GENESIS
"Please look at , baby. Please," he kept saying. But how could I?
How could I look at him?
Just seeing his face made my chest ache, it felt like I couldn’t breathe.
How could he do sothing like that?
Was Revelation right all along?
Did he never really love ?
He stepped forward and slowly knelt in front of , placing his hand on my leg. I pushed it away.
I looked up at the ceiling, fighting the tears that were threatening to fall.
"I promise I didn’t get her pregnant while we were married. She... she’s my ex. And we’re not even sure it’s mine," he said—for the hundredth ti now.
And I knew it was true. The woman had said it herself—he hadn’t slept with her during our marriage.
But she also said he cheated—with others. And now she carried his baby.
Sothing I could never give him.
"Ahhh," a cry ripped from my throat as I clutched my stomach.
I would never be able to give him a child. No matter how many tis we tried.
But... now?
Why? Why can’t I ever find happiness?
He was my only comfort in the middle of all my pain.
Why couldn’t they just let hold onto that?
"I’m sorry," he said again, his voice cracking. "I’m telling you the truth. Yes, I cheated, but I was drunk and—I hadn’t realized my feelings for you yet..."
I looked down at him. Tears trailed down his face.
H-he was crying.
My Kieran was crying.
"And I know that doesn’t excuse anything. I wish I could take it back. Please forgive . But I didn’t sleep with Alia after we got married. I don’t know what she’s trying to pull, but I swear I didn’t."
His hands were clasped together, his voice trembling. His eyes were red and glassy, and more tears spilled down his cheeks.
My hand moved before I could stop it. Slowly, I wiped away a tear on his left cheek. He leaned into my touch.
"I’m sorry, baby. I adore you so much, and what I did was unforgivable. But please, don’t leave . Don’t pull away." His body shook.
I just stared at him, tears silently streaming down my face.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
I knew I’d forgive him. I knew I would. But I was done being weak.
He was going to have to beg.
He was going to have to earn it.
"I love you," he whispered. "So much... Seeing you like this crushes ."
I first thought that what he did ant he didn’t love .
But looking at him now, I knew that he did.
And I loved him too.
I always had.
But maybe... it was ti.
I cupped his face in my hands and gently pulled him to . He collapsed into , wrapping his arms around my waist, pressing his face into my stomach.
And as I stood there, his words echoed in my mind.
He said he didn’t sleep with Alia, and maybe that was true. Maybe she got pregnant before they fully ended things.
But the way she smiled...
It was the sa look my step-family gave when they hurt .
That sick satisfaction.
My hands clenched into fists.
She wanted to hurt .
Just like they did.
But I wasn’t that girl anymore.
I lifted Kieran’s chin, and we locked eyes.
I let him see it.
The pain.
The years of silent suffering.
Of being touched when I didn’t want to be... bruised where no one could see... shad into silence.
Of screaming without a sound. Of shrinking away from every touch...
Until him.
Until Kieran.
He was the first man I let hold without flinching.
The first person I let into my heart.
The first kiss that didn’t make feel like I was dying inside.
And now?
Now he had broken in the one place I thought was safe.
I raised my hand again and placed it gently over his heart.
He froze.
Then I tapped it.
Once.
Twice.
Three tis.
You broke it.
He sobbed, gripping tighter, like if he held on hard enough, we’d stay in one piece.
I let him cry.
But I didn’t.
I had no more tears.
No voice, but I was going to have strength.
And I wasn’t going to let anyone—not Alia, not my past, not even Kieran—decide what I deserved.
I stepped back.
He reached for again, but I raised my hand.
Stop.
He stopped.
Tears clung to his lashes. His mouth trembled. "Please don’t go," he whispered. "I swear, I swear I’ll never hurt you again."
I looked at him—not as a broken girl.
But as a woman who had survived worse than heartbreak.
A woman ready to choose her future.
I pointed to my ring finger.
Then to my heart.
Then to my head.
Think. Heart. Vow.
I rember.
I wasn’t walking away from my marriage.
But I wasn’t going to be easy to win back either.
He’d have to fight for .
And Alia?
She’d learn that I may be mute, but I was never weak.
I wiped my eyes.
And when I turned away, I gasped, covering my mouth.
I didn’t want any of this to happen.
All I wanted was to be in his arms, where I felt safest.
But lissa was right—we need to leave our comfort zones.
And I had to fight for what was mine.
For everything that was taken from .
And there was no way I was giving Kieran up.
I stepped out of the room, breathing deeply. As the door clicked shut behind , I heard voices.
Or rather—one voice.
Commanding like she owned the house.
My chest tightened with fury. I marched down the hall, then the stairs, and stopped halfway as I saw her flick my friends away like they were nothing.
"Ahhh," she laughed, sprawled on the couch, crumbs falling all over the floor. Then I stepped onto the last step and approached her, stopping just a few feet from the couch.
She turned toward .
"Well, well. The crying mute wife finally appears. Oof, looks like soone cried all night," she smirked.
I stared at her.
She stared back, then turned away, eyes on the television.
Looking at her...
I wanted to hurt her. Badly.
Maybe throw the remote at her head?
But no. That would hurt too much.
"Instead of standing there, make yourself useful and get a drink," she said, laughing. "I should be treated like royalty—I’m the only one whose womb actually works."
Gasps filled the room.
My face went pale.
"Let at her," soone hissed behind — probably Mia or Cady — but I didn’t move.
I just stared at Alia.
And the longer I stared, the quieter the room beca.
Alia smirked again, unbothered, popping another grape into her mouth like she hadn’t just poured salt into an old, bleeding wound.
But she was testing the wrong woman today.
My breath slowed.
My fists uncurled.
And then... I walked forward.
One step.
Then two.
Without breaking eye contact, I snatched the glass of wine she’d poured for herself off the table.
She blinked. "Hey...!"
Splash.
The wine hit her square in the face, dripping down her nose, soaking her expensive blouse.
She scread and shot to her feet. "MY CLOTHES! You stupid—" Her voice cracked as anger flared in her eyes. Before anyone could move, she lunged and shoved hard in the chest.
I gasped, stumbling backward. My back hit the edge of the nearby console table with a thud.
"Genesis!" Kieran’s voice rang out.
He rushed into the room, eyes wild, darting toward . "Are you okay?" he asked, reaching to steady .
But I slapped his hand away.
My chest rose and fell. The ache under my ribs burned deep.
Don’t touch . I pulled away.
He flinched like I’d struck him.
Alia let out a fake sob, cradling her round belly as if she hadn’t just attacked . "She poured wine all over , Kieran! I’m pregnant! What if I slipped? What if sothing happened to your baby?!"
But he didn’t answer her.
He was looking at .
Like he didn’t recognize the woman standing in front of him.
I took a slow breath and walked.
Straight toward Alia.
She blinked. Stepped back. "W-What are you doing? Don’t co near , you crazy freak—!"
But I didn’t stop.
I stepped right into her space until we were eye to eye.
She trembled under my stare.
Then—I pushed her.
Not hard.
Just enough.
Enough to make her stumble.
Her arms flailed as her heel slipped on the wine-soaked floor. Her body twisted—falling straight toward the glass table.
She scread.
But Kieran moved fast.
He darted forward and caught her just in ti, his arm hooking around her waist as her leg brushed the table’s sharp edge.
She froze, panting in his arms, eyes wide as she looked between and the glass.
I stood there.
Still.
Unblinking.
My fists clenched at my sides.
I lifted my hands.
"I warned you," I signed slowly, each motion deliberate, my fingers trembling with rage. "Touch again—and next ti, no one will catch you."
Alia sobbed harder, clinging to him like a child.
Kieran turned to . "Genesis..."
But I walked past him.
Toward the door.
And just be
fore I stepped out, I turned back.
At him, holding her.
At her, curled against him.
At the ss of spilled wine and shattered lies.
Sothing cracked inside .
Tears stung the back of my eyes—but I didn’t let them fall.
I turned and ran, not because I was weak.
But because I needed to fall apart alone.
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