After Losing My Memory Don Begins A Good Husband. Chapter 03
The air in the corridor seemed to solidify.
Ricardo went blank for a few seconds, then lowered his voice with a flash of anger.
“Elina, can you stop throwing the word ‘divorce’ around?”
“Using it as a threat every time things don’t go your way—do you think that’s cute?”
Massimo chimed in from the side, dripping with sarcasm.
“Ricardo, you’ve spoiled her rotten.”
“Elina, can you stop throwing the word ‘divorce’ around?”
“Using it as a threat every time things don’t go your way—do you think that’s cute?”
Massimo chimed in from the side, dripping with sarcasm.
“Ricardo, you’ve spoiled her rotten.”
“Women—they cry, they throw fits, they threaten to jump off a bridge. Cut off her family credit card and see if she dares mention divorce again.”
Giada fanned the flames.
“Let her divorce you if she wants, bro. Does she think being pregnant makes her some kind of hero?”
“If she actually has the guts to abort the baby and walk out, I’ll respect her for it.”
Valentina leaned against Ricardo’s chest, tugging gently at his sleeve.
“Ricardo, go comfort Elina. Don’t let me come between you two.”
“I’m fine. I can see the doctor on my own.”
Ricardo squeezed Valentina’s hand and turned his cold gaze on me.
“Don’t worry about her. She’s just saying things she doesn’t mean because she’s angry.”
“Elina, I’m going in with Valentina for her examination now.”
“If you’ve got nothing better to do, go downstairs to the third floor and register yourself. Stop making a fool of yourself here.”
With that, he guided Valentina into the consultation room.
Giada and Massimo looked at me like I was a sideshow, then followed them in.
The door slammed shut.
Leaving me alone in the corridor.
I rested my hand on my slightly rounded belly and felt, strangely, a sense of relief.
For three years, I’d been trying to belong.
I learned to cook Ricardo’s favorite dishes. I tried to please his impossible mother. I tolerated his spoiled sister.
I thought persistence would break through any wall.
But when someone doesn’t love you, you could tear your heart out and hand it to them, and they’d wrinkle their nose at the mess.
I turned and pressed the elevator button for down.
I didn’t go to the third floor to register.
I walked out of the hospital and took a taxi to the family’s legal counsel’s office.
I spent the entire afternoon consulting on divorce proceedings and property division.
The lawyer told me that because I was pregnant, my husband couldn’t initiate a divorce.
But I could.
When I got home, I started packing my things.
There wasn’t much to pack, really.
In this house, precious little actually belonged to me.
In the closet, half was Ricardo’s. The other half still held many of Valentina’s old clothes.
Ricardo said they were limited editions—a waste to throw away.
I used to think he was sentimental.
Now I understood. It was never about the things. It was about the person.
I packed a few changes of clothes into a carry-on.
Before leaving, I went to the balcony.
There was a litter box and a cat tree there.
I had a Ragdoll cat named Oscar.
He was my only emotional anchor in this city.
But the balcony was empty. Oscar was gone.
I searched the entire apartment. Not a trace of him.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Ricardo.
“We won’t be home for dinner tonight. Don’t cook.”
But the balcony was empty. Oscar was gone.
I searched the entire apartment. Not a trace of him.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Ricardo.
“We won’t be home for dinner tonight. Don’t cook.”
“Also, Valentina said she wants to try having a cat. I had the driver bring Oscar over to stay with her for a few days.”
“You shouldn’t be around cats while you’re pregnant anyway. We’ll figure it out after the baby’s born.”
I stared at the words on the screen, my fingers trembling uncontrollably.
They’d taken my husband. They’d taken my family.
Now they were taking my cat.
I dialed Ricardo’s number.
It rang for a long time before he picked up.
His end was noisy—a restaurant, by the sound of it.
“What now?” His voice was laced with impatience.
“Give Oscar back to me.”
He sighed.
“Elina, can you not be so difficult? Valentina’s test results today weren’t great. She’s in a terrible mood.”
“Letting Oscar keep her company—is that going to kill you?”
“You won’t give him back?” My voice was eerily calm.
“Fine. Then I’m calling the police and reporting theft.”