Eve, his wife had awakened two years ago and was allowed entry into the inner city where only Chosens and their families were allowed to live.

“I will go ahead and prepare a house for our family after getting a job as a Chosen, then I will send for you and our children. Finally D! Finally our luck is turning around.”

That was the promise she made to him, their son, and their one-year-old daughter two years ago as they said a tearful goodbye to her before she boarded the train to the Inner City.

The first few months, Eve’s letters came to him updating them on her life and progress, the last one he got it one and a half year ago which told him that she had finally gotten a job. Damien was ecstatic for her, she was a hardworking woman and he did not doubt that she would achieve all that she had planned. Finally, they could take their children out of the awful city, The Outskirts, that they called home.

 The Unchosen lived too close to the Outlands for Damien’s liking, the wall keeping the monsters out felt and looked like it could break anytime so Eve's awakening and getting a Blessing from Aphrodite took a lot of worries off Damien's shoulders.

However, since the letter informing Damien of her job, he had not gotten another for months. At first, he thought she was busy with her new workplace but after three months of silence from her, he started getting worried, her job though not dangerous per her letter did not alleviate his worries. According to her letter, Eve had gotten a job at a Fashion and Beauty Company it did not go into details as to what but how dangerous could fashion be.

After more months of silence, he asked his neighbors and friends what they thought about his situation. Most agreed with his worries while others told him that his wife had left him but he brushed their words off with a scoff, he believed in his Eve and if she was silent that meant something was wrong. So he decided to go to her.

 An Unchosen could only enter the Inner City if and only if they were hired to do so. Jobs were posted on an online forum where they could apply and if they met the requirements they were hired and given a contract.

Damien applied for work at a construction site that required human labor and though he applied a long time ago, he got a reply after a year. That was normal and fast since some would only get a chance after three years to get an opportunity to work in the Inner City.

 Getting the notification that he got the job made Damien let out a shout of joy startling his ten-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, the kids had grown up quite well in the past two years.

Finally! He could meet his Eve.

He left his children with his old neighbor, a friendly woman who treated his kids like her grandchildren.

“Go bring her back.” Were the old woman’s words as he left his house.

He gave her a warm and wide smile.

“I will," he promised.

The train could not go any slower, his heart was beating so loud that he was scared his seatmates would hear it. He clutched his bag in his hands securely, he did not want to lose any of his identification cards and get kicked out of the city before he met his Eve. While one identified him as Damien, the other identified him as an Unchosen.

Eve.

He missed her smile, the way her bottom lip was fuller than her top one, her laughter. Her warmth.

Damien could not help but smile throughout the whole ride and work orientation at the thought of her. He knew she would be excited to see him especially when she saw the candy he bought for her from Lavine’s shop, she always loved them when they were in The Outskirts. He could only hope her taste did not change after being in the Inner City for two years. He was tempted to skip work and just meet up with Eve, but the work contract bound him.

After work, Damien tore out of the construction site only stopping for a shower and a change of clothes. He was not about to meet Eve stinking of sweat and dust. Shoving his work overalls into his locker, he grabbed his bag and checked again and again for good measure to make sure that everything was still inside, by everything it was just his wallet, identification cards, and Eve’s candy.

With a satisfied nod, he closed his locker and walked out of the makeshift changing rooms. Bidding the security guard goodbye and made his way to Eve’s workplace, his heart in his hand and his steps so weightless that he could fly. He had to ground himself every time his thoughts would wander to her, his mind coming up with scenarios of how she would react when seeing him. Would she run to him? Hug him? Kiss him? Because if she does not, he will.

Shaking his head for what seemed like the hundredth time, Damien walked to the building that was similar to the one Eve described in her letters.

“...It is so huge! Avvanah Industries, that is its name…”  Damien recalls her words as he looked up and across the street reading the tall building’s name that came into view. The windows were reflecting the setting sun's rays making Damien squint as he walked toward it.

He had arrived and just on time, it was some minutes to five pm. Eve would leave work at five so he had some minutes to spare and rest, he spotted a bench and decided to sit on it as he waited for her to come out. He decided against going into the building, his visit was already unannounced and the last thing Eve would want was him in her workplace, she was quite strict in separating her private and work-life even in The Outskirts.

As the minutes passed and the adrenaline wore off, doubt began making its way into Damien’s mind.

What if she does not work here anymore?

What if she does not want to see him?

What if his friends were right and she had moved on?

Damien shook his head to try and get rid of those thoughts.

What ifs do not matter anymore? He was there and whatever happens...happens.

Just as he made that resolution, he heard a familiar laughter floating through the air to him.

His heart thundered as he snapped his eyes to the source of the heavenly sound.

But... as fast as his smile made its way up his face it dropped at the sight of Eve.

His heart constricted so much that the blood getting pumped felt like nails scratching his blood vessels as it moved.

Eve was pregnant.

Damien knew her pregnancy glow even as far as she was. He had seen it twice with his children.

She was talking to a lady who was patting her belly making Eve giggle and laugh, her pink dress moving as she did and flowing as the evening breeze billowed past her. The view was picturesque, but all Damien could feel was nausea building up.

Just as he went to call out to her and ask her what was happening, a car pulled up beside the two women and a man got out and walked to them.

Damien heard his voice pleading with anyone to make whatever was unfolding before his stop. It was barely a whisper but he heard it.

He heard his voice break off into a sad whimper when Eve looked at the man with the same yes she had always looked at him with. The ocean eyes that glowed when she saw him no longer held his.

He heard his voice go silent as Eve threw her hands around the man’s neck and kissed him, deeply.

He watched as Eve waved her giggling friend goodbye and walked to the car in the man’s hands.

Watched as she got into his car.

Watched as they drove off, not knowing just how much they had broken him.