Dear Ex, Please Come Back To Me

Abigail "Love is a beautiful thing," I sang tentatively as I held the mic close to my mouth, my voice quivering, "but it hurts when you don't feel a thing—because you're broke, broken, and abandoned by the person you believe loved you but..." “Cut! Stop! That is absolute garbage, Abigail Clark. We ain't at a funeral and what's more? Your voice sounds like you swallowed a frog! Is this how you'd sing in the competition? Make us fail?!” Mr. Jones roared from his seat. I stopped singing. My eyes were already watering. My nose was wet and I drew back the mucor that almost escaped. My face flushed. No one needed to interpret his demeanour to me. He was clearly angry and disgusted at my singing. “Apologies, sir. My – my head is not very settled. I'll try again!” I offered. “No! Pack your things and leave. Little wonder your husband and even your family hates you and…” “Stop! Don’t you say that again sir. Xander loves me more than you think and he is willing to do anything for me!” I cut him without thinking twice. Yes! My husband loves me. I mean, whatever might be happening between us is just the usual clashes that marriage mates have. The real hatred was not from him. It was from my mother–my own who family hates me due to one single mistake I made. They never wanted to see me. They.. Jones laughed hysterically and then frowned deeply. “You know what? You are fired, Abigail!” Those words rang in my ear like a disquieting alarm ringtone. They weren't true, were they? “Please, sir. You know that Daisy Club is the only place open for artists like myself. If I leave now, where will I turn to? How will I get myself ready for the competition?” I pleaded with questions. “Your husband. You said he loves you. Right? Go meet him! Look, for the past few days, you've been performing poorly and I really can't put up with you anymore. Everyone's complaining. I really can't afford to keep you!” Fuck! Oh, but he can. He can just give me one chance to show him that I am better than whatever he heard a few minutes ago. That came from a broken place. “I'm sorry, but I can't keep you. Your husband is a f*****g Millionaire and owns the Wayne's record label. Reconcile things with him and maybe you'd get a chance to chase your dream!” Jones ended and closed his book and left. °°°$°°° As tears streamed down my cheeks, I couldn't help but think about everything I had lost. Losing my job at Daisy Club, one of the biggest entertainment outlets in the country, had left me feeling hopeless. The Global Melody Showdown competition was just a few days away from now and I had always dreamed of singing there and competing with other singers. It was my dream, my passion! With determination in my heart, I wiped away my tears and focused on the upcoming competition. One way or another, I must make it there. I must sing on stage that day! Tonight, I will meet Xander, the person who meant everything to me. My husband! Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and bit my lip nervously. I hoped that Xander would listen to me and understand the depths of my love for him. It wasn't about his fame or the millions of dollars he got from his billion dollar record label; all I wanted was for him to love me the way I loved him. To ease the tension, I had already bought his favourite—smooth and crispy Pinot Noir. I knew it would help set the mood for our conversation. With the wine in hand, I pulled over and gathered my thoughts, ready to face whatever lay ahead. If my dear husband finally accepts me back and we smoothen things out, maybe—just maybe—he will eventually help me get into the contest. And I’d be f*****g excited. It would be a dream come true. Who knows, my family might eventually want to accept me back when they see me on the big screens. They would love me the way they loved Kamsi and my twin sister…. ..when she was still alive. The night was filled with anticipation, nerves, and hope. I’d say hope because Xander doesn’t hate me! He might just be stressed from all the work of signing new singers, writing hit songs and all that. I couldn't wait to pour my heart out and show him how much he meant to me. My heart pounded in my chest as I entered the house. I clutched the bottle of wine in my hand which was neatly wrapped in the wine paper wrapper. The gentle crackling sound from the paper echoed loudly. It reminded me of how cold and boring this million dollar house can sometimes be. I felt like a lost woman in it every damn time. That was why I always needed Xander by my side. I walked upstairs to our bedroom. But I had an unusual feeling. The door was locked. Xander never closes the door because he was never in. When he is eventually indoors, he leaves them open for me. I quickly opened the door and.. he wasn’t in. The room was just as I left it. Neat and empty with a stick of cigarette lying on the reading table. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. So, I went into his studio where he sometimes stayed up late, writing songs. And then, I saw him. My husband, standing there with another woman, their bodies too close for comfort. My breath caught in my throat, and I couldn't tear my eyes away. My lips quivered, threatening to release a cry I desperately held back. The tears welled up, blurring my vision, as my eyes grew swollen with the weight of my emotions. My face flushed with a mix of shock, hurt, and anger. It felt like a punch to the gut, a betrayal I never saw coming. I couldn't control the clenching of my fingers, the tension in my body, as I struggled to process what I was witnessing. In that moment, I bit my lower lip, trying to hold back the torrent of emotions threatening to spill out. But the pain was overwhelming, and my face turned pale, drained of colour as my world shattered before me. As I looked Doris into her eyes, I finally understood why I had some bad feelings about her. Doris! The new hot singer with all the curves and mounds a man would ever want. My fears came true. It was just like in the stories I read online where the male lead cheats on the female lead and then their marriage scatters. I was witnessing the real-life version of those stories unfolding before my eyes. The thought of having a broken marriage with Xander sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t bear to lose him. “No!” I screamed inside, but my voice was barely above a whisper. “It’s over, Abigail! We can’t be together anymore!” My husband ounces and before I could say anything in reply, he points to a file on the table next to the piano. “Sign those papers! They are divorce papers!”