"You don't need to pretend, Zoya!" Logan shouted over the radio noise.
Zoya's heart ached as she tucked in her lips, wishing she could turn back time to when she was a teenager. She was baffled by how the only man she had ever loved could cause her such heartbreak, one that couldn't be diagnosed under an X-ray machine.
In the past ten years, Zoya had invested her time and emotions into the marriage, neglecting her own needs and desires.
Her parents had never supported her relationship with Logan, advising her to focus on her studies when she was just 16. But she had threatened to run away, using her status as an only child to force them to accept her early marriage.
After graduating high school, Logan convinced her to become a full-time housewife. Initially, the marriage was perfect, with Logan taking her on dates, shopping sprees, and vacations. He swept her off her feet, and she abandoned her plans for further education.
However, as Logan became a successful business tycoon, their time together became limited. Whenever she complained about his late nights, he would wrap his arms around her and give her a gentle squeeze, silencing her protests.
Now, Zoya felt a tiny bump in her stomach, followed by a sour pain, but she remained silent. "I can go on a three-month trip," she bargained, her voice discreet but frail.
Logan's response was a dirty smirk, and he leaned forward, staring deeply into her eyes. "My sweet pretensions, Zoya, I don't need you to think for me or go on a vacation."
Zoya felt rejection crawling into her shattered heart, wondering if their love boat had crashed long ago. She remembered her father's fury ten years ago, her mother's attempts to pacify him, and how her father had blocked all communications with her after the wedding.
"Can't you give us a try?" she asked, her voice sounding like a plea.
Logan's lips moved closer to her ears, his words barely audible. "Taste changes, people move on." He shrugged expressively, and Zoya saw his mouth move but couldn't hear properly due to her own emotional deafness.
She crawled on the floor, begging him not to end their marriage, desperate to save it. Logan stepped on her hands, grinding on them in circles, and Zoya swallowed the pain.
He stumbled back, spat on her injured hand, and threw divorce papers on her lap. "It's over, Zoya. Keep the house; I don't want to be stuck in the disgusting memories you've forced on me over the years. Sign that, and I'll have someone collect it in the morning."
With that, Logan turned and walked out of the house, leaving Zoya shattered and alone.