Second Chance After the Divorce

Chapter 1

Noah

I waited after knocking on the door. If I had a choice I would never set foot in this house but there is something very precious to me in here which binds me to this place forever.

I wished things were different. I wished I had used my brain rather than my d**k when I committed the biggest sin of my life. However, it was too late to regret it.

Pushing away my gloomy thoughts, I straightened when I heard footsteps approaching the door which was soon pulled open by Tory, the woman with whom I share a child.

“You were supposed to come yesterday night, Noah..” Her tone was condescending as placed her hands on her hips.

“I never promised you anything, Tory. And if you have forgotten I have a business to run..” I had my reasons to not come here last night. I always preferred to come here in the daylights when there were maids and nannies running around rather than meeting Tory alone.

“And if you have forgotten we have a sick child to take care of, Noah..”

I refrained from rolling my eyes at her. Of the two of us, if anyone was concerned about Lia, it was me.

“I am not here to argue with you..” I told her as I made my way past her into the two-storey villa which I gave Tory as part of child care support.

“We can avoid all these arguments if you stop being adamant and agree to stay here with us. Why can’t you see that we are a family already, Noah? We have a child together. It’s only right that we stay together as her parents..”

That hit all the wrong buttons in me as I stopped in my tracks and walked back to her. “Yes, unfortunately, we are Lia’s parents but we will never be together, Tory. Get that straight into your head. Never again use my daughter for your selfish reasons. If it weren’t for you, I would still have been a married man and my wife wouldn’t have left me..”

“You speak as if you had no part in your wife leaving you..” She shot back and I agree it was all my mistake.

“You are right, and this here is my atonement for what I did to Amelia..”

That’s right. My ex-wife’s name was Amelia and I named my daughter, Lia after her much to Tory’s disappointment. It was monumental to see her reaction to what I named my daughter after she woke up at the hospital. It was my way to hurt her for what she did to me and Amelia.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved my child with all my heart. It was her mother that I loathed and the fact that she tricked me into getting pregnant with my child. It still felt like a bitter pill to swallow.

If not for that night, I would have had Amelia in my life.

I walked into the nursery and found my child on the bed, connected to numerous wires connected to her tiny body.

“Hey, sweetheart!!” I crouched near her on the bed. “How are you today..”

“Dada..” Her face split into a smile.

Lia was a little older than two but her speech was not up to her age kids yet. All she could say was mumma, dada, and a couple more words. It broke my heart further to see her like this. No child deserved this kind of life, not Lia.

It was another reminder of how Tory had destroyed so many lives. And for this one, I could never forgive her.

Lia’s doctor was visiting her so I stayed with her and in all that time, Tory was with us even though I hated her very presence. She kept initiating conversation with me about how she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in so many days and how she had been taking care of Lia all alone. Then she asked me for more money as child care support which I refused since I was already giving her more than enough.

Doctor Vincent came in a while and I felt much relieved by the presence of another person in the room.

“How’s she doing doctor?” I asked impatiently once he checked Lia.

“She doing great,.” He ruffled Lia’s hair making her chuckle. “Mr. Knight, can I have a word with you alone?”

“Sure..” I walked out behind him, worry gnawing my insides “What’s the matter, Dr. Vincent..?”

“I’m scared that Lia has to be shifted to a hospital, Mr. Knight. Her weight is drastically falling. Her blood reports from last week tell us that she’s anemic to dangerous levels. She needs more care which I don’t think she is getting here..” He said carefully, looking around to check if Tory was around. “If this continues, we will lose Lia..”

“Fuck..” I ran a hand into my hair. “Then let’s do it immediately..”

“You can admit Lia right away..” After a gentle pat on my shoulder, the good old man walked to his car.

I was furious with Tory but I hated seeing her face at that moment. I had more important things to do. So, I waited for Dr. Vincent to send the ambulance home and soon Lia was admitted to the hospital.

“This is unnecessary, Noah..” Tory complained as soon as the doctor left us alone with Lia in her room. “He’s trying to milk more money from you. Lia was just doing fine..”

Her words made my eyes snap at her. “Fine? Is this what you call fine? She was fatally anemic, lost weight and you say she was fine? I don’t care about my money as long as it is not who is spending it lavishly..”

“What?” She exclaimed, “When did I ever spend your money?”

“Oh really? So, where do you get the money with which you buy the branded products while being at home, Tory?”

“I-I..” she stammered, “my parents still provide me..”

I snorted, “And you want me to believe it?”

“Believe whatever you want..” She walked out on me, making me sigh in relief.

I stayed with Lia till she fell asleep before I left. I drove to the bar instead of my apartment. I was in desperate need to get drunk so I could sleep without thinking about the bad life choices I had made.

I was halfway through the whiskey I bought when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Hey, man. I knew I would find you here.”

I turned around to find my best friend, Ron.

“Hey..” I made a non-committal sound before turning back to the bottle of liquor in front of me. “You could have called me instead..”

“I did..” He grimaced, “You would have known if you once checked your phone in the last few hours..”

I continued drinking without bothering to give him any explanation. “So..” I turn on my chair, “What brings you here..”

He silently placed something on the bar counter and pushed it towards me. Right. His wedding invitation.

“You are the best man..” He grinned.

I picked it up, trying to smile. “I am honored..”

He became silent which was so unlikely him.

“And?” I urged him to go on, understanding that he had more to say.

“I am getting married to Angela and you know what it means, right?”

I laughed ruefully, “Of course, I do. You are marrying Angela and as her sister, Amelia will be attending the wedding..”

“She is the bridesmaid, Noah..”

I swallowed the liquor hard. “And she agreed to be?”

“She was quite uncomfortable at first but she agreed. Probably for her sister..”

“Of course, she would do anything when it comes to her loved ones..” I smiled genuinely at that thought. It’s been three years but I still love her the way I did when we were married and even before that.

A part of me was celebrating to think I would get to see her after all these years but a greater part of me was scared to face her after betraying her.

God, how badly I wish I hadn’t ruined us.