The Accidental Wife (Emily and Julian)

COMMENT Chapter 179

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The fashion show is over and so is the after-party. My husband is nowhere to be found. I'm certain that he is drunk at home. I don't have the slightest bit of worry inside of me, because this has become a recurring event.

"Rosie, is there anything that you're keeping from us?" Dad asks me as we all sit at our table, having dinner. By all, I mean my parents, my siblings, Silas's parents and his siblings. Knox, Sabrina, Kendall and her boyfriend have already left, sensing that it's a family matter.

"Yes, I have been keeping something from you, hoping that I'd be able to take care of it on my own, but I failed." I look down for a moment. The words are too heavy to say. It's like I'm airing my dirty laundry to our family. I never wanted to tell them anything, but I have to. "Is it concerning Silas?" Naomi quietly asks and I nod.

"Ever since his injury, Silas hasn't been the same at all. At first, he locked himself in the house and didn't want to leave, then things started to get slightly better. I thought he accepted what happened and was ready to move forward, but I was wrong. One time, he went with the team to Kansas City and when he came back, it was like another person walked inside our home." My heart is breaking as I tell them this. I never thought I would have to resort to our family. "He started to get drunk a lot and I tried to talk to him about it. Every time, he promised to stop and get everything under control, but that never happened."

"When was this trip?" Tristan asks me. He doesn't look either shocked or surprised, which makes me wonder if they all have their suspicions and I'm only confirming them.

"Last March," I reply. "The situation kept getting worse. Actually, it's still getting worse and as I'm telling you all of this right now, I realize that I'm also at fault. I shouldn't have stayed silent. Every family gathering or event he didn't show up to was because of being drunk or simply not wanting to socialize." I tell them. I feel ashamed for lying to them time and time again, but I thought I was supporting my husband. I thought I was doing the right thing.

""Why didn't you

tell us earlier, Rosie?" Mum asks me.

"I thought I could do it alone. I thought Silas and I could work it out together. I gave him an ultimatum a week ago and I think he has made his choice," I say, taking in a shaky breath. "What do you mean, Rosie?" Scarlett asks me with confusion mixed with fear.

Before I get to answer, my phone buzzes and I look at it. It's Silas Has he just woken up? Is he now sober enough to realize that he has chosen to abandon his wife on an important night for her?

"It's Silas," I say, making my phone's screen face the table. I'm not going to answer him. I don't owe him anything to say or do.

"Would you like me to answer him?" Naomi asks.

"If he calls you, feel free to answer him if you want. But I don't want to see him. I don't want him to come here. God only knows how hard it is I'm going to get back home to him after all of this," I reply. There's some sort of coldness inside of me that is very unfamiliar. I have never felt this way towards Silas, but I guess there's a first for everything. He has made me reach a point I never thought I would reach.

"What do you plan on doing, Rosie?" Silas's dad asks me. Look at everyone at the table and their eyes are fixated on me, waiting to know my decision.

"I'm not sure, but I do know that I'm not going to be as present in his life now as I used to be. He's going to need your help," I tell him. I don't want to tell them that I have made my decision. I'm certain that neither my parents nor his parents are going to take it well. "What do you mean you're not going to be as present as you use to be?" Naomi frowns as she asks this question.

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"I'm not sure, but I do know that I need some space," I keep my answer slightly vague. They don't have to know anything about my plan now. They will try to talk me out of it, and this is the last thing I want.

"You do know that he loves you, right?" I don't know why Scarlett feels the n even if I'm no longer sure whether he loves me or not.

to remind me of that, but I simply nod,

As expected, Silas calls Naomi when I don't answer him. "Hello, Silas... Yes, she's here... No, she doesn't want to talk to you." Why on earth would I want to talk to him after what has done to me? "There's no need to come over, Silas. We're already done with dinner." I want to cry. I want to scream at him for ruining our marriage, but it's all pointless. Why would I even bother? There's no need for that. I don't think he cares about us like he used to do.

"Rosie, Silas really wants to talk to you." Naomi looks at me. Does she expect my heart to soften? He is her son. It's in her nature to be more forgiving towards him. But I can only take so much. I have tried so hard to look past his actions, but I'm done with it.

"And I really wanted him to show up. I guess it's only fair we both don't get what we want," I reply, looking away. "Excuse me. I need to go to the restroom." I get up from my place and walk fast to the restroom, unable to handle being with people.

It feels like I'm being suffocated. Every memory I have with Silas is being replayed in my head, as if my heart is telling me to give him one more chance. However, my mind has another say in this, because every event he has missed and every time he has come home drunk is also being replayed.

My eyes well with tears, but I close them and look up, forcing them not to fall. I cannot handle this anymore. I need to step away if I want to preserve the last bits of sanity I have inside of me.

"Rosie." I take a deep breath and open my eyes, "It would be stupid to ask you if you're okay because I understand that you're not. But... is there anything I can do to help?" Scarlett asks me.

"I'm going to be okay, Scarlett," I assure her with a smile. At some point, I know I'm going to be okay. I know I'm going to feel relieved or relaxed, but I understand that this time isn't now "I just... I needed a moment to process what happened and what's about to happen."

"I know that you're hurt and you have every right to feel this way, but... try not to make any decisions while you're in this state," Scarlett advises me. I feel like she knows what I want to do.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna do that." I give her a tight smile. The thing is, I made my decision a long time ago and I don't regret it. I have been thinking about it for a while and today, Silas has proven that I have made the right one.

***

I walk inside the house, knowing I'm going to find Silas awake. He called me ten times and I didn't pick up. There was no reason for me to pick up. I knew what he was going to say, so why did I have to waste my time?

"Rosie! Please, let me explain," he pleads, standing up from where he is. His explanation will be pointless to me.

"It's not going to make a difference, Silas." I smile sadly, feeling heartbroken. All those years we've spent together are about to go

down the drain.

"No, you don't understand. I had the suit ready and I even got a haircut! I just... I wasn't ready to see people and socialize, so I thought if I had a couple of glasses of whiskey, my nerves would ease a bit, but..." he starts talking fast, but the words stop at the end. I know what he wants to say.

you, Silas. I'm really tired." All the exhaustion of the past few months has "But you got carried away, right? A glass turned into a whole bottle, huh?" I look down for a second, before looking at him again. "I don't have enough energy in me to talk crashed into me and I feel like I'm about to faint.

"Rosie.. I love you. Please, give me another chance. I'll do anything you want," he begs, closing the space between us. His

16:23 Fri, Nov 29 G GO

the

tone adds more salt to my cuts. I hate the hint of fear in it. I hate the way he's looking at me. I love him too much to accept seeing him in this state, but... I need to harden my heart. He has walked all over it more than once and it's time to pay price. "Goodnight, Silas," I whisper, walking away from him, but I stop at the first step of the stairs and say without looking at him, "Please let me sleep alone in our bedroom tonight."Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.