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