A few Years Earlier:

I sat at the kitchen table, lost in thought as I traced the rim of my coffee mug. Blake stood at the counter, absorbed in his phone, and I wondered who had his full attention. The silence stretched on, thick with the tension that had been there since morning.

"Blake," I finally said, my voice soft but firm. "We need to talk."

He sighed and put the phone down. "Treasure, what now? I thought we had already gone over this."

"Gone over what? The fact that you barely look at me anymore. That every conversation feels like a reheated argument?" I leaned forward, desperate for him to meet my gaze. "When did we lose our way?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture I had come to recognize as a sign of frustration. "It's just...you're never around. You spend all your time at that job, and when you come home, you don't have time for me and my needs."

"I'm working hard because I want to build a life for us, too. You know that. It's nice living here with your dad and brother, but I was hoping we could one day buy a house of our own and start a family."

"Why do we need a house of our own, when you can't take care of this one?"

I felt my heart race, a mix of anger and sadness bubbling to the surface. "I would like my own home, Blake. Besides, I enjoy my job."

"But what about this marriage? You are too busy to pay attention to the things a wife is supposed to be doing around here."

"What about you? Aren't you also caught up with work? You don't leave any room or time for us to bond. Most evenings when I return home, I end up chatting more with your brother than with you. Blake, you arrive home after I'm already in bed."

"Look, I didn't marry you so you can be away from this house 8 hours a day. I make enough money to take care of things around here. It's like this marriage is competing with your career. I've endured enough. It's time you quit working and focus on this household."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. "Blake, that's not fair. I feel I've been doing a good job as a working wife."

He leaned back in his chair, "Well, I'm telling you that you are failing."

I felt the weight of his words in my chest. "It's not that I don't care about my husband's feelings, but I didn't know where this was coming from.

"I just... I thought you'd understand how important my career was to me. But since it seems to be a problem, I'm asking now."

I swallowed hard. "What can we do to fix this? To make it better?"

He sighed deeply, "I think it's best you quit working."

"You want me to quit my job? Okay, what about you? Maybe you can make some changes. Some weekends-no work, no phone, no distractions. Just us."

I could see on Blake's face that he despised the suggestion, but he begrudgingly agreed, mumbling. "Okay."

"We have to change together if we truly are partners," I state, quickly transitioning into being a full-time stay-at-home wife. Did our circumstances improve?

"Blake, I wish you could understand how lonely it is here. I spend all day in this house and feel so disconnected."

"It's not like I'm out having fun all the time."

"I know you work hard, but I can't help feeling inadequate sometimes. It's like you don't appreciate what I do around here."

"I do appreciate it, but could you start taking my shirts to the cleaners?"

"See, I can't help feeling inadequate sometimes."

"You're too sensitive. I'm going to take a shower."

Despite my efforts to be an excellent wife, Blake still came home late. But tonight, I remain awake. My body had been starving for my husband's touch for weeks.

"Blake, I was thinking, maybe we should have a baby, start a family."

He chuckled sultrily, "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Is it working?"

Blake started unbuttoning his shirt.

"What are you waiting on? Come to me, Blake."

*****

One month and a half later, the test validated my hopes; I was overjoyed I couldn't wait to share the news with him.

"Blake! I planned something special for tonight."

Blake barely looked up from his phone. "Oh yeah? What is it?"

I sighed, "I reserved us a table at that Italian restaurant, not too far from your office, that you love. I thought it would be nice to celebrate... just the two of us."

"Treasure, I can't tonight, I have an important meeting to finalize some paperwork. You know how it is."

My face was filled with disappointment. I paused thinking of how to overcome this obstacle. "Blake, I don't mind waiting until your meeting is over. It's important to me. Please baby, meet me at our favorite spot for dinner. Okay?"

Blake, continue scrolling through his phone, "Alright, I'll be there when I'm done."

Later that evening, I arrived early at the restaurant, excitement bubbling within me. The table was beautifully set with flickering candles, creating a romantic atmosphere. I imagined sharing my big news with Blake, picturing his joyful reaction.

Finally, I spotted him. He looks so handsome, in his charcoal gray suit, "Oh, he got me flowers.' In an instant, everything changed. He became transfixed by a stunning blonde in a tight black dress, handing her the bouquet. My heart sank as I watched him pull her into an embrace, kissing her passionately.

Shocked and confused, I struggled to comprehend for a second. Blake was so enchanted by her that he was completely oblivious to my presence. My eyes followed them, laughing together as she grasps his hand, guiding him toward her table. Another wave of shock washed over me. I recognized her as Claire, his assistant. I struggled to catch my breath as he trailed behind her like a dog in heat, apparently unaware or he didn't care that I was in the same room. The hurt and embarrassment I felt were intense, making it nearly impossible to think straight.

But I knew I had reached my breaking point

Enough was enough. I'm done with being the perfect wife.

Without a second thought, I pushed my chair back and rose from the table, striding confidently toward where they sat. Claire caught sight of me, her smile faltering. Good.

"Blake," I said firmly. "Is this the meeting I was supposed to be waiting for to end?"

Blake looked up, surprise etched on his face. "Uh, no. This is a celebration party."

"You were supposed to meet me for dinner. Remember?"

"Yeah, I meant to call you about that."

"Can you excuse yourself while I talk to my husband," I say, looking at Claire.

"Don't get up Claire. Listen Treasure, I can't leave right now, it would be rude after Claire has planned all this, you can go home, and I'll see you when I'm done."

"What? So, you sitting here telling me that this is more important than being with me?"

Blake gave no reply, as he lifted his glass of alcohol to his lips.

That's when I saw Claire put a smirk on her face.

"Oh, is something funny?"

At that moment an intense fire rose through my body as I clenched my fist, and out of nowhere my hand flew up.

Blake's reaction was immediate and protective. He reached up and seized hold of my wrist, halting my movement with surprising strength.

"Have you lost your mind! Treasure, I told you to go home. I will talk to you later." He said firmly, his lips bawled up.

"Let me go!" I snatched my wrist from his grip. I knew I was upset as my eyes began to water. I had to restrain myself. I almost forgot that physically, I'm in no condition to be in an altercation and win.

So, with a final glance of disappointment at Blake, I turned and walked toward the exit. The valet signaled me to a taxi.

Upon arriving home, I was engulfed by a sense of feeling overwhelmed. The burdens of the world seemed to weigh even heavier today. I trudged through the doorway, feeling my heart sink deeper with every step I took. As I rounded the corner, I accidentally collided with Jake, my brother-in-law. His friendly smile sharply contrasted with the chaos within me.

"Hey, Treasure! Wow! Look at you! I almost didn't recognize you. You look wonderful tonight, no, beautiful," he remarked, studying me with pure admiration. Although I appreciated his compliment, I felt anything but beautiful. Before I could reply, he inquired about the reason for my new look. Tears welled in my eyes, and I could no longer contain myself. In front of Jake, I broke down in tears, allowing my pain to flow freely.

Jake's expression shifted instantly. Concern etched into his features, he stepped closer, with our faces only inches apart. I pulled my watery eyes away from him to stare at the floor. He hadn't meant to make eye contact at that moment, but I could tell he couldn't help himself as he stared into my face, with wet tear drops hanging from my lashes.

Moved with pity, he wrapped me in his embrace to comfort me. He could see the pain in my eyes that I could not hide, and he wanted to help. Speaking softly, he said, "Please, Treasure, tell me what happened to make you feel this way?" I shook my head, trying to rein in my runaway emotions and tears. "Not now, Jake. I can't talk about it right now."

But I barely had a moment to appreciate his kindness before the reality of who he was had hit me like a slap. I wasn't just hurting; I was vulnerable in front of Blake's brother. Panic set in, and I needed to escape the situation. "I just need a minute," I stammered, making an excuse to move toward my bedroom. "I'm tired. Good night, Jake." I could feel his worried eyes on me as I left, but I had to get away

Once in my room, I thought to myself, "Why did I have to break down in front of Jake of all people? Oh my, why did he hug me that way?" I knew we had a warm relationship, so it was no surprise that he was concerned to see me like this. I felt I had no right to pull him into my sorrow, but I was too far gone. I had been so careful not to let my guard down all these years and to keep our marital problems private, but now I was falling apart. From our previous conversations, I knew Jake saw the fine cracks in our marriage and was upset with his brother for how he treated me, and now I had only added to his anger. I should have done a better job at holding myself together.

That's when I heard a soft knock on my door. When I looked around, I noticed the door was slightly ajar. I was caught in a vulnerable moment as I hastily searched for my robe. I hadn't anticipated him following me to my bedroom, but I saw him standing there as soon as I looked over. I was momentarily stunned, feeling a rush of embarrassment, but I couldn't ignore how my body responded to the curiosity in his gaze.

I quickly wrapped myself in a robe, clearing my throat to mask the chaos within me. Jake's concern filled the space between us when I opened the door. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, a flicker of worry still evident in his eyes. I forced a smile, but it felt like I was lying to both him and myself.

"Yeah, I'm fine, really. Don't worry about me." His gaze lingered, and he knew I was hiding the truth. But at that moment, I wanted to convince myself that I could be fine, even when I clearly wasn't.

That night I sat in my dark bedroom pacing back and forth feeling a heavy sense of tension while waiting for Blake to come home. For months, I had sensed something different about him. And what happened tonight, I know Claire was behind it. She clearly wanted me to find out about their relationship. After all, why would she throw a celebration at the same restaurant where I was supposed to meet Blake? The pain and disappointment were almost too much to handle; my worst fears seemed to be coming true. Despite my efforts to nurture our love, it felt like it was slipping away from me. As I wrapped my arms around my stomach, I wasn't feeling well. I realized that this sense of comfort felt out of reach, especially after witnessing what felt like a betrayal.

I stumbled over to the chair next to our bed taking a seat, is this truly what our marriage has become? I've given up so much for him: my career, my dreams, my precious time. Does Blake genuinely believe I'm too naïve to uncover the truth? And the connection he shares with her is clear. How long has this been going on, and how far have they taken it? Had it gone far beyond kissing? What I was imagining was making me feel dizzy.

Blake finally walked into the bedroom. He looked surprised when he opened the door and saw me sitting there.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" he said, clicking on the bright lights.

"You've made it impossible for me to sleep in peace anymore. How could you disregard, and humiliate me this way in front of her?"

"I didn't disregard you; I told you we would talk about it at home."

"Blake! You put a work celebration before meeting your wife for dinner!"

"To be honest I forgot about our date. Look, it's no big deal."

I yelled at him, "No big deal! Do you see what is going on? Claire is trying to ruin our marriage!"

Blake burst into laughter. "Now I know you must be joking. What does she have to do with this marriage?"

"Did you tell her you were meeting me for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah, maybe, I don't know. What's that got to do with anything?"

"I'm going out of my mind, trying to figure out what's going on here! Please Blake, put my mind at ease and tell me the truth. Are you sleeping with your assistant Claire?

The atmosphere grew heavy with unspoken words and unresolved feelings, leaving his wife feeling even more anxious. Treasure asked him again, "Are you sleeping, Claire? Just tell me the truth, Blake." Her words had struck a nerve deep within him.

"What? You can't be serious! That's a ridiculous question and it should be the least of your worries. And as far as the truth. Tell me something, Treasure. Can you handle the truth since you tend to live in fantasy land?"

"To be in love and happily married is not a fantasy, Blake. And yes, I can handle the truth over lies. Don't tell me, you think it's a coincidence that her celebration dinner was at the same place I was supposed to meet you? I can tell it was all planned by her. The way you two looked at each other and how you held her in your arms. And Blake, you kissed her! It was disgusting!"

Blake shook his head. "Believe what you want, I'm tired of this out-of-control jealousy and wild imagination. It was a peck on the lips."

I stood up and walked over to him.

"You are tired? I think you got it wrong, Blake. I'm the one exhausted and tired of trying to please you. While you are busy cheating with Claire?"

"Claire is just a coworker. And what place do you have to accuse me?"

I scoffed. "I have every right! I'm your wife. And your whore gave me the evidence I need. You call her your coworker, and I call her a home wrecker!"

"You have a wild imagination."

"You think I'm blind? You think because I've been a stay-at-home wife these past few years, I don't know what I'm talking about, but I know what I saw tonight.

"What you saw is what happens when I close a successful deal. I celebrate!"

"You went to celebrate by cheating with another woman when your marriage is hanging by a thread! That's so smart of you, Blake."

"I can't believe how you are twisting something so innocent around and making it dirty. What do you really want here? To push me away even further?"

"So, you admit it, you don't care what I think, as long as it suits your wants. Typical."

"I forgot I was supposed to be meeting you. Why can't you accept that and leave this alone. I'm warning you. You don't want to mess things up." He looks at me, his expression hardening.

"Maybe it's time for you to face the truth. Blake, it's already messed up! And I'm done pretending everything is fine. What I saw tonight, you've gone too far, and I'm tired of living this way." I said with tears forming in my eyes.

"I've gone too far, and I keep messing up? You want the truth, but I know you can't handle the truth! But if you are ready to burn this marriage down to ashes, then let's go for it! I'm tired of this too! Maybe it's time to let go."

"And what truth is that? That you are cheating. Come on, come clean, Blake."

Blake looked at me with narrow eyes as he fiercely hit the wall with his fist. Making me jump almost out of my skin. "You! I'm trying to spare you. In the beginning, I'm not going to lie, you caught my eye. But my plan was to have fun and mess around with you. So, you see, you should be grateful I married you."

I was taken aback. "Grateful? You think I wanted this life? I had dreams!"

Blake dismissively says. "Dreams don't pay the bills, Treasure. You better be glad you have a roof over your head."

There's heavy silence as I grapple with my emotions, anger morphing into hurt.

I quietly asked, voice trembling. "You don't love me, do you? So, I guess that means you are ready to throw our marriage away?

Blake's voice is cold, his face betrays nothing, as a smirk plays on his lips.

"Love? I married you to settle a debt. Your uncle came to us on his hands and knees at my mother's funeral, offering you up as payment on behalf of all the money he owes us. He figured you could be useful to us around this house. When it's feasible, I make deals like this all the time. Besides, I thought you could be personally useful to me. But I wasn't planning on going as far as to marry you. That was my father's bright idea for me to make you an honest woman by marrying you. So here we are. You wanted the truth, and I hope it sets you free."

I blink, beginning to feel dizzy. His words came crashing like a wave. I stepped back from him. I didn't recognize this man. My heart racing as my stomach began to release thunderous cramps.

My voice is trembling. "What do you mean? That's it? I was just a transaction.

Blake leans forward, his tone icy. "I'm tired of pretending. Treasure, this was anything more than a business arrangement. Your uncle couldn't pay, so here you are-living a comfortable life."

I could feel a wave of nausea washing over me, as the cramps deepened within the core of my stomach.

I whisper. "I thought there was something real between us. I can't believe I was a part of everyone's evil plan."

Blake says with an edge in his voice, "There was nothing real, Treasure. And frankly, I've been eyeing other women for a while. My secretary has been quite a distraction."

The words slice through me like a knife, and I doubled over as if the air had been stolen.

I became breathless, "No... you can't be serious."

Blake shrugs casually, reveling in my despair. The moment hangs heavy with betrayal.

He then smirks, "If the special announcement you wanted to make, has anything to do with you being pregnant. I don't want you or this child-if you're even pregnant."

My breath hitches, my heart racing at the confirmation of my worst fears. My eyes flood with tears.

I'm standing there choking back emotion. "I... I was going to confirm it tonight with you. I thought maybe you'd be happy!"

Blake laughs coldly. "Happy? You're unbelievable. This was never about 'us."

Suddenly, I feel a wave of pain washing over me, pain that's too much to bear. I double over, gripping my stomach, feeling the realization of what this means.

My voice breaks forth with pain. "I can't stay in this place with you. I deserve better!"

Blake's expression darkens as he walks away, brushing past me towards the door.

He snatches his blazer off the bed, exiting the room, leaving me standing alone, drowning in heartbreak. The weight of Blake's words echoes in the stillness around me, a blend of anger, sadness, and despair.

In that moment, I had no choice but to drop to my knees, grabbing my abdomen. The feeling of unbearable pain struck me with force. I had never felt anything like it before.

"Wait, Blake! Help, help me!"

Instead of Blake coming to my aid. I could hear his twin brother Jake yelling, "Blake, get back in here! Treasure needs you!" But Blake ignores him as he slams the front door. Jake rushes up the stairs taking them by twos. He enters the bathroom as I'm now wailing in great pain. He lifted me up off the floor. "Treasure, what's wrong? Oh, my God! You're bleeding! What happened? Treasure, where is Blake going? Did he hurt you? I'm going to kill him!"

The pain was so excruciating that I couldn't answer any of his questions. "Please, call an ambulance. I don't know how much longer I can hold on."

Jake frantically pulled out his phone and called 911.