make Gloria conscious and she quickly go through everything when she found out everything was perfect as she wanted, her face lit up happily.
• She looked at herself in the mirror and walk out to greet her husband, but David was already sitting in the living room with an emotionless face.
• He was waiting for her and when she walked toward him he showed him some papers which were lying on the coffee table.
• Gloria picked up the papers, and her eyes were wide open with shock.
• “David… what is this? If this is some kind of joke, don’t do it again, please.” Gloria says keeping these papers back in their place and sat on the sofa as her knees were trembling with the shock David has arranged for her.
• “This is not some joke,” David replied in his usual cold tone Gloria get up startled but because of her sudden movement, she lost balance and was going to fall but steady herself catching the handrest of the sofa.
• “David, you are scaring me. This is our third anniversary. What are you saying now? You want me to divorce? Can I know what happened suddenly?” Gloria walked toward him and kneel in front of him, looking into his eyes.
• She was still hoping it was some joke and David would laugh out saying he tricked her though it was not in his behavior to joke.
• But his face was stern, and it didn’t look like he was joking.
• “Gloria, don’t act innocent. You know why I married you that time. Now I have solved all my problems and Lia is healthy. I can’t stay with you anymore. So let’s divorce.” He said and get up from the sofa.
• He walked toward the stairs, leaving Gloria in a total mess and confused state.
• “Lia” This word come out of her mouth and she couldn’t believe her ears.
• Lia was Gloria’s cousin. Their mother was sisters, and they grew up together because Gloria lost her father at an early age and her mother return to her grandparents.
• Gloria didn’t have an uncle and Lia’s mom was handling the business of her grandparents since then.
• Her mom never liked to involve herself in this business, and she was involved in social service.
• Gloria and Lia used to be close but when they get onto college, Gloria noticed some change in her behavior but never cared as Lia used to act polite every time Gloria felt something amiss to cover up the situation.
• Then three years back Gloria’s mom get into an accident and since then she was in a vegetative form.
• Her grandfather divided their property and Lia’s mom and Lia moved to London where Gloria stayed back with her grandparents in New York.
• Within a month, she got married to David, and they moved to this house.
• She was so busy with the new life that she almost forgot about Lia.
• But how David was related to her?
• She couldn’t find out an answer, so she decided to ask David.
• But when she entered their room David was not there, and his pillow was missing from the bed.
• She come out of the room and as she thought the light of her adjacent room was on.
• During these three years, they never slept separately if David was not out on a business trip.
• Even last night they were sleeping together, and David pulled her close to him after making love.
• Then what happened in a day that made him hate her so much that not only he was proposing to divorce but he even went to sleep in a separate room?
• She wanted to go and ask him, but she was so heartbroken and drained out of energy that she walk inside and close the door.
• She has already lost her appetite, but she didn’t want to starve David so she called a maid and ask her to send some food to his room.
• But the maid informed David don’t want to eat anything.
• She dismissed her and walk toward the bed and lie down feeling exhausted.
• But sleep was the last thing she got that night.
• She loved David for almost ten years and tried her best to keep this marriage for the last three years.
• How could she feel peace when he wanted to destroy everything like this?
• He didn’t even tell her why he wanted to divorce her, what is her fault?
• He just threw some paper on her face and leave her to deal with her emotions.
• But this marriage is not something she had on paper, it was her everything.
• But this thought that only a sign was needed to break everything apart, along with her heart made her weak and helpless.
• No, she can’t let that happen.
• She will surely talk with David the next day, with this thought Gloria could close her eyes when it was almost dawn.