Divorce plans

The room was dark, he was on the bed, and the beats of his heart were all he could hear. Anger was consuming him. He knew Robert was no longer in that house, but he knew his plans, and he couldn't let Alice fall into the trap that was Robert, his marriage, all of it—the miserable life she was leading alongside that man who only used her, who only needed a child, a creature that belonged to both of them, to get back at her for something Alice had no clue about.

To destroy her.

How had Robert turned into something like this? His friend had always been strong-willed and had a very complicated temperament, but... to become the monster that wanted to destroy his innocent wife?

He sat on the bed.

His bare feet touched the ground, and he stood up, pacing for about half an hour until he couldn't take it anymore.

He needed to talk to her, he had to warn her!

Should he tell her everything Robert had said? Was that the right course of action? Would Alice believe him? Why wouldn't she? He would never lie to her or try to hurt her. All he wanted was to protect her from Robert, her husband.

He slowly opened his door and approached her room. When he got there, he saw it was slightly ajar, and it was dark inside.

"Alice? Are you sleeping?" He waited a few seconds for her to respond, but she didn't. He stuck his head in to see if she was there, but the bed was empty.

He headed to the kitchen. Maybe she went for water, perhaps to get some fresh air, to take a short walk. Maybe she couldn't sleep either, just like him. That night was dragging on.

But she wasn't in the kitchen. He went to the living room, noticing the side door was open. He approached a window and looked outside. Under a tree, a few meters from the house, he could see a figure lying on the ground. Jared didn't hesitate to run towards it because that figure was undoubtedly Alice.

As he got closer, he could hear her crying.

"Alice!" He fell to her side; it was cold outside, and she was only wearing oversized pajamas. She had lost so much weight; she might weigh half of what she once did. He lifted her into his arms, and the frail woman clung to him with all her strength.

"I love you, Jared. I love you," she confessed with great pain. "I've always been in love with you, but... this wedding not only ruined my life, but it consumes me. This marriage consumes me, it eats away at me and extinguishes everything in me. Sometimes I think Robert is crazy, and other times I think it's me who's crazy, or both of us. I feel like... my soul is fading with every passing second, as if he were capable of doing that. Who did I marry? Why does he hate me? What did I do to him? How far will this go? I know I'm not in a position to confess that I'm in love with you right now; you're his best friend, and now I'm his wife. Things between you and me are so impossible that I sometimes just try not to think about it because it gets further and further away, so much so that it hurts. It hurts to lose hope; it hurts to feel trapped; it hurts to have no options. It hurts not to be a mother anymore. It hurts everything, Jared. I think... I don't want to live anymore."

"What are you saying? It may be difficult, but Alice... divorces exist, just do it. Not for me, not for a future with me, and even less for a relationship between us, but... for you, Alice. For you. Only for you! You're not tied down unless you believe you are."

"Do you think... I could divorce Robert? He won't let me do it."

"You don't need him to allow it. A divorce happens when one of the two no longer wants to continue with the marriage. Do you want to continue in this marriage?"

"No...!" She was very determined. "I never wanted a wedding; I don't want this marriage."

"Then just decide." He suggested, but he knew she didn't have the strength for it. And it would be enough for Robert to refuse for her to back down. Although Alice couldn't be that weak forever. When would she show determination and strength, some courage and bravery? "Let's go inside. It's late, and you need to rest, Alice. You're freezing."

"First... I have to do one thing, Jared. Please."

"Whatever it is, as long as we go inside. You're going to get sick, Alice. It's the middle of the night. What do you want to do?"

"Could we share a kiss? Just one."

He hadn't imagined that request; his body tensed next to the now thin Alice. Would a kiss be okay?

She was still married, he didn't want to, he couldn't, it didn't feel right, even though he knew Robert was a complete jerk and didn't deserve her. She was very innocent, and he didn't want to tarnish that, especially not with their first kiss. Deep down, he knew she deserved much more than a kiss in the midst of a failed marriage.

She deserved everything.

"I wish that, Alice, but it's not the right thing to do."

"I'll get a divorce! I swear I will, but I really need that kiss, Jared."

He thought it over; he was very

doubtful about whether to do it or not.

"Alice, do you think it would be alright?"

"Yes, I believe it would. Even if you don't think it's right, think that I'm forcing you, that I'm the one pressuring you to do it. Is that okay?" He smiled very tenderly at the thought of Alice forcing him to do something; it would be impossible to see, but it seemed very funny to him. "I'll get a divorce; tomorrow is when I'll start making that decision a reality because I can't live like this. But right now, all I want is that kiss. Give it to me!" She held his face, looking into Jared's eyes, lost in them, in him, in his hands that held her, in this intimate moment between the two of them. "You're beautiful, Jared," she confessed, overwhelmed, as she touched his eyelids, his cheeks, kissed his cheeks, her fingers trailing along his ears, leaving a kiss on his forehead, hugging him, continuing to kiss his cheeks, and Jared didn't stop smiling for a second. "Give me... that kiss. I long for it; I might even need it."

"I think... that kiss could be alright." He lowered his gaze to her lips; it was Alice who was now smiling, knowing he would kiss her. "Inside, when I leave you in your bed."

"I agree."

She clung to him, and that journey back home seemed so short to her that it felt like only seconds, until her back was on her bed, Jared's arms retreating, covering her with the sheets.

"Now the kiss, now the kiss, now the kiss. Now the kiss!" her mind shouted in anticipation of that kiss.

He knelt beside her, left a kiss on her cheek, and she made a sound of protest.

She wanted her kiss. A kiss on her lips.

He gave her that kiss.

Their lips met calmly, until it was no longer possible, and those two mouths tried to devour each other. Alice's tongue brushed against Jared's, and she moaned at that electrifying touch that sent a shiver through her body, making her cling to him.

That kiss was becoming more than just that, but one of them had to find the strength to stop.

For the first time, Alice felt all of that in her body, that energy, those wonderful sensations that ran through her, she was hallucinating and wanted more of it.

She... was finally experiencing pleasure through those simple kisses that gave her everything.

"Jared..." her face filled with tears as she felt so good. "Give me another kiss."

"Only one more, and then we both go to sleep. I think we have a lot to do tomorrow, Alice." She was going to get a divorce, right?

He approached her lips more slowly, and the kiss unfolded in the same way, without either of them being able to contain themselves or resist.

Jared pulled away panting; one of them had to be strong and put an end to the kiss, and Alice wasn't willing to do that. But Jared knew they had to stop.

"Jared, come back here," she whispered, filled with desire, feeling her body burn with Jared's proximity.

"No, I'll go to my room. See you at breakfast tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow."

Jared's footsteps were very quick; he had to get away as soon as possible so he wouldn't regret leaving.

A dreamy Alice lay on the bed after that first kiss with Jared; her lips tingled, and she smiled. That man was driving her crazy.

"I need a divorce, but before telling Robert, I have to talk to my parents first, make them see my decision not to continue with this marriage. I can't go on."

She fell asleep more at ease because tomorrow would be a new and great beginning.