A Broken Love

Chapter 20: Truth

One month later

"Good Morning." He sighs as he sits up in the bed. 
"Morning." She responds softly as he stands and makes his side of the bed, trying to be truthful.
"Addison... I need to- I need to tell you something." He says hesitantly, his palms sweating and a stinging sensation in his eyes.
"Is this the same thing you ever talking about last month honey?" She yawns, stretching out on the bed.
"Yeah." He scoffs, chuckling as he sits in the curve of her body.
"What is it?" She asks.
He takes her hands as she sits up and rubs them with his thumbs. Sighing, he leans in and places kisses on the backs of them. She smiles and he looks up with tears.

"I can't do it. Addie. I cant." He says just above a whisper, looking into her eyes and letting go of her hands.
"Do what?" She asks.
"This." He shakes his head, sniffling as he carefully takes off the golden wedding band in his ring finger.
"What?!" She yells, shaking him.
"Our marriage was the best time of my life for five years. After that, I felt withdrawn... and then Mark. And Meredith. Ever since I left her for you, I've been going back to her." He says truthfully.
His cheek burns as her hand meets it. Sucking in the air, he nods knowing he deserved it.
"How many times?!" She screams, tears flowing down her face.
"I kissed her last month. A year before that and a lot before Iris was born." He breathes shakily and feels another sting on his cheek as his head snaps to the sheets.

"Did you ever regret it? Did you think about what you were doing to Iris?! To me?! To our marriage?!" She yells.
"I'm sorry. I didn't regret it. And I couldn't breathe without her. I still can't." He says, staring at her eyes and reaching his hands to gently wipe the tears out of them.
"What does she have?!" Addison screams.
"I don't- I don't know... but she feels like home." He whispers.
"And I don't?" She snaps.
"I'm sorry." He whispers.

"I never understood what she felt like when I showed up but now I do. You trailed me around for years while you were in love with some skank." She spits out in disgust.
"She is not a skank!" He shouts, blood boiling inside his body.
"She told me to leave her alone! Time and time again! She pushed me away because she didn't want us to get hurt. She didn't want to break up Iris's parents like hers! She cared so much that she waited for a year and a half for me! Now I can't give her anything! I can't even apologize for lying about you!" He exclaims furiously, placing the ring on her nightstand.
"Look at you defending her like she deserves everything."
"She does! She deserves everything I can give her which will still never make up for the ways I hurt her! I kept telling her that I would end our marriage. I strung her around for a year and a half with that lie knowing I wouldn't." He sighs and grabs his briefcase and pulling out divorce papers.

"You want to get divorced?!" She shouts.
"Yeah. Addison. I do. I cannot pretend anymore." He says softly, handing her his favorite pen.
"What about Iris?!" She asks.
"I love Iris just as much as you do. She is the reason I've put this off for so long. Joint custody. You get Spring and Summer, I get Fall and Winter and we keep switching. On holidays, she can choose when she's old enough. Till then, we celebrate them together. Is that fair?" He asks.
Addison looks over the papers and stares at the line and he takes a deep breath before wiping his eyes.
"You take the Hamptons and I'll take the house and land in Seattle. We even split the rent on the apartment overlooking Central Park. My lawyer said the papers are good. I'm going to take a long drive." He sighs.

Mark's Apartment

"Hey, sleepyhead." She smiles gently, rubbing his chest.
"Morning." He yawns before kissing her forehead.
Before he can continue speaking, his phone rings and he groans before grabbing it and picking it up. Holding it to his ear, he listens.
"Is this a joke?" He asks, looking at the number.
"I don't have one!" He snaps, sitting up.
She leans her head against his shoulder, interlocking their fingers as he stares.
"I'll be there." He nods.