Page 17 of After the Vows

“You’re not my wife anymore. We’re divorced since you abandoned us.”

She sighs. “I didn’t abandon you.”

“What do you call it when you pack up all your shit and move out?”

“I made a mistake.”

“Only one?”

“Be nice, Luke.”

I hate it when she calls me Luke and she knows it. My name is Lucas. The same as my father’s.

“What do you want?”

“I told you. I made a mistake.”

“Let me guess. Your new man isn’t putting up with your shit the way I did for a decade?”

I put up with all of Holly’s whining and complaining for Natalia’s sake. I wanted my daughter to have a mother. I was a fool. Holly was never a mother to Natalia. Not the kind of mother she deserves anyway.

“Edward was the wrong choice. I never should have left you.”

“But you did and now we’re done.”

“Don’t hang up.”

I pause with my finger on the disconnect button. “Is there an actual reason for this conversation?”

“Yes.” She clears her throat. “I want to try again.”

I chuckle. “Again? You didn’t try the first time.”

“Don’t lie, Luke. Who stayed up with the baby when you were off working? Who changed her diapers? It wasn’t you.”

“Nope. It was mostly my mom.”

Thank god my parents lived close by. I don’t want to imagine what would have happened to Natalia had they not been close.

I’m such an idiot for not ending my relationship with Holly before she abandoned us. But I won’t make the same mistake again. Not with Holly and not with any other woman.

“Luke,” she whines.

“Holly.”

“There’s no reason to bring up the past. We need to start with a clean slate.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Language.”

I bark out a laugh. “You are fucking kidding me. We aren’t starting over.Wearen’t doing a damn thing. We’re over. The divorce papers are signed. We’re done. I don’t know how else to explain it to you.”

“You don’t have to be rude. I’m asking for a second chance.”

“Second?” I snort. “You’ve had about a million chances to prove you can be the mother Natalia needs. You failed all of them.”

“I can be better. And this isn’t about Natalia. It’s about us.”

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