CHAPTER 3

Atlas stared at the document, unable to believe what he was reading. This couldn't be real! He thought. There was no way this was real.

He re-read the document again, his hands shaking in the process and he hadn't been mistaken. These were divorce papers and Jessica had filed for it.

"You are home early."

Jessica's voice took him by surprise.

He glanced up to find her staring at him, a resigned look on her face.

She was holding a laundry basket in one hand with only a few clothes in it.

"What is the meaning this?" Atlas asked, his voice strained as he  put up the divorce papers  for her to see.

Jessica let out a sigh and dropped the basket of clothes close to the entrance of the kitchen.

"They are divorce papers, Atlas, isn't it obvious from what you read."

"I don't understand…" Atlas confessed.

"Is this some kind of a joke? One of your silly pranks?" He said as he took a step closer to her.

Jessica was known for playing random pranks on him but they were usually funny,  this however wasn't.

With an even more passive look, Jessica answered, "It's not a prank. I've been thinking about it for the past couple of months now and well, I finally came to it."

Her composure scared Atlas. She was never this composed unless she was being serious. Jessica was the kind of woman to laugh at her own jokes and ruin surprise parties because of her inability to keep secrets and how excited she got about them. She was from a rich home and had the etiquettes and composure of the queen of England among people she wasn't familiar with but never to him, this look she was giving him was unfamiliar and he didn't like it.

Atlas blinked at his wife, still trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"Is this because I didn't wish you a happy anniversary? Is that it?" Atlas demanded for answers as he walked closer to where she stood. For some reason she was keeping her distance from him and Atlas didn't like that. In fact none of what was happening made sense.

"Of course not Atlas."

"Then what is it? Because I don't get it. I thought we were fine. I thought you loved me."

"That's just the thing Atlas. We are not fine. We haven't been in months." Jessica explained, staring at her husband.

"Is there somebody else?" Atlas blurted out, rationalizing on the spot that that could be the only reason she was taking a decision this drastic.

"This is ridiculous…" Jessica started to say when a man walked up behind her.

"Everything okay in here?"

The man asked.

Atlas stared at the topless man that had  just entered his kitchen, a confused look on his face.

"Hey, everything is fine. We are just talking." Jessica smiled up at the man.

"Who the hell are you?" Atlas growled, his eyes glaring daggers at the blonde man staring at his wife. The man looked familiar but Atlas couldn't for the life of him remember where they'd met.

"Jessica, who is this man? His he the reason you want to call out marriage quits?" Atlas looked to his wife, he was doing his best not to walk up to him and pinch him across the face.

"Do you want me to throw him out, Jess?" The man asked Jess, ignoring Atlas altogether.

"That won't be necessary Lucas."

"Alright then."

"Here is your shirt." Jessica handed the man the shirt  in the laundry basket on the floor.

Lucas muttered a thank you.

"Do you mind giving us some space so we can discuss. I'll talk to you later." Jessica said to the man, a look of reverence on her face as she gazed up at him.

"Of course. Call me if you need anything" Lucas said and almost immediately disappeared through the living room and outside the house.

"Is he the reason You are doing this, Jessica?"

"Oh can you shut the fuck up with this bullshit already. I'm not divorcing you because of anyone. I'm divorcing you because I'm tired of living like this. I'm tired of constantly being responsible for us. I'm tired of my friends going on expensive dates and trips while my husband can't even afford to pay rent. I'm tired of my sisters constantly making snide remarks at me for being poor. We've been together for six years  and have been married for two yet there's still no sign of growth from you. I'm sorry but I can't keep doing this."

Jessica yelled, her eyes blazing. It was clear she'd had this on her mind for a while and the realization made Atlas stomach twist in pain.

Atlas stared at her, his heart shattering into pieces as the words sank in and replayed in his head.

He had always feared this day would come but he had not imagined it would be so soon, Maybe he had and he just believed he still had time.

"I'm sorry." Jessica choked out, her once composed face now streaming with tears.

"But I need to move on, I need to pursue my career and I need to find myself and unfortunately it's not with you."

Atlas did not realize he was crying too  until his eyes began to blur with the tears.

"No," Atlas said, shaking his head as he walked towards his wife.

"You are not thinking straight, we can still fix this."

Jessica moved backwards, not wanting anything to do with him.

"I've never thought more straight in my life. There's nothing you can do to change my mind."

Atlas was beginning to hyperventilate, he needed to wake up from this nightmare. Not only was his wife divorcing him, she was in love with another man who she was clearly sleeping with.

This wasn't happening! He thought, his stomach twisting in pain and his heart shattering into several million pieces.