The-Wrong-Bride-Ares--Raven’s-story-(Maura,-Catharina)_bibis

How did she do it? How did she unravel a love that lasted years, in the span of a few months?”
I ball my fist as I suppress the urge to snap at her. “She hasn’t,” I say, my voice calm. “No one has
the power to make another stop loving someone, Hannah. She didn’t steal me away from you. You and
I were done long before you chose to walk away. What you and I had… it was born out of
obligation.”
“And what you have with her isn’t?”
I look away and shake my head. “No. It’s different with her. I had no intention of making it work
with her. If anything, I wanted to give her as much freedom as she possibly could’ve wanted. I had no
expectations when it came to Raven, yet over time, I found myself wanting more and more of her.” I
look into her eyes and inhale deeply. “I think you know as well as I do that what I have with her was
years in the making. I just didn’t realize it.”
Genuine pain flashes through her eyes, and she flinches. “Is this really what it’s going to be like,
Ares? Is our child going to grow up with parents that can’t even have one single conversation that
isn’t drenched in mutual resentment?”
I look away, unable to even imagine a future for the four of us. I take a deep breath and push a
stack of papers her way.
“If you and I are having a child together, we’ll need to come to an agreement about how we’re
raising it.”
She picks up the documents, her eyes widening. “You want to adopt the baby?”
I nod. “Let’s be real, Hannah. You can’t raise a child, but I can. Raven and I can. I want full
custody, and you’ll get full visitation rights. You’ll be able to continue filming and working. Your life
won’t be impacted at all, and our child will be raised in a loving home. He or she won’t lack
anything.”
Hannah swipes the papers off the counter, and they go flying before they reach the floor. “I will
never give up on my child,” she says, her voice breaking. “How could you ask something like that of
me?”
“I’m not asking you to give the baby up, Hannah. You’d be able to see our child whenever you
wanted. Surely this is in your best interests, too? You’ve always loved your career above all else.
This will allow you to see your child without the obligations motherhood would bring you.”
She shakes her head. “Do you think I’m stupid, Ares? Do you really think I’ll let you take away
my child? I sign away my rights, and next thing I know, I’m cut out of your lives. I won’t let that
happen. Tell me, was that Raven’s idea? Isn’t it enough for her to be a home wrecker? Isn’t it enough
that she’s forcing this child to grow up in a broken home?”
“Watch your mouth,” I snap. “I’m fucking sick of you putting words in her mouth and blaming her
for things she hasn’t done. You walked away, Hannah. End of story. Raven is my wife, and so help me
God, you will respect her. Don’t try this fucking shit with me. She might let you get away with this
bullshit, but I won’t. If you’re going to be part of our lives, you’d better learn your fucking place.”
She raises her hands and claps slowly, even as tears stream down her face. “Well done,” she tells
me. “You’ve become such a good whipped little puppy. What the hell has she done to you, huh? Do
you really think I don’t realize that these aren’t your words? I’ve been with you for years, Ares, and
in all that time, you’ve never once spoken to me that way, no matter how bad our arguments got. Yet
now, with Raven around, you’re suddenly acting all different, and I’m supposed to believe it isn’t
because of her? Is this how our child is going to grow up, Ares? With a father that disrespects their
mother because their slut of a stepmom told him to? What else will you do to our child and me just
because she tells you to?”