99 A Vicious Pain

Time froze and cold seeped on. "You're married?"

"I was." She answered, having Pete confused. Flustered, she sweated her palms. "I was once married to Serena's father, but...but he left. He left me alone and pregnant."

"So, you were once married." He muttered, surprised at hearing that. It wasn't strange, but a bit unexpected.

"And this is why you can't be with me? Because you were once married?"

"I can't be with you, because —" she trailed off. Her heart skipped — a heavy thud ramming against her chest. "I'm still married."

He was silent. Silent staring. And his face was slowly turning white. "This isn't — your way of rejecting me again, is it?"

"No." She would have speared into his arms if she'd dared. "No, it isn't. It's the truth. The sad truth."

"And all this while I've been chasing you, why didn't you tell me?" Pete tried to relax his hands and control his voice. "Why haven't you bothered to tell me?"