Rebirth of Revenge

If you had told me that the man I loved would one day point a gun at me, I would have called you a liar. Yet, here I am, in the middle of nowhere, with my husband aiming a gun in my direction.

“Don’t do this, Ben”.

****

48 hours earlier.

“Congratulations, Mrs. Moore, you’re pregnant,” the doctor said, glancing away from his computer screen with a big grin.

“What?” I whispered, as if I hadn’t heard him, the words still processing in my mind.

“You’re four weeks pregnant. Congratulations, Mrs. Moore,” he repeated, his smile widening.

Pregnant.

It wasn’t a slip of the tongue.

I’m pregnant.

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the rush of emotions.

“Pregnancy is a big change, but also a beautiful journey, and we’ll be here to guide you through,” the doctor reassured me, his eyes kind as he handed over the test paper.

As I clutched the file, a surge of happiness and disbelief washed over me. After five long years of hoping and waiting, I finally get to tell Benny that I’m pregnant. A wide grin spread across my face at the thought of his reaction.

After exchanging other necessary information, I bid goodbye to my doctor, feeling a newfound sense of excitement bubbling within me. Rushing out of the hospital, I wished I could run as fast as I could to Benny, but I forced myself to walk calmly. Each step felt lighter as if I were floating on air.

Approaching the car, I met my driver, Ronald, who greeted me with a warm smile as he opened the door. I returned the smile as I settled into the backseat, the leather cool against my skin.

“Isn’t today a beautiful day?” I said to Ronald, unable to contain my joy.

He glanced at me through the rearview mirror, his eyes crinkling with a smile. “It sure is, Ma’am,” he replied, his voice filled with genuine happiness.

I chuckled softly, my heart fluttering with anticipation. Bringing out my phone, I scrolled through pictures of adorable baby clothes, each one more adorable than the last. Placing my hand on my belly, I whispered to the tiny life growing inside me, “I can’t wait to meet you.”

Arriving at our mansion, I practically leaped out of the car, eager to get inside.

“Welcome, Ma’am,” the butler greeted, taking my coat.

“Thank you. Is Mr. Benjamin home?” I inquired.

“Yes, he’s at his office,” the butler replied.

“Great,” I said with a grin, heading in that direction. When I reached the door, I paused, taking in a deep breath and slipping the file into my bag. I was going to surprise him. I couldn’t wait to see his reaction. Chuckling inwardly, I turned the doorknob and entered his office.

“Benny, you’ll never guess what ha…” My voice trailed off as I stepped into his office.

“What’s going on?” I asked eagerly, but as I looked at him, my enthusiasm faded out. His troubled expression sent a shiver down my spine, and I felt a knot forming in my stomach.

Instead of answering, he stretched out his hands, offering me the file. My eyes widened as I took it, my hands shaking slightly.

With trembling fingers, I opened the file, my heart racing with a mixture of anticipation and dread. The words on the page hit me like a ton of bricks.

Divorce.

“W…what is this?” I managed to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper, as I looked up at him, my eyes pleading for an explanation.

But he said nothing, his gaze avoiding mine like a guilty secret. Taking a hesitant step closer, my heart raced with a mixture of confusion and fear. “Did I do something wrong?” I asked, the words catching in my throat as tears welled up in my eyes. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

“Charlotte,” he finally said, his voice tinged with sadness as he met my gaze.

“You did nothing wrong, I jus…” His words faltered, but I couldn’t bear to hear his explanation.

“Then why this?” I interrupted, my voice trembling with hurt and disbelief. Tears streamed down my face as I searched his eyes for any hint of the man I thought I knew. “I’ve been a perfect wife. I have and will always love you, and you love me too, right?” I pleaded, my heart breaking with each unanswered question.

But his silence spoke volumes.

“I’m sorry, but it’s for the best,” he said, his tone distant, as if he had already checked out of our marriage.

“I’ll be gone for a week. You can take your time to get your things out,” he added before turning away, his footsteps echoing down the hallway, leaving me alone in the suffocating silence of our shattered dreams.

What just happened?

This wasn’t how it played out in my head.

No.

My legs gave way beneath me, and I sank to the floor, my body racked with sobs. Tears mingled with the disbelief and heartache that threatened to consume me. Clutching my stomach, I felt the weight of uncertainty and despair settle in.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

“No, I can’t let this happen,” I thought as I stood up, gripping the divorce papers tightly and rushing down the stairs. But by the time I reached the bottom, he had already driven away.

I have to follow him.

“Ronald!” I yelled.

Ronald appeared, his eyes wide with concern as he hurried down the staircase.

“Keys,” I demanded, my voice urgent.

“Let me just get the car…” Ronald started, but I couldn’t wait. Shaking my head vigorously, I extended my hand toward him. “Give me the keys.”

Ronald hesitated, clearly torn, but he could tell that I wasn't ready to listen so finally he handed me the keys.

Ring, ring, ring.

Still no answer.

Despite my repeated attempts, Benny remained unreachable.

I yearned to hear his voice, to plead with him, If he knows that we're having a child, then maybe he'll understand that we have to work things out for our baby's sake.

“C’mon, Ben, please pick up,” I whispered desperately, each unanswered ring intensifying my anxiety. But my pleas fell on deaf ears as the call went to voicemail. Frustration surged through me, and I pulled the car to a stop, my heart heavy with uncertainty. “Benny, please,” I murmured, the weight of my emotions pressing down on me.

Just then, my phone beeped, breaking the suffocating silence. With trembling hands, I picked it up, hoping for a response from Benny. Yet, the message came from an unknown number. Curious about who it could be, I opened the message, and my heart shattered at what I saw.

Pictures flashed across my phone screen, each frame capturing Benny entangled in the sheets with my best friend, Mia. Shock and disbelief washed over me, leaving me frozen in disbelief as tears blurred my vision. Still trying to process it all, I noticed the familiar typing bubbles appearing on the screen.

They were texting.

I stood outside 98 East Grove Street, New York, NY, looking at the house and then at my phone. My hands were shaking as I grabbed the doorknob. Even after seeing the proof, I still wished it was all a lie.

Slowly, I pushed the door open and stepped inside the apartment. It looked nice, with everything seeming new, like nobody really lived there. My heart was pounding louder as I climbed the stairs.

"I can't believe Ben would do this to me," I whispered to myself.

But I stopped thinking when I heard a soft moan from a woman.

My legs felt heavy like I couldn't move, but I made myself go forward. With each step, the sounds got louder.

"Ugghhh, harder... harder," a woman's voice moaned.

"You're so amazing," a man's voice groaned back.

I recognized their voices instantly. Standing at the door, my breaths came in shallow gasps as I tried to steel myself for what I was about to see. With trembling hands, I pushed the door open.

They quickly jumped apart, their eyes wide with shock when they saw me.

"Ch... Charlie," Mia stammered, her face flushing with embarrassment as she scrambled to cover herself.

"Dammit," Ben cursed, his eyes meeting mine.

Scared that I might collapse, I turned and walked away, ignoring Benny's calls.

"Charlotte!" Benny's voice sliced through the air, halting me in my tracks. I couldn't move, as if my feet were glued to the floor.

Slowly, I turned to face him, my eyes filled with hurt and disbelief.

"I told myself it was a lie, that you... you would never do that to me... that I... it was all a lie," I said, unable to stop the tears that flowed down my cheeks.

"F**k!!!" Benny's voice thundered, his hands raking through his hair in frustration. I flinched, taken aback by his sudden outburst. Benny had never raised his voice at me like this before. Who was this man standing in front of me?

"You should have just taken the damn divorce papers and left!!" he shouted, his anger visible in the air as his jaw clenched tightly.

"What?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.

"You caused this for yourself. We could have ended on good terms, but you just had to snoop around," he accused, jabbing his finger towards me.

If a heart could break into a million pieces, mine shattered into dust at that moment. The man I had loved and given my everything to wasn't even remorseful, instead, he was angry that I had caught him.

"Benny, how could you say that to me?" I pleaded, my voice cracking with emotion.

"Was my love just a joke to you?"

"Look, I don't have time for this," he growled, seizing my arm forcefully and dragging me towards the door, disregarding my feeble protests. In the pouring rain, he thrust me out.

"I'll give you until the end of today to sign the papers and get out of my house," he spat, his words like daggers.

"Benny, please, wait..." I began, but he ignored me, slamming the door shut with a resounding thud. I rushed back to the door, pounding on it desperately.

"Benny, please... please don't do this," I sobbed, my cries merging with the sound of the rain, but there was no response.

***

"I love you now and forever."

Liar.

The tears poured down my face as I sat in my car, drenched by the rain.

How could he do this to me?

And why now? Why did he have to act this way in front of our baby? I cradled my stomach protectively as if shielding my unborn child from the pain.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that," I whispered to the tiny life growing inside me, my voice barely audible over the drumming of the rain on the car roof.

I lost track of time as I sat there, unable to face going back into the house. I must have looked like a mess, and the thought of facing them, of facing him, filled me with embarrassment. Going to my parents' place would only make things worse.

The one friend I could call on was too busy getting under my husband's pants.

How could life be so cruel? Just then, my phone beeped. I ignored it at first, not in the right frame of mind to deal with anything, but it beeped again and again, persistently demanding my attention. With a frustrated sigh, I finally picked it up.

It was a message from an unknown sender.

With trembling hands, I opened the message, my heart pounding in my chest. My breath caught in my throat as I read the words.

"Documents containing every illegal act done by Benjamin and The C&M Tech Enterprise."

I scrolled through the documents, each revelation shocking me more than the last. If this evidence were to reach the police, it could lead to the arrest and shutdown of the company.

"How did they get such information..." My voice trailed off as a thought struck me.

This was my chance.

A chance for payback.

I dialed his number, my fingers shaking with a mix of rage and determination.

"What the fu..." He started, but I didn't let him finish.

"If you don't want your precious image and your company's reputation to be tarnished, you'll meet me at the location I'm going to send," I said, my voice cold and steady.

"What are you talking about?"

"I said if you don't meet me in the next hour, I'll release every illegal detail about you and your company."

"T.. that's crazy," Ben stammered, fear evident in his voice.

"Your time's ticking. It's your choice if you don't show up, but I hope you're ready to spend your time in jail," I warned him, my anger fueling every word.

With that, I ended the call, not waiting for his response.