Chapter 101: Best Error.

Chapter 101: Best Error.
The room pulsed with an awkward tension, the air thick with unspoken words that hung heavily between them. Dua's confusion twisted into disbelief as her eyes fell on Diane, the woman who had vanished without a trace, now casually perched on the couch, exuding a chilling composure.
“What is going on?” Dua demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of emotions threatening to spill over. A surge of protectiveness surged within her for Steven, who stood frozen, caught between shock and an overwhelming sense of betrayal.
Diane, unfazed by the storm brewing around her, merely shrugged, as if she were discussing the weather rather than explaining her unexpected return. “I just thought it was time to come home.”
"You must be Dua," Diane said, standing up gracefully to approach her. "Wow! I can see why people mistake you to be me; we look so much alike." There was an unsettling fascination in her voice as she noted the resemblance.
Dua, still trying to comprehend the surreal turn of events, felt her heart race. 
“Thank you for taking care of my husband while I was away,” Diane continued, her tone disturbingly casual. “And I apologize for any inconvenience my disappearance may have caused you.” She smiled at Dua, but there was little warmth in it.
“I didn’t plan to disappear,” Diane explained, the shadows of her past flickering across her features. “I was depressed, overwhelmed by my family’s expectations. I called Steven to meet me at the bridge before our wedding... but he disappointed me. Devastated and heartbroken, I jumped into the water, intending to end it all. But God had other plans. The water saved me, led me to Atlanta, where a group of fishermen found me. I was in a coma for months before I woke up.”
Steven’s mind raced as he recalled that fateful wedding day. The call from Diane echoed painfully in his memory, her desperate request that he meet her, but he neglected her plea.
“What did you want to tell me that day?” he asked, his voice strained with the weight of unanswered questions.
“Never mind. It’s in the past now.” Diane shrugged nonchalantly. "You didn't want to hear it then, so why do you want to hear it now?" Diane furrowed her brows at him, a mix of hurt and indignation swirling in her eyes.
"But you do know I'm a little hurt," she continued, her voice steady despite the tempest of emotions. "You didn't look for me, even after realizing the person with you isn't me. I know you... you're very smart. There's no way I would believe that you didn’t figure out Dua's identity." 
Diane's voice softened momentarily. "But I'll let bygones be bygones. After all, you're my husband."
She attempted to hug Steven, but he stepped backward, the distance between them as cold as ice.
"I only have one wife, and that's Dua," Steven declared, his voice firm.
Diane let out a burst of laughter—hysterical, sharp, and edged with bitterness. "If only that were true. No one recognizes her as your wife. Everyone knows I'm your wife. Whose name is on the marriage certificate?" She smirked, and the implications hung heavy in the air. It dawned on both Dua and Steven: Diane was the name on the marriage certificate, not Dua.
Dua's breath hitched, a sense of dread filling the space around her as she watched the foundation of her life with Steven begin to crack.
"And that's why we'll be getting a divorce," Steven stated, his voice unyielding.
"And do I look like I’m gonna to agree to that?" Diane challenged, stepping closer, a fierce fire in her eyes.
"I’m not asking for your permission or consent; that’s an order!" Steven said, his voice resolute as he approached Diane.
Diane took a bold step forward. "I’m no longer afraid of you. After facing death, I fear no one," she declared, holding his gaze with an intensity that made Dua's heart race—though for all the wrong reasons.
Unable to endure the tension any longer, Dua turned and fled to the bedroom, seeking solace from the turmoil. But upon reaching the door, her heart sank at the sight of her luggage sitting in the hallway, as if it were a symbol of her unraveling despair. A scoff escaped her lips, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. It was as if the weight of her emotions had taken physical form, forcing her to confront the undeniable truth of her situation.
Just then, Steven emerged from the stairs, and his posture shifted as he took in the sight before him. The anger emanating from him was palpable, and as he turned to go confront Diane, Dua's soft voice broke through the chaos.
"Don't... please," she pleaded, the tremor in her voice betraying her vulnerability. She knew what he was about to do, and the thought gnawed at her.
"So, you're going to move out?" Steven asked, his tone laced with a mix of anger and disbelief. The questions tumbled out, each one a stab to her heart.
"Not now," Dua's voice dropped to barely a whisper, but it was enough for Steven. A scoff echoed in the silence, his disappointment palpable.
"So you’re just going to quit? You’re going to give up on me… on us? Are you really going to abandon our love?" he demanded, his eyes clouded with pain as they bore into hers. Dua could only look down, her silence speaking volumes.
"Where’s the strong, fierce, and stubborn woman I fell in love with? I need her back," he lamented, the desperation evident in his tone.
"There’s no need to cause trouble or create a fuss. She's right, Steven. She’s your wife, not me," Dua replied, her voice steadier than she felt inside. “We met by accident, and I’ve already told you—it was an error, a mistake.”
"You’re my best error," he countered, his vulnerability cutting deeper.
"But fate and destiny seem to be against our union," Dua's tears threatened to spill over. "We were never meant to be, neither in the past nor now," she continued, her emotions pouring out like a storm. 
"In the past, you weren't mine. You belonged to the princess. And now, you aren't mine either. You're Diane's husband."
"We didn’t actually get married!" He objected, frustration lining his features. 
"It's the same thing! Whose name is on the certificate?!" Dua's voice was a mix of frustration and desperation.
"It's just paper; it doesn’t matter," Steven tried to explain, attempting to maintain his composure, but the strain in his voice was evident.
"It does matter! Anywhere I turn, I’m called Diane," she replied, her words sharp and filled with hurt.
"That... that shouldn’t matter to you!" he insisted, his voice wavering as he struggled to understand her pain.
"It does! It defines who I am!" she countered, her eyes flashing with intensity. 
"So, you’re really going to leave me over this?" he pressed, his heart sinking at the thought.
Dua fell silent, the weight of his question hanging heavy in the air. After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke, her voice almost a whisper, "If it warrants me to… then yes, I will."
Steven scoffed, a bitter mix of hurt and disappointment flashing across his features. He turned away, his back to her, feeling the distance widen between them like a chasm.
Dua watched him walk away, her tears finally breaking free, cascading down her cheeks. The return of Diane had certainly shaken the foundations of their relationship. It was painfully clear: their lives were poised on the brink of unraveling in ways they had never anticipated, and the choices that lay ahead felt more daunting than ever. 
Each step Steven took felt like the slamming of a door, sealing shut the world they had built together. And in that moment, Dua realized that names, identities, and choices carried weight far beyond the surface—each one a thread in the intricate tapestry of their lives, now fraying at the edges.