Echoes of an Unsettled Heart

My name is Regina Chavez.

The first time Carter Gresham cheats, he falls to his knees before me, slapping himself in shame.

The tenth time I catch him, he smiles and tries to comfort me. "Once I get my heart back on course, I'll come back to the family."

The 20th time, his patience snaps. He yanks my hand away and throws a divorce agreement in my face. I tear the papers to shreds and spend the night destroying everything in the house.

By the 30th time, Carter simply sends a signed divorce agreement.

In a desperate bid to make him come back, I threaten to cut my wrists. But even as my blood pools across the floor, no one seems to care.

When I wake up, his friends are gathered around me, telling me to get a divorce.

"Haven't you already spent years building a life with Carter?"

"He's already dealing with enough because of your depression. His seeing someone else isn't the end of the world. Do you really need to cry and threaten to kill yourself over it?"

Without thinking twice, I find myself signing the divorce papers. The following day, I quietly schedule an abortion, keeping it a secret from everyone.

I'm done waiting for Carter to come back.

When I returned home after the procedure, my lower abdomen throbbed, and I felt as if tens of thousands of ants were gnawing at me.

I looked at the thousandth "gift" Carter Gresham's mistress had sent that day.

In fact, the entire storage room was filled with photos of them—looking at each other, holding hands, kissing, and sharing intimate moments.

The moment I stepped inside, a sultry scent hit me.

Carter had just returned from his business trip.

My eyes landed on the stains on the three-thousand-dollar couch. I covered my mouth, struggling to hold back a gag.

"This is a gift Jodie brought for you," he said. "What's with the disgusted face?"

Looking up the stairs, I caught sight of Carter, steam still clinging to him from the shower.

Following his gaze, I noticed a small gift box on the coffee table. Next to it lay an empty condom box.

I quickly averted my eyes. Ignoring the sharp pain in my abdomen, I slowly slowly walked in.

Carter made his way down the stairs. "I heard you were looking for me the other day. What was so urgent you couldn't just tell me over the phone?"

My hand instinctively rested on the bag containing the abortion records and the prescribed medication. I had once believed that this child could make Carter love me again.

Back then, I had been so full of hope and excitement, eager to tell him that we were finally going to have a baby together.

But when I called, it was Jodie McRae who picked up. She gloated openly, leaving nothing unsaid. She claimed that when Carter slept with her, he had fervently declared his wish to have a child together.

The news sent me over the edge. After hanging up, I lost control and grabbed a blade, ready to cut my wrist.

But at the present moment, I simply shook my head at him. "It's nothing. I just had a little accident."

Carter's furrowed brows finally relaxed, and his voice softened. "I asked Ms. Lukasiak to make some chicken soup for you. You should help yourself."

Before I could respond, light footsteps echoed from upstairs.

Wearing only a bathrobe, Jodie rushed down and threw herself into his arms, exclaiming, "Thanks, Carter!"

It took me a moment to realize Carter's words hadn't been for me.

"Hey, Regina. Do you like the gift I got you? A psychologist in Minoria recommended it. It's supposed to help with your condition…"

Not wanting to hear another word from her, I started walking toward the stairs.

But out of nowhere, Carter stepped forward and blocked my way. "Can't you at least say thank you to Jodie?" he whispered.

As I looked back, I saw the empty condom box still sitting beside the gift.

"It's not like I asked her to get it," I retorted.

Noticing how upset Jodie looked, Carter quickly caught up and asked, "What's with the attitude now?"

I exhaled slowly. "I'm not throwing a tantrum. I'm just feeling a little drained, that's all."

I didn't wait for Carter's reaction. I simply turned and made my way into the guest bedroom.

After taking my medication, there was a knock at the door.

Without thinking, I locked it from the inside. I had no energy left to deal with this nonsense.

I slipped the diamond ring off my left hand and stared at it for what felt like forever.

This diamond wasn't just small—it was a complete fake. Carter had bought it from a little roadside boutique the first time he confessed to me.

Back then, we left our village in the mountains together. The money for our tuition came from the part-time jobs we held.

After settling our rent upon graduation, we had only about 30 dollars left.

But the moment I glanced at that ring, he didn't hesitate to buy it for me.

As Carter became more financially secure, he bought me countless diamond rings, yet I never once took this one off.

Unfortunately, that ring no longer held any significance.

I opened the sliding door to the balcony and threw it outside with all my strength. With a splash, the ring dropped into the flowing fountain outside the garden.

All of a sudden, the door swung open. Carter rushed in, his usual composure shattered by a flicker of panic.

Given my current mental state, he kept all the room keys with him, afraid I'd do something reckless.

Seeing I was unharmed, the panic faded from his face. "Jodie knocked a moment ago. Why didn't you answer the door?"