Chapter 25 \u2013 What It Takes\u00a0<\/p>\n
SERA\u00a0<\/p>\n
The hospital room was filled with flowers and get\u2013well cards when we arrived. Vivienne looked pale against the white sheets, but she managed a weak smile when she saw us in the doorway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLuna!\u201d she said softly, her voice hoarse but warm. \u201cYou came to see me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMiss Vivienne!\u201d Luna broke away from my hand and ran to the bedside, her yellow dress bright against the sterile hospital room. \u201cI was so worried about you! Are you feeling better?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMuch better now that you\u2019re here, sweetheart.\u201d Vivienne\u2019s eyes filled with tears as Luna carefully climbed onto the chair beside her bed. \u201cYou look so pretty in that dress.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stayed by the door, watching the interaction with a hollow yet aching feeling in my chest. Darius moved to the other side of the room, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, looking uncomfortable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDaddy brought you flowers,\u201d Luna announced, pointing to the bouquet in Darius\u2019s hands. \u201cAnd I drew you a picture!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you? I can\u2019t wait to see it.\u201d Vivienne accepted the drawing from Luna\u2019s small hands, studying it with exaggerated interest. \u201cIs this you and me playing piano?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes! And see, I drew hearts because you\u2019re sick and hearts make people feel better.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Something got caught in my throat, almost suffocating as watched them together. Luna was so innocent, so genuinely caring. She had no idea she was being used as a weapon in a war between adults.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSera,\u201d Vivienne said suddenly, looking at me across the room. \u201cThank you for bringing Luna to see me. I know this must be difficult for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s no trouble,\u201d I replied evenly. \u201cLuna wanted to come.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStill.\u201d Vivienne\u2019s smile was sweet, but there was something sharp underneath it. \u201cI hope I can return the favor someday. Maybe when you\u2019re the one who needs help.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words sounded innocent enough, but I heard the threat. Darius either didn\u2019t catch it or chose to ignore it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to use the restroom,\u201d Vivienne said after a few more minutes of Luna chattering about her week. \u201cSera, would you mind helping me? The nurses are so busy, and Darius shouldn\u2019t\u2026\u201d She trailed off with a delicate blush.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to refuse. Every instinct told me not to be alone with this woman. But with Luna watching and Darius there, I couldn\u2019t think of a polite way to say no.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course,\u201d I said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The bathroom was small and cramped. I helped Vivienne with her IV stand, keeping my distance while she took care of what she needed. When she was washing her hands, she looked at me in the mirror.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow was your evening last night?\u201d she asked casually.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My blood went cold. \u201cFine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
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+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cReally? Because Darius looked pretty disheveled when he got here.\u201d She dried her hands slowly, taking her time. \u201cHis shirt was buttoned wrong, his hair was a mess. Almost like he\u2019d gotten dressed in a hurry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t respond, but my silence was apparently answer enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u201d she said with fake sympathy. \u201cHe left you for me again, didn\u2019t he?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course you do.\u201d Vivienne turned to face me directly, and the sweet, fragile mask slipped completely. \u201cYou were probably in bed together, finally having that moment you\u2019ve been desperately trying to recreate, and then I needed him. And he chose me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My hands clenched into fists at my sides. \u201cYou\u2019re sick.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I am. Dying, actually.\u201d She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. \u201cBut even dying, I\u2019m still more important to him than you are. Even dying, I can pull him away from your bed and bring him running to mine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStop.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe still loves me, Sera. He always has, always will. You were just\u2026 convenient. A placeholder until I came back. \u201cHer smile was vicious now. \u201cYou must have known that deep down. Haven\u2019t you always wondered why he was so quick to marry you? Why he never really fought for us when I left?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Each word was like a knife twisting in my chest, but I kept my face blank. I wouldn\u2019t give her the satisfaction of seeing how much she was hurting me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe married you because his grandfather wanted him to settle down. Because I wasn\u2019t available and you were there, sweet and eager and willing to accept whatever scraps of attention he threw your way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you finished?\u201d My voice came out steady, which surprised us both.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlmost.\u201d Vivienne moved even closer, close enough that I could smell her perfume. \u201cHe\u2019ll never love you the way he loves me. You\u2019ll always be second choice, second best. And now that I\u2019m back, now that my time is limited, you don\u2019t even matter at all.\u201d 2\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked at this woman who had haunted my marriage from the beginning, who had used her illness and her history with Darius to systematically destroy my self\u2013worth, and I felt something cold settle in my chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d I said quietly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She blinked, clearly not expecting that response.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re absolutely right about everything,\u201d I continued. \u201cI was convenient. I was a placeholder. I do come second.\u201d I smiled, and it felt sharp on my lips. \u201cBut you know what\u2019s funny about that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re dying, and I\u2019m not. You can have him for whatever time you have left, but I\u2019ll still be here when you\u2019re gone. I\u2019ll still be Luna\u2019s mother. I\u2019ll still be the one who picks up the pieces when your grand love story ends.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vivienne\u2019s face went white.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I won\u2019t be,\u201d I added thoughtfully. \u201cBecause I\u2019m done being second choice. I\u2019m done being anyone\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
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+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
placeholder. When you\u2019re gone, he\u2019ll be alone with his guilt and his memories, wondering why his wife finally got tired of fighting for scraps.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I moved toward the door, then paused and looked back at her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEnjoy your victory, Vivienne. I hope it\u2019s everything you dreamed it would be.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The ride home was quiet except for Luna\u2019s chatter about how brave Miss Vivienne was being and how she hoped the flowers would help her feel better. I made appropriate responses, but my mind was elsewhere, planning my exit strategy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After dinner, I gave Luna her bath and read her three bedtime stories instead of the usual one. She was extra clingy tonight, maybe sensing something was different, and I held her longer than usual after tucking her in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy, are you going away again?\u201d she asked as I kissed her goodnight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJust for a little while, baby. But I\u2019ll always come back to you, okay? You\u2019re the most important thing in the world to me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMore important than Daddy?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The question broke my heart. \u201cYou and Daddy are both very important to me in different ways. But you, Luna, you\u2019re my everything.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She seemed satisfied with that answer and drifted off to sleep with a small smile on her face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I knew what to do next. I was going to find Darius and I was going to tell him I wanted a divorce, I was going to end this once and for all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I lost too much of myself to this pain, before I lost sight of who I truly was.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I found Darius in the living room, nursing a glass of whiskey and staring at nothing. He looked up when I walked in, his green eyes hopeful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow did it go putting Luna to bed?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFine.\u201d I sat down across from him, putting the coffee table between us like a barrier. \u201cShe asked if I was going away again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you tell her?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe truth. That I was leaving but I\u2019d always come back to her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Darius set down his glass and leaned forward. \u201cSera, about today, about everything. I want to-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m leaving tomorrow morning.\u201d I announced calmly. Darius\u2018 eyes went wide, he shook his head, reaching for\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSera, no. No, we can fix this. We were making progress last night before-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore you left me for her. Again.\u201d I stood up, wrapping my arms around myself. \u201cI\u2019m done, Darius. I\u2019m flying back to New York tomorrow morning, I have a job to get back to,\u201d I added, willing myself not to waver and just\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Chapter 25 What it Takes\u00a0<\/p>\n
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come out with it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just tell him, Sera.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t.\u201d He stood up too, moving toward me. \u201cLuna needs both her parents. We can work this out, go to counseling, whatever you want-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLuna needs parents who respect each other. Who can co\u2013parent without destroying each other.\u201d I stepped back when he got too close. \u201cI don\u2019t think me being here is good for either of us,\u201d I said with a surprisingly firm voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to move to New York,\u201d he said suddenly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stopped moving, sure I\u2019d heard him wrong. \u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to move to New York. With Luna. With you.\u201d His words were coming fast now, desperate. \u201cI can run the East Coast operations from there, if that\u2019s what it takes, Sera.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
P\u00a0<\/p>\n
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