He Called Divorce Papers A Joke I Called It Done Chapter 03

He Called Divorce Papers A Joke I Called It Done Chapter 03

I stood in the doorway and watched his taillights vanish into the dark. I didn’t know how long I stayed there. Mia’s crying was what brought me back to myself — her tiny body pressed warm against my chest as I finally picked her up.

I held her close, pressing my lips to her forehead. Then I carried her inside and started packing.

I moved through the house room by room, erasing every trace of myself. Clothes. IDs. Mia’s formula, her vaccination records.

The second I booked the flight, something in my chest finally unclenched.

Declan didn’t come home until dawn. He pushed through the front door and stopped dead when he saw the open suitcase in the middle of the living room.

I kept folding Mia’s clothes. Didn’t look up. He grabbed my wrist, his voice tight from holding back a shout.

“Harper got in an accident last night. Because of you.” His grip tightened. “She’s in the hospital, and she won’t even look at me. Are you happy now?”

I looked up at him. I gave him nothing.

“Is that what you’re trying to do? Push me until I’ve got nothing left?” he demanded.

“You’re seriously asking me to throw away fifteen years of friendship? For you, Elena?”

Fifteen years of friendship.

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. My daughter and I didn’t even matter next to his “friendship” with Harper.

“If she matters that much to you, why did you ever marry me in the first place?”

Declan didn’t move.

“I already agreed to the divorce. I already told you to go be with her.” I yanked my hand free. My eyes burned. “What else do you want from me?”

“It always has to be about you! What more can I possibly do?”

“Is ‘divorce’ your answer to everything now?”

He swept his arm across the room and sent the suitcase crashing to the floor. Mia jolted awake, screaming.

I lunged for her on instinct, but my foot caught in the scattered clothes. I went down hard. My lower back cracked against the edge of the coffee table.

White-hot pain shot up my spine. My vision went gray at the edges. That part of my back had never healed properly — not since the fall Harper caused when I was pregnant. Most days, even bending over hurt. This was something else entirely.

“Elena?” Declan crouched beside me, Mia tucked against his shoulder, his voice sharp. “Is it your back? I’ll take you to the hospital right now.”

He was reaching for me when his phone rang.

“Dude, get over here. Harper’s awake and freaking out — she’s threatening to pull out all her IVs because you weren’t there when she woke up.”

His hand stopped halfway to my arm. Just like that, I didn’t exist anymore.

“Wait — she’ll see me?” He shot to his feet. The relief in his voice was disgusting. “Don’t let her leave. I’m on my way.”

He pressed Mia into my arms and was gone. The door slammed behind him, and the sound echoed through every empty room in the house.

I called a cab. Got myself and Mia to the hospital alone, my back screaming the whole way. Checked in. Got the X-rays done.

On my way back through the hall, I passed Harper’s room. The room was packed with visitors. And there, right in the middle of them, was Declan.

He was on his knees, making a complete fool of himself just to make her laugh.

My stomach turned. I looked away.

I pulled out my phone. Declan had texted a few minutes ago.

[Hey, honey, I ordered some pain-relief patches for your back. They should be there soon.]

[Got stuck at work tonight. Won’t make it home.]

I stared at the screen until the words blurred. Then I closed it. There was nothing left to feel.