Chapter 218
Teresa remained silent, unwilling to speak.
"Is it because your relationship didn't have a solid foundation? You haven't been together long enough to work through misunderstandings, conflicts, and you don't know how to resolve them, right?" Sophia spoke softly, continuing the conversation despite Teresa's silence.
"Maybe," Teresa mumbled, looking down and sipping her drink.
"Your love came on quickly and intensely. Marriage is a long, sustained process with all sorts of bumps along the way. It's not always going to be smooth sailing," Sophia sighed deeply, "Teresa, life is different from fantasy. You can't expect everything to be perfect and then want to bail when reality doesn't match your dreams. That's not how married life works."
Teresa nodded, "I know, Mom."
However, Gabriel did not respect or trust her; instead, he desired to own her and claim her as his own. In the same circumstances, they would collide with the same ferocity as a comet striking Earth.
The pain was too much to bear even once, let alone endure again.
"If you're still angry with Gabriel, try to remember the good times, the way he usually treats you," Sophia advised, sensing Teresa's dismissal, "Think about it, finding another man like Gabriel, with such great qualities who cherishes and protects you is not easy."
Sophia was right, but Teresa remained lost in thought, recognizing that respect and trust were the cornerstones she yearned for in her relationship—a foundation that seemed irrevocably shaken.
"Mom, I forgot to prepare the presentation for tomorrow's class. Can you keep an eye on the kid while I work on it?" Teresa said, setting her glass down. Without waiting for Sophia's response, she stood up and walked to her room.
Sophia watched her, puzzled by her daughter's thoughts.
Indeed, Teresa went to prepare her presentations, but not just for the next day; she was working on the material for the upcoming days.
It was like she was addicted; she sat in front of the computer for three or four hours straight, planning out the entire week's lessons.
Before she knew it, it was past midnight, and the appointment with Gabriel to file for divorce was drawing closer, just seven or eight hours away.
Her three months of marriage to Gabriel had been filled with happiness, so far as she was concerned—until this last week, that is.
But perhaps the joy of those three months was just the honeymoon phase. Even if she and Gabriel reconciled, there were no guarantees that their future would hold the same happiness.
After all, a crack had formed between them, and it was unlikely they could return to the unguarded intimacy of their earlier days.
Sitting in the silence, Teresa hesitated, then began typing the words "Divorce Agreement" into the computer, letter by letter.
She hadn't married Gabriel for his wealth or status, and now, as they parted, she wanted nothing from him, only the custody and care of their son.
Teresa typed the divorce papers meticulously. When she tapped the last key, she raised her hand to her face and felt the unexpected coolness of tears.
Her vision was so blurry that she didn't even realize she had been crying, soaking her textbooks and causing the writing to become hazy.
Suddenly, a throbbing pain rippled through her abdomen, as though something were relentlessly pulling downwards.
With furrowed brows, Teresa placed her hands over her abdomen, moved to the edge of the bed, and then lay down, breathing deeply in and out.
It was odd, this month's period was far more uncomfortable than usual; could it be the emotional stress affecting her?
Determined not to dwell on her thoughts, Teresa curled up in bed, closed her eyes, and tried to empty her mind.
For the next few hours, she slept fitfully, the dull ache in her lower abdomen kept surfacing, but she tried her best to ignore it.
When morning came, sleep evaded her completely. She got up, freshened up, dressed neatly, and applied a subtle, refined makeup.
Even if today meant facing Gabriel to finalize their divorce, marking an end to their shared path, she wanted to present the best version of herself before him.
Teresa finished getting ready, printed out three copies of the divorce agreement she had written the previous evening, signed them, and stuffed them into her purse before going into the nursery.
Her little munchkin had already woken up, with Victoria dressing him. The sight of the beautifully made-up Teresa delighted the child, who cheerfully greeted, "Mommy, good morning," in a high-pitched, adorable voice.
Teresa took the clothes from Victoria and dressed her little one herself. Once done, they washed up together, and then, hand-in-hand, they went downstairs for breakfast.
Her makeup was so fresh and natural that Sophia and Patrick, seeing her improved complexion, assumed a good night's rest had done her wonders, which slightly eased their concern.
"Teresa," said Sophia while serving up a glass of milk for her, "your mother-in-law called to say she's coming over after breakfast. You don't have classes this morning, do you?"
