003 — MR WILSON, THE CHEATING BASTARD!

It’s been three days since my son died. Three days of keeping myself holed up in my new apartment and crying myself to sleep every night. Three days of darkness and gloom.

I wake up frowning because the rising sun currently peeks through the sheer white curtains, bathing the room in brightness when all I want is to keep wallowing in darkness and grief.

It suddenly hits me that I’ve not received any response from Henry ever since I served him our divorce papers more than forty eight hours ago.

I pick up my cell phone and scroll through the endless list of missed calls. There’s none from my soon-to-be ex-husband. Henry never called me even once.

Suddenly driven by anger and frustration, I dial his private number and wait impatiently for him to respond.

I end the call when I get no response twenty seconds later and get to my feet.

Henry still thinks I was playing around when I asked for a divorce. I’ll pay him a visit today and illustrate just how serious I am about leaving his deadbeat ass.

***

An hour and thirty minutes later, I walk into the building that houses Wilson Construction. It took that long because I had a mini meltdown after spotting David’s picture on my dresser.

I won’t exactly say I’m dressed to kill, but my short black dress, black heeled sandals and dark sunglasses make me look sophisticated and also point out that I’m still grieving my child.

I arrive at the receptionist’s desk and her eyes brighten with recognition when I take off my glasses.

“Mrs. Wilson.” She greets and I physically cringe. Not for long.

“Hello, Maddie.”

“The boss did not inform us that you’d be coming.”

“That’s because he’s not aware of my presence. Is he in the office?”

She nods. “Sure. You can go right up.”

I smile my thanks and get into the elevator. Within seconds, I arrive at Laura’s desk. I’m disappointed to find it empty. I would’ve loved to give that bitch a piece of my mind.

I pause outside the door to my husband’s office and take a huge, shaky breath. I might come off as strong and uncaring but deep down, I’m broken.

When I got married to Henry two years ago, I was so in love that I never imagined a day would come when we would separate on such messy terms.

I was so stupid, and now I have to pay the price. My son is gone, my marriage is gone and all that’s left is this hollow emptiness in my chest that only gets wider by the second.

I shake my head and push the door open without wasting any more time.

When I step into the huge, luxuriously furnished office, it’s empty.

“I thought the receptionist said he was here.” I whisper to myself.

I’m about to turn around and leave when a strange sound reaches my ears.

My heartbeat accelerates and I turn sharply to my left, towards the direction of the sound.

Two seconds later, I hear it again. It almost sounds like… a strangled moan. A woman’s moan.

Wait. Could it be…?

I don’t know what demon possesses me, but instead of leaving like I’m supposed to, I follow the sound and discover that it’s coming through a half open door on the far end of the office. And I was right. It’s a woman’s moan.

“Ungh! Faster, Henry. Please…!”

I freeze. That was Laura’s voice. I’d recognize it even in my dreams.

It suddenly dawns on me that I was right all along. That bastard has really been cheating on me with Laura.

Even though my mind is already prepared for what I’m about to see, my heart still twists painfully when I push the door open and I’m bombarded with the sight of Laura bouncing atop Henry, her eyes shut and her head thrown back in ecstasy.

They’re both naked as the day they were born. And they both seem to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.

I turn to leave quietly but at the last second, I unconsciously push the door and its low creak pierces the air like a bloody trumpet.

I freeze, but it’s already too late.

I’m startled from my daze by Henry’s panic-filled voice;

“Fuck, Amani! What the hell are you doing here?”

I turn around and run towards the entrance as fast as my feet can carry me, but he’s still faster. I can hear him running behind me.

Before I can even touch the doorknob, Henry grabs my arm and roughly pulls me against his naked chest.

I react violently, thrashing and kicking at him with all my might.

“Let go of me. Let go!!”

Henry pins both my arms behind my back and growls.

“Calm down, Amani. Calm down for fuck’s sake. Stop with the drama!”

I become deathly still when he utters that last sentence. I look up at his sharp green eyes, wondering what I ever saw in this monster.

“Drama? I’m being dramatic? I catch you and your secretary, whom you’ve repeatedly lied to me that you’re not sleeping with, going at it like wild animals and I’m the dramatic one?”

He scoffs. “I never lied to you. I wasn’t sleeping with Laura before. You disappeared for two days, Amani. What was I supposed to do? A man’s got needs.”

I stare at him incredulously.

“A man’s got needs? Your son died three days ago, you low down bastard. I’ve been grieving, depressed. You never bothered to call me or even check up on your own grieving wife because you were too busy shagging your secretary. You should be ashamed of yourself, Henry. Shame on you!” My voice drips with disgust. My blood is boiling.

His grip on my arm tightens and I wince in pain.

“Let go. You’re hurting me.”

His eyes flash with anger.

“You never used to be like this, Amani. You’ve become quite bold. Disrespectful, too. I need you to remember that I am still your husband and you must give me the respect I deserve. Do you bloody understand?!”

“Henry, darling. Let go of her.” A voice says from behind him. Laura.

“I understand that you’re upset, but you might hurt her. You don’t need any scandal in your life right now.”

Henry releases me immediately and I stagger against the table, trying to catch my breath.

It doesn’t go over my head that he only released me after his mistress asked him to.

Bile rises in my throat as I watch Laura hand him his pants. He was naked the whole time!

By the time he’s done wearing his pants, I’ve recovered from my bout of panic.

Despite the burning anger in my veins, my back is ramrod straight and my chin is lifted, “I sent you the divorce papers. Why haven’t you signed them?”

Henry’s eyes are murderous.

“And I already told you that we’re not getting divorced.

Look, David is dead and there’s honestly nothing that you and I can do about it. I know I’ve made some mistakes, but life goes on. What do you need to move past it? A new house? A new car?”

My disgust is tripling by the second.

“You cheated on me—“

“All men cheat, Amani!” He roars. “Besides, it was a one time thing. If you want to divorce me just because of this, then you’re making a grave mistake. There’s no man on this planet who doesn’t cheat on his wife. Live with it.”

A sarcastic laugh slips past my lips and I shake my head.

“Just because you’re a disloyal bastard doesn’t mean all men are like you, Mr. Wilson. I regret the day I ever set my eyes on you. I regret the day we got married. You should be ashamed of yourself, sleeping around with your secretary just three days after the death of your only son!”

I pick up my bag from the floor and turn towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Henry snaps. “Come back here immediately!”

I pause with my fingers on the knob and shoot him a death glare.

“My days of being your humble, submissive wife are over. You no longer have the right to order me around. Sign the divorce papers, Henry.

If I take you to court myself, I might change my mind and actually lay claim on half of everything you own.”

I turn to leave but stop once again, my eyes straying to Laura who currently has a smug look on her face.

“Congratulations, by the way. You both deserve each other. Two rotten beans in a pod.”

“No man will ever marry you if you leave me. Do you hear me? You’ll be single for the rest of your life!” He roars.

Even if his words hurt like hell, I scoff.

“Don’t threaten me with happiness, Henry.”

Then I give him the middle finger and walk out of the office with my head held high…

***

HENRY

“Damn stubborn woman.” I mutter under my breath. “She makes me so angry.”

I turn to Laura who’s standing quietly behind me and take both her hands in mine.

“I’m so sorry about that, baby. Amani never used to be like this.”

She shrugs and blood rushes to my cock at the sight of her hardened nipples poking through my shirt.

“Aren’t you tired of her?” She whispers softly. “I mean, all she ever does is nag. Don’t you need some peace of mind already?”

“I’m tired, but—”

She places a finger against my lips, staring at me with those seductive eyes that never fail to make me weak in the knees.

“If you’re tired, then give her what she wants. Divorce her. Marry me and adopt my children as your own.”