Ashley hiccuped and buried her head in his chest. She gripped his shirt in her hand, holding onto it like a small girl holding onto her bear. The tears continued to run down her cheek and soaked his shirt.

But like all those times before, he didn't care one bit. He just continued to hold her and continued to whisper sweet nothing into her ear. He stayed even though he didn't need to. He stayed because he knew that she needed him.

It reminded her of the life they used to have. A life filled with happiness and laughter. One that she woke up to with a smile on her face. Their house became their home. A place where they always came back to no matter what happened.

They had almost everything. Love. Protection. Care.

But yet. They lacked one thing in the home that they had created. One thing that was needed in all family.

Trust.

They never trusted each other. Ashley was constantly plagued by the thought of him cheating on her with his secretary and he tossed her aside with just one picture without any kind of confrontation. The one thing they very much needed for their relationship to survive had been the one thing they lacked.

The foundation of all relationship had been missing. It was a miracle that their relationship even survived that long.

But like all relationships without trust, it ended.

Because of that, was their house even a home anymore? Had it ever even been a home to them? Was the life they led nothing but an illusion? An illusion that could possibly continue if she were to somehow get back together with him?

No.

She couldn't have that.

She can't let Isabella grow up in a house where her parents didn't trust each other. She'd rather have Isabella grow up in different households. Ones where Isabella wouldn't be confused on the status of her parents.

They already went through one messy divorce.

That was enough to prove to her that Dante wasn't as ready as he thought he was. The lack of trust he had in them proved how unhappy he was. If he had been happy, he would have came to her and confronted her before anything else.

Ashley pulled away from him and scooted away. She wiped her tears and hugged her body. "We need to talk, Dante."

He sighed. "Listen, I know that—"

"I'm sorry." Ashley blurted out. She turned to him and looked at him through her blurred vision. "I'm sorry that you were unhappy in our marriage."

Dante shook his head. His hand reached out for her but fell down when she scooted further away from him. "No, I wasn't. I swear I wasn't."

"You were." she whispered.

"I was at my happiest with you." he whispered back.

"Then why didn't you trust me?" her voice cracked and tears began to slip down her face again.

He looked away from her. His eyes closed. "I had been stupid."

"Tell me the truth Dante. Why didn't you confront me about it?" She placed her hand on his shoulder.

"You were right," he opened his eyes and looked at her, "I wasn't ready for marriage."

She stayed silent knowing there was more to what he was saying. There was more to his story but he didn't want to say it or well, hesitated to say it.

After a few minutes of silence, he spoke up again. "I'm a hypocrite Ashley." he swallowed. "I did cheat on you."

Ashley froze and she closed her eyes.

"When did it happen?" she whispered.

"Before you told me you were pregnant." He grabbed her hand that still rested on his shoulder and gripped it.

Ashley pulled her hand away from him. She placed her hand on her lap and looked out of the window. "I see."

"You don't know how guilty I was. It was a drunken mistake but it had been done. I didn't know how to tell you or should i have even told you. I decided not to when you told me you were pregnant. I didn't want to ruin our marriage."

Ashley laughed humorlessly. "You did."

"I know," he whispered.

"Continue." she muttered.

"When those pictures came, I was so angry at you. But deep down inside of me I had been relieved. But that feeling wasn't as strong as the anger I felt. I didn't think about my mistake. All I thought about was you. God I was a f*cking hypocrite." He chuckled.

"Why did you cheat?"

"Like I said, it was a drunken mistake." the regret was clear in his voice.

"That doesn't justify anything."

"I know it doesn't," he sighed again, "I guess it goes back to my other reason. I wasn't ready for the marriage life."

It was in that moment that Ashley realized, she didn't care anymore. What happened had been in the past. The sun shined brightly outside. It was a promise. A promise of a better future. One in which she had already decided.

Dante placed his hand on her cheek and moved her face back towards him. His eyes bore into hers. "But I know I'm ready now. And I promise Ashley, I'll never be stupid enough to let you go ever again. I'll cherish you for once in your life. I'll make sure that you never doubt me or our love ever again."

Ashley shook her head. "No you won't."

He sighed in relief and stood up, smiling as he grabbed a cup of water. "Thank you for giving me another chance—"

"I'm not." she said.

He snapped his head head towards her, his eyebrows furrowed. Yet he still continued to smile. "What do you mean you're not."

She shook her head and stood up also. "Dante, you won't let me go again because I'm not going to be giving my heart to you again."

His smile got slapped away from him face. "What do you mean?" he asked, his face becoming pale. "Ashley please, I made a mistake."

Ashley smiled at him. "I know you did and I know you regret it."

He moved around the bed and got to her side. He grabbed both of her hands and looked down at her eyes. "I do. It was the worst mistake of my life. Please, give me the chance to redeem myself."

She pulled her hands away and turned her back towards him. "I can't do that Dante. It's too late for us now."

"What about our daughter? Doesn't she deserve to grow up in a happy family?" His voice cracked.

Ashley closed her eyes and placed a hand on her stomach. "She's the reason why I'm doing this."

"Ashley—"

"Do you think she deserves to grow up in a family where her father had called her mother a whore and slut? A family where her mother constantly wonders when their next divorce would be? In which her father cheated on her mother? One in which her parents can't fully trust each other? One in which," Ashley turned to him, "her father gets physical because he didn't get his way?"

"I've never hit you before." a tear slipped down his face.

She reached up and wiped it away. She smiled sadly at him. "I know you never have." she turned away from him again. Her head partly looking over her shoulders. "But you have come close."

"I can take anger management classes, please—"

"I can't take that risk. I don't want our daughter to have to grow up in a home filled with distrust, violence, and resentment." Ashley cradled her stomach.

"Ashley, think about this please."

"I have,' she muttered.

"What about our family?" Dante placed a hand on her shoulders and pulled her around again. "What about us?"

"We can still be family." she whispered. She removed his hand but held it. "Just not a traditional one. You're still Isabella's father."

"What about us though?"

"There's never going to be an us anymore." she whispered.

Dante looked as though his world had just crashed down right in front of him. His hands reached out, as if grabbing something but retreated as if he knew it wasn't going to happen. He gulped. "So we're done?"

Ashley nodded her head. "We can't ever go back to the way it was."

Dante sighed and combed through his hair with his hands. "This was all my fault wasn't it? I messed everything up."

She shook her head. "I had part of the blame also," she smiled at him, "both of us had trust issues."

"So this is good-bye?"

Ashley shrugged her shoulders. "More like a see you later. We're still friends."

"Friends?"

"Friends." Ashley confirmed, nodding her head.

Dante nodded his head. He reached his hand out to her stomach. "Can I?"

Ashley nodded her head. She grabbed his hand and placed his palm flat on her stomach. "She is still your daughter. I won't keep her away from you."

Dante leaned his head down and pressed his ear towards her stomach. "Hi Isabella. It's your daddy." he sighed. "I messed things up with your mommy but don't you worry. I will never stop loving you or your mommy. I'm going to try my best. Please don't get mad at me if I mess up somewhere along the road."

Ashley sighed. She knew it hurt him badly but she couldn't find herself to feel anything besides relief. Relieved that she stood up for herself and picked her path this time. Relieved that for once, her daughter might have a chance to have a happy family.

Dante stood up. He pushed a piece of hair behind her ears. "Are you sure that this is the end for us?"

"We can be friends but nothing more." Ashley stepped back from him.

Dante nodded his head. He hesitated for a second but leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I won't stop loving you but I will respect your decision."

"Thank you." she whispered.

"But I won't stop fighting either."

"What?"

"I won't stop fighting for you. I will continue to show you every single day how much I love you and Isabella. I will show you that in my heart, there will be no woman I love more than you." Dante smiled. He bent down and pecked her lips.

"Bye Ashley." he whispered before he walked out of the door.

Ashley's mouth dropped down. She stared, flabbergasted, at Dante's retreating back. She couldn't believe what he just did.

She sighed and shook her head. His determination would only get him hurt in the end. He thinks he can make her love him again but he couldn't.

How can he when she never truly loved him in the first place?

In that current moment, there is only one person who she can truly love in this world.

She smiled and rubbed her belly. "I can't wait to meet you, mia amore."

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