After Rebirth, Husband Repents

Chapter 1

After the hundredth time I told Brian to get lost with the divorce papers, he went full-blown psycho, flipped on the gas stove, and flicked his lighter, trying to take us both out.

Next thing I know, he’s waltzing his precious “Tiffany” straight into our house, announcing, “You don’t want a divorce, Sarah? Fine. We’ll all live together.”

The minute Tiffany moved her stuff in, Brian and I started hearing our golden retriever, Champ’s thoughts.

He was spilling all my tea, all the years of crap Brian had put me through. But Brian? Mr. Oblivious was loving every minute of it.

They even started getting it on right in front of me, like I was chopped liver.

Finally, I snapped. I left the already signed divorce papers on the counter and booked a one-way ticket on a cruise to Antarctica.

But when Brian found out? He aged about thirty years overnight.

1.

“Fine, you wanna play hardball? We’ll see who cracks first!”

Brian slammed the divorce papers on the table, and they hit me square in the face. By the time I bent down to pick them up, he’d already stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

This time, I didn’t hesitate. I signed those papers, then sat on the couch, waiting for him to come home.

It wasn’t long before Brian showed up, but he wasn’t alone.

He was holding Tiffany’s hand with one hand and dragging her suitcase with the other, ignoring me as he led her straight to the master bedroom.

I chased after them. “Brian, what the hell is going on?!”

He just shrugged, all casual. “You don’t want a divorce, remember? So, we’re going to live as a thrupple.”

The truth is, Brian and I had been living separate lives for ages, even though we were under the same roof. We had separate bedrooms.

But bringing his mistress home to live with us? That was like him taking a dump right on my head.

“Brian, that’s crossing the line, even for you!”

“You pushed me to this, Sarah. Now we’re both going down!”

That’s when it hit me: Brian remembered what happened before too.

I clutched the signed divorce papers in my hand. I decided he wasn’t getting them.

If he wanted to be this disgusting, then none of us would have a good time.

Champ nudged my leg, like he was trying to comfort me.

“Dad wouldn’t have recovered from the car accident if it wasn’t for Mom. But Tiffany, she pretended to be sick and hid overseas! Now Dad’s healed and rich again, and she’s back, trying to climb her way back in, and Dad’s believing her BS. It makes me want to throw up!”

Brian and I both stared at Champ, eyes wide. Was he talking?

No way a dog could talk. Was I hearing things?

“Did you hear that? Champ just spoke!”

Tiffany giggled, stroking Brian’s cheek. “Honey, you’re just stressed out because of Sarah. Dogs don’t talk.”

“Did you hear that, Sarah?!”

I shook my head. “No.”

He picked Champ up. “But I swear I heard it! Champ, say something!”

“Dad, Tiffany isn’t sick. She’s faking it! She just didn’t want you when you were paralyzed in bed and the company was going bankrupt!”

Brian’s eyes were wide. “He’s doing it again!”

Looks like he could hear Champ’s thoughts too.

But to Tiffany, Champ was just barking.

Tiffany snatched the dog and dropped him on the floor. “Alright, honey, don’t argue with a dog. We have things to do.”

Then she dragged Brian into the bedroom, and soon, the sound of them getting nasty filled the house.

I went back to my room, slamming the door, but I could still hear them. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I went and pounded on their door.

“Could you guys keep it down? I can hear everything!”

After that, their sounds got louder.

I went to the living room and blasted the TV. Finally, I drowned them out with noise.

After they were done, Tiffany came out and yanked the TV plug. “You’re not allowed to watch TV in this house, and turn your phone on mute. I have a sensitive personality, and I can’t deal with the noises!”

I plugged the TV back in. “This is my house! You don’t get to call the shots!”

Brian came out from behind Tiffany and smashed the TV with a baseball bat.

The screen went static, flickered, and died.

“There! Now you can’t watch it.”

The noise scared me, and suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, so intense I couldn’t stand.

“Brian, my stomach hurts! Take me to the hospital.”

Tiffany clung to Brian’s arm. “Honey, your wife’s trying to pull a sob story on you. Let’s ignore her and go get some burgers.”

Brian ignored my pleas and left with Tiffany.

So, I called 911, gritting my teeth in pain.

At the hospital, the doctor told me I was pregnant.

I was at risk of miscarrying, but after taking medicine, they could save the baby.

The baby was coming at the worst time.

When I got back home, the first thing I saw when I opened the door was Brian and Tiffany on the couch, going at it again.

They heard me come in but didn’t stop.

I walked right up to them and stared.

Brian lost his steam and got off Tiffany, lighting a cigarette.

Tiffany whined. “Don’t stop, honey. If she wants to watch, let her.”

I ignored Tiffany and just looked at Brian. “I’m pregnant.”

Brian laughed. “Sarah, we haven’t been together in a year.”

“The day you and Tiffany fought, you got drunk.”

Brian frowned. “Get an abortion. What’s the point of telling me? I don’t want it!”

Just then I heard Champ’s thoughts.

“Dad is so clueless. He doesn’t want his own kid, but he treats Tiffany’s baby like it’s the most important thing in the world. Tiffany was the one who fell. I saw it, it was her!”

Brian looked at Champ, then back at Tiffany, shocked.

Tiffany grabbed Brian’s arm. “What is it? You don’t want Sarah to have the baby, do you?”

“Of course not. I only want your baby.”

Tiffany rested her head on Brian’s shoulder. “If Sarah hadn’t pushed me down the stairs, our baby would already be a month old.”

Champ yelled. “She’s lying! She’s lying!”

Brian wavered. “Tiffany, did Sarah really push you? Maybe you just fell?”

Tiffany shoved Brian away. “What are you saying? You think I’m accusing Sarah of something she didn’t do?”

“No! I’m just saying, maybe there was a misunderstanding.”

“No! She pushed me. She’s a murderer!”

Brian sighed. “Alright, let’s forget about the past.”

“Sarah, get an abortion as soon as possible. Even if you have it, I won’t recognize it.”

“Don’t worry. Even if I have the baby, I won’t let him know you. You don’t deserve to be his father.”

I turned and went to my bedroom, slamming the door, trying to find some peace.

The next day when I got back from work, only Tiffany was home.

She blocked me from going inside. “When are you getting an abortion? You’re not thinking about having the baby, are you?”

Tiffany really didn’t want me to have this baby.

“I’m going to have it, so what?”

Tiffany gritted her teeth. “Brian doesn’t want the baby and you still want to have it? You’re pathetic!”

“Even if he doesn’t want it, it’s still his, and he has to pay child support!”

Tiffany suddenly grabbed me and dragged me to the stairwell.

“Do you think your baby will live if I push you down now?”

“Tiffany, you’re crazy! Let me go!”

“You think Brian will care if you’re in trouble?”

Then she pushed me down the stairs.

I was ready, but I still fell and hit hard.

I looked down and saw blood.

Brian came home from work and saw what happened.

“Honey, Sarah just fell down the stairs! I was so scared!”

He was back just in time. Tiffany ran into his arms, acting freaked out.

“Sarah, that’s enough! Are you trying to get attention? You’re not fit to be a mother!”

Tiffany looked at me and grinned, like she was saying, See? I didn’t even have to say anything!

Champ barked at Tiffany. I heard his thoughts.

“You pushed her! You should pay the price. You’re a bad person!”

Tiffany frowned. “This dog keeps barking at me. It’s so annoying!”

She kicked Champ. Champ rolled twice and cried.

He continued to bark. Tiffany picked up a stick, ready to hit him.

“If you bark at me again, I’ll kill you!”

Brian stopped her. “It’s just a dog. If you don’t like him, I’ll give him away.”

I leaned against the wall. “We raised Champ together. You can’t give him away!”

They ignored me and went home.

I used all my power to dial 911.

I bit my tongue to stop myself from passing out. I waited until the paramedics found me.

The baby was lost. I was in the hospital for three days. Brian didn’t call once.

I had expected this to happen.

After the hospital, I went shopping.

Then I saw Brian and Tiffany.

Tiffany said, “You’re spending my husband’s money!”

I pointed at a huge diamond ring. “Brian is still my husband, and all your money is joint property. If we get divorced, I can ask for it back.”

Tiffany said, “So what? My honey has enough money to pay me back.”

I got the ring and went to another store.

Then someone screamed.

“Someone’s killing people!”

A man stabbed many people with a knife.

He was coming to me. I stepped back. Before I could run, I was pushed.

My body went forward. The man was in front of me. He came at me with a knife.

Tiffany screamed, “Why did you push Sarah to get stabbed?”

I fell to the ground. I saw Brian running with Tiffany.

He looked at me, then left.

If I die, Brian would be glad.

I woke up in the hospital.

I survived and stayed in the hospital for two weeks.

Brian didn’t contact me. I was used to it.

I went home and smiled.

I packed my things, put the divorce papers on the table, and texted Brian.

“Let’s get a divorce.”

I packed my things and left.

Soon, Brian called. “Sarah, what are you doing? Come back!”

“You wanted a divorce. Now you can be with Tiffany.”

“Come back. We can talk about the divorce later.”

“I don’t want to do a three-way. I’m leaving on the Pacific cruise to Antarctica.”

I hung up and turned off my phone. I didn’t want Brian to bother me.

Brian was nervous. He tried to contact me, but I didn’t answer.

After a week, he called my friend.

“Have you heard from Sarah? Tell her to call me!”

My friend started crying. “Didn’t you see the news? The Pacific cruise crashed. Sarah has been missing for three days!”