CHAPTER ONE
“You need to sign these,”
Jane Roberts almost dropped the frying pan she had been carrying across the room in fright. She glared at her husband who was still standing in the doorway, a brown envelope in his outstretched arms. “What is that? You scared me.”
He didn’t apologize or respond to her question. He simply walked out of the room.
Frowning, Jane walked out of the kitchen, frying pan in hand and followed him into the dining room. “What is that, Marcus?’
Marcus dropped the envelope on the table and sat down on one of the chairs. “Divorcee papers. I had my lawyers draw them up last week so they are ready and all you have to do is sign them.”
Jane was stunned. “Did you just say divorce papers?”
Marcus raised an eyebrow, an irritated look on his face. “Did I stutter?” He got up from the chair, picked up his briefcase from the ground and walked away without sparing her another glance. The sound of the door slamming jolted Jane out of her reverie and she immediately took off after him, her ears ringing loudly.
“Honey, you didn’t eat breakfast.” She called out to him but he ignored her as he got into the car and drove off, the exhaust and fumes from the car blocking her view of his car as it disappeared out of sight.
Jane stood there for a few more minutes with a dazed expression on her face. Somehow the events of the last few minutes felt like a dream to her. There was no way Marcus would speak to her like that and serve her divorce papers.
She ran back into the house and made her way to the dining room. She picked up the envelope he had tossed on the table and held it in her shaky hands, fear of its contents gripping her.
“You can do this,” she told herself as she opened the envelope slowly and withdrew the bound papers inside it.
Just as he had told her, the words, ‘DIVORCE SETTLEMENT’ were written in bold letters at the top of the paper.
The envelope slipped from her hand to the floor as she slumped to the ground, unshed tears clouded her vision. This had to be a silly prank because why would Marcus, the absolute love of her life do this to her?
“I’m not signing this,” She whispered, wiping her tears with the back of her hand as she slowly rose to her feet. “I won’t sign this. He can’t treat me like this, I won’t let him!”
She sniffed and picked up the frying pan she had left on the table and then walked back into the kitchen, her heart shattered.
After two years of loving Marcus and giving all of herself to him, this was how he wanted to repay her. Was this some sort of sick joke?
“He’s probably going through something at work and is taking it out on me.” She muttered to herself as she placed the frying pan back on the cooker and covered it, her appetite gone.
She walked out and took the stairs to her room where she slumped on the bed and gave in to the tears
***
“I’m coming,” Jane yelled as she ran down the stairs, adjusting her bathrobe. She had just stepped out of the shower when she heard the doorbell. After crying herself to sleep, she woke up with a headache and felt the need to revive her body the best she could with everything that was going on.
“I said I’m coming, hold on,” she sighed and looked through the peephole frowning when she saw an unfamiliar face staring back at her. She didn’t know this man. Who was he and what did he want?
Panic set in and she took a deep breath instantly to calm her nerves. She left the person standing there and ran back upstairs to her room to get her phone. She wasn’t expecting anyone so the man hadn’t come for her. Perhaps Marcus knew him and had sent him to pick up something.
She dialled his number as she made her way back down the stairs again, scoffing when it went straight to voicemail. She tried his number again a few more times but it went to voicemail as well. She hung her head and stared at her phone helplessly at a loss for what to do next.
The doorbell rang again followed by a series of knocks on the door signalling that the man was getting impatient. With a resigned sigh, she walked to the door and opened it, blocking the way with her body. “Can I help you?”
The man’s hand was raised as if he had been about to knock. As he saw her, he smiled and took a step back, bowing his head slightly. “I am Mark.”
She raised one brown in question. “I don’t recognize you, Mr. Mark.”
He nodded and took a step forward, towering over her easily by two inches. “Mr. D****e sent me and my team.” He said and it was then she noticed the van parked in the driveway with a sketchy sketchy-lookingman inside it.
“What can I do for you?” she asked him, her guard up and completely alert.
“Mr. D****e sent us here to help you pack. He said you were leaving the house today.”
“What?” Jane gasped, her mouth falling open in shock at his words. Did Marcus ask these men to come and kick her out of their own house? “I think there’s been a mistake. Maybe you can give him a call to confirm.”
She remembered he didn’t pick up her calls so he most definitely wouldn’t be available to pick his either.
“Of course.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled a number, placing it on speakerphone so Jane could hear. The call went through on the first ring and then Marcus’ shrill voice rang through the earpiece.
“Is it done? Have you kicked the bitch out yet?”
Jane’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach as she heard his voice. She felt insulted that he had picked up a total stranger’s call barely a few minutes after he had missed hers. The fact that he had called her a bitch…
The man sent her a sympathetic sigh and took the phone off speakerphone but the damage to Jane’s fragile heart was unrepairable. She walked back into the house like a zombie, tears clouding her vision. All she could feel was pain shooting through her entire body. She wanted to scream, to shout, to groan, anything but she felt too weak to do any of those.
Slumping on one of the sofas, she held her head in her hands and the tears began to fall, slowly at first and then it became a shower, an uncontrollable downpour of salty water down her cheeks.
She didn’t know how long she had been sitting like that before the man walked in and touched her arm gently. She flinched at his touch and glared up at him.
He held up his arms in a show of surrender and sighed. “look ma’am I mean you no harm, I’m just doing my job.”
She nodded despite herself knowing he was right. “I know.” She whimpered and reached for his arm. “Why would he do this to me?” she asked him, her voice so low he almost didn’t hear her.
“I am sorry ma’am but I can’t answer that.” He took a step back after making sure she was steady on her feet and sent her a sad smile. “I am so sorry.”
Ten minutes later, Jane made her way down the stairs with her things, her steps unsure and reckless. When she got to the last step, the man came over to help her but she brushed him aside and made her way to the door.
“Do you need me to drop you off?” he asked but she didn’t reply as she opened the door and shut the door behind her with a bang. The sound echoed in her head as she left the compound and the home she had considered hers for two years.
The man stood on the porch and watched Jane’s dejected-retreating-form with concern and pity in his eyes. He knew men like Marcus were bastards but he couldn’t do anything about it because it was that bastard that would be paying his bills. He sighed as he reached for his phone and called Marcus who picked up on the first ring.
“So? Has she left yet?’
He clenched his fists, his eyes closed as he replied. “She is gone, sir. The job is done.”
CHAPTER TWOJane knocked twice and waited for a response, leaning on her bag for support. It hadn’t been easy locating this place especially since it had been a long time she had been here. Abigail wasn’t picking up and she knew a hotel was out of the question not because she didn’t have money but because Abby wouldn’t hear of it. She raised her hand to knock again when the door burst open and her cousin Abigail’s form appeared at the doorway. “Hey cuz, I missed your call. I was in the kitchen.” She made a move to hug her and then paused when she spotted the bags close to Jane’s feet. “What’s this? Are you leaving town or what?” She frowned when Jane didn’t laugh at her joke and tugged her arm, pulling her inside before grabbing the bags. Half an hour later, Jane was sitting on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa in her hands. “Thanks for letting me stay here Abby, I can’t thank you enough.” Abigail Warren sighed and stretched her hand out to touch Jane’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry b
CHAPTER THREEJane stared at the familiar office building in front of her and sighed. Somehow, she had ended up here. Abby would have her head if she told her about this, but she needed to confront Marcus once and for all as he seemed to be avoiding her. She eyed the building and spun on her heels, her back to it. “No, I shouldn’t go in,” “Are you coming in?” A woman in a well-ironed suit asked as she brushed past her and Jane just stood there gasping like a fish, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly. “Well don’t just stand there, come on in,” Wordlessly, Jane followed the woman unsure of what was going on. She looked down at the simple yet decent black gown she had slipped on and smiled grateful for her choice. They walked together to the elevator and the woman held the door for her. “Thanks,” Jane said as she got in, moving to the back to lean against the wall. “So what floor are you going to?” She asked, raising her eyes to press a number. She suddenly stopped and turned to
CHAPTER FOURThe driver parked the car close to the house and Jane looked out the window at the house she had regarded as home for two years. Tears pricked her eyes but she held back intent on staying strong. Caleb sighed and reached for her head forcing her to look away from the window and at him. “Whatever you do, never show how much this all affects you in public.” He paused to gauge her reaction before he continued. “You can cry all you want when you come home but never show them how much their actions bother you, ever.” His tone took on a stern, hard quality but Jane nodded understanding what he meant. “I would come with you but I feel you should do this on your own.” Jane smiled gratefully, unshed tears shining in her eyes. “Yes, I need to do this on my own but I must thank you for the support.” She brushed away the tears. “You are right, I can’t let that bastard see me at my weakest.” “Here,” Caleb said, stretching out a brown envelope and Jane smiled accepting it from him.
CHAPTER FIVECaleb held the door for her and she walked into the massive space, her eyes bulging out.“Make yourself comfortable while I go get us drinks. We should be celebrating.” She walked over to the window to look outside and gasped at how high up they were. “You won’t fall if that’s what you are worried about.”She spun around a little too fast and found herself staggering a bit.“ I…” “Take it easy,” Caleb warned, catching her by the hand and dragging her away from the window. “Here,” Jane cleared her throat and pulled away from him, accepting the glass of wine. “Thank you,”. “Let’s talk in my office,” He told her and led the way to the office which was on the other side of the room behind a small door that she hadn’t noticed before. When Jane stepped inside the office, she was amazed. Seeing the small door on the outside, one would think it was similar to what was inside but the office was two times the size of her bedroom, almost the size of the living room area she ha
CHAPTER 6“Thank you,” Jane said shyly, and sullenly as they got to the door of her room.“It's nothing,” he said firmly. “You've said more thank you's than you've actually had a normal conversation with me,” he pointed out.A smile tugged at her lips. But it was a dry, sad and lonely one. “Go on ahead, get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow,” Caleb said. “Goodnight.”She opened her mouth to speak but closed it the moment she saw him walking down but his aura lingered. She slowly turned away and swiped her card. The moment she was in her room, she kicked off her shoes and threw herself on the bed, wondering how people who cut you deeply when you weren't watching were the same ones who treated your wounds. Because they knew just how to break you and fix you.As she took off her clothes, a part of her wished she could be in her fathers arms now and sob in his chest and tell him he was right. She wished she had listened to him back then but the damage had been done. And there is no
CHAPTER 7Jane was stirred from sleep by a knock at her door. She stretched, her muscles aching slightly, and glanced around the unfamiliar room, momentarily disoriented. She shut down her laptop beside her, realising she must have fallen asleep while working. The plush surroundings of the room reminded her she was no longer in her modest apartment but in a lavish environment. When had she checked into a hotel like this?Another knock interrupted her thoughts. Jane pulled herself out of bed, her silk nightgown clinging to her as she made her way to the door. Opening it, she found a maid standing there, a polite smile on her face despite the shock that flickered in her eyes."Good morning, Mrs. Lockwood," the maid greeted with a bow.Jane blinked, her brow arching in confusion. "You must have the wrong person. Call me Jane," she said, still trying to shake off her grogginess.The maid's smile softened. "Breakfast is ready. Would you like it sent to your bedroom, or would you prefer to