Once a Wife [English Version]

Prologue

Year 2006

"A-ANNULMENT?" Maricar couldn't take her eyes off the paper that her husband, Dominic, gave to her. Her hands were shaking and body trembling.

"Y-yes," He said uncertainly. "I can't take this anymore, Maricar. I want an annulment"

She gathered all her strength to look him in the eyes, "W-Why?" She tried her best to maintain her composure. "Did I do anything, wrong?"

She tried to think of what she has done wrong. Is there something wrong with her? Does she fall short? Where did she lack? Has she been neglecting herself? Has she been neglecting her husband and children?

"Maricar, it's not you. It's me" he said.

Bullshit! Maricar was not born yesterday to buy that crap! There must be a reason.

"Is there someone else?" Maricar does not know where she gets the courage to even ask that question, "Tell me, Dominic. Is there someone else?"

They looked into each other's eyes and for a moment, Maricar got her answer. After all, silence means and eyes cannot lie.

"Do you love her?" How? How could she do it? How could she ask that question? "Answer me, Dominic" it was not a favor, it's a command.

Dominic looked into her eyes, she could see the pain in it. "I-I got her pregnant," he said as he looked away.

She stilled. Wait, did she hear it right?

Did he get her... pregnant?

She closed her eyes and tried to stay calm, but she can't.

Maricar lost it.

She lost her composure. It seemed that all rational thoughts that an educated woman has just lost in an instant.

"How dare you!" she shouted. "How could you do this to me!" She slapped him on both cheeks and struck him on the chest.

Dominic didn't fight back. How could he?

"We have children, damn you!" She cried, still hitting him. "How could you do this to us, Dominic. H-how?"

"I'm sorry" That's all that he could say, but still, he didn't answer the question.

Wait, perhaps it just happened. Nothing more, nothing less.

Hope flashed across her eyes. Maybe, it is just a product of a one-night stand yet the woman threatens him to abort the child if he wouldn't take the responsibility.

Yeah...

If that's the case, she would try to accept and believe it. She would accept that child!

She may be stupid with that idea but she can't be selfish. She has four children - three boys and the youngest, a little girl. They're just kids and this would affect them so much.

It doesn't matter if she's hurting, she could take it. But not her children, not them.

But then, he said that wasn't the reason. It wasn't just a product of a one-night stand. It was a product of an affair.

An affair that she didn't see that coming. Sex that turned into making love.

"Don't you love me anymore?" If her husband says that he is still in love with her, she won't even think twice about giving him another chance. It doesn't matter anymore what other people will think of her as long as they're together, as long as they're whole.

But before Dominic could answer her, their firstborn walked in.

"'Mommy?" She turns her head to see her eldest son, Raven, who's only ten years old. "Why are you crying?" For his age, Raven is really intelligent and responsible.

"Nothing son, go back to your room. Join your brothers there" She said yet before he could leave, her two sons, Gryffin and Slyther, arrived.

Gryffin is 9 years old while Slyther is 8, then their youngest, Huffle is just 4 years old.

"Daddy, are you fighting?" Slyther asked his father. "Are you leaving again?" Gryffin added.

Dominic couldn't answer so he just looked into her eyes as if asking for rescue.

"Where's your sister? Don't leave her alone! She might be captured by those witches!" She said trying to divert their attention.

She would not deny that she's a fan of Harry Potter. So, their children love the story too. "No, I will not let them! Let's go Kuya, let's guard Huffle!" Gryffin said to Raven, who's looking at them with doubtful eyes.

Slyther and Gryffin ran back to their sister's room. While Raven looked at them and waited for what they would be going to say.

"Are you going to break up?" Raven directly asked as he pointed the papers on the table.

"Son, let Daddy explain--"

"I've heard it, Dad. So you got another girl pregnant and you will leave us for them, right?"
Maricar pulled his son into an embrace. This is not their fault! They should be spared!

"Raven--" He pulled away from her embrace and faced his father.

"Don't we matter anymore to you, Dad?" He asked but no response. "Don't you love us anymore?" He doesn't even know what to say, whether or not it should be.

"Sign it, Mom. Sign it so he could leave" Raven calmly said and then left. Dominic couldn't stop him anymore, his son hates him now.

Maricar sighed heavily before she took the pen and paper on the table.

There's nothing to fight anymore. His heart isn't hers anymore, it's already with someone else.

She signed those papers and handed it to him, "From this day, you have no right to my children. From this day, you are no longer their father and from this day we no longer know you" She wiped her tears away. This would be the last time that she'll cry in front of him.

Dominic took the paper and left the house with his baggage.

No, please come back... If you turn your head and look at me in the eyes, I will not let you go...

But, he didn't. He didn't even give her a single glance when he stepped outside their home. Her home.

She was left there standing, until then, she realized that she was in tears.

Today's her birthday, it was supposedly happy but he made it unforgettably painful.

How could this happen? Why now?

"Mommy.." It's Raven. "You don't have to worry, we are here for you. We would never leave you nor hurt you, I promise"

She extended her hand for him to reach and when he does, she pulled him into a tight embrace.

She was trying to hold back her tears but later on, she just lost it again. "It's okay, Mommy. It's okay.." She should be the one comforting her children but right now, its the other way around. Her firstborn just let her cry on his shoulders, and she's grateful for him.

"Mommy?" Her two sons arrived with their younger sister. Their innocent smiles were the best. "We love you", they said in chorus.

She tried to smile and embraced them.

Fear started to flash across her eyes, how could they survive now?

"Please, don't cry, Mommy," Her little girl said and smiled at her.

She has to be strong for them. She has to be a mother and a father at the same time.

"I love you all so much"

----
As per request, there were already a lot of you asking for an English Translation. I tried translating this part and I hope to hear your feedback.

With your feedbacks, there I'll be deciding if I should continue this or not :)

Anyway, thank you very much for patronizing my stories! Thank you for giving me the chance to improve! God Bless us!