~WILLIAM~ Mom looked confused like there was nothing wrong with what she did. “I'm confused, William; you always complained to Mom about Anastasia and that nuisance daughter of-” “Don't you dare refer to my daughter as a nuisance, Nicole?” “Why not? I mean, she's the reason you married Anastasia in the first place.” “Her name is Ivy, and stay out of my business,” I warned I've had enough of her. “Alright, I'm not saying anything again.” She raised her hands in the air and walked to the sofa. She picked up the glass of juice and crossed her legs, and after taking a sip, she placed the glass down, picked a magazine, and started paging. I turned to Mom, who was still confused. “I want you to leave, both of you.” “What?!” “I will deal with the divorce myself,” I said, and without turning back, I walked toward the stairs and headed to the bedroom. Yes, I always complained about how unhappy
~WILLIAM~ I cleared my voice as I impatiently waited for my daughter to speak, but she didn't say a word; it was just silence, and I started to wonder what was happening. “Baby? Are you there?” I asked. “Yes, I'm just making sure these media people got it right,” she said, and that's when I heard the tapping of the keyboard keys, so she was busy searching on the internet. I mean, wasn't she too young for that? If I remember correctly, she was four, even though I haven't attended any of her birthdays. I always made sure I bought her an expensive gift so I knew she was four; in fact, she had just turned four a few days ago, and that was the reason why Anastasia and I got into that fight that led her to be locked up. “They say mom asked you for a divorce.” “W-what?” "Yes, and I asked Mom, but she didn't tell me this; that's why I called you.” She said, and I groaned and rubbed my temples as what I'd feared had happen
~ANASTASIA~ I was lost in my thoughts looking out the window when my phone started to ring. I quickly reached for my purse and picked it up.“Ana, are you sure? I can still come.”"I'm sure, Vivi, I've got this.”“I know you've got it, but... I'm worried.”“And you're worried for nothing,” I cleared my throat. “It will just take a few minutes, and then I will be done with it, okay?" I sounded confident but it was far from what I was feeling. I was terrified, if I had an option I could have avoided today, but I figured out there was no way, and I was prepared to face it.“Alright, please call me if you need anything or if they give you a hard time.”“Thank you,” I said and then ended the call, as I knew speaking to her for a long time would trigger tears. “Okay,” I said as I took a deep breath and looked at myself in the mirror. “I'm ready,” I said to myself, but Scott responded. “We can try to postpone it if you're not-”“I am ready.” I cut
~ANASTASIA~ I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I let out a chuckle because this was absurd. Why would William change his mind now? He never loved me; our marriage was never meant to happen, so why on earth did he refuse to let me go now? “Is this a joke?” I turned to him, but he wasn't looking at me; instead, he was looking down. “Ms. Anastasia, please have your seat.” “I'm sorry, what? I mean, we both signed the divorce document; I'm here to get my copy, not to have second thoughts.” I said as my heart was now racing. “Ms. Anastasia, please sit down.” “I’m sorry, your honor but can we just get over with it.” “And I refuse to go through,” William said he sounded calm, which was the first as he had never been this calm, only when it came to Jimena. “I'm not signing it; I'm not giving up on my marriage.” “You’re sick. I mean…” I stopped myself as I realized what William was trying to do; he wanted me to
~WILLIAM~ “What do you mean you lost her?!” “I'm sorry, sir, but Ms. Anastasia’s driver is full of tricks.” “And who's Ms. Anastasia? She's still my wife, so address her as Mrs. Rogers.” “Understood sir.” “And you mean Scott is smarter than you?” “I didn't mean it that way, sir, but I promise to find the address before the end of the week.” “I just don't know how I employed a useless creature; you know what? I will hire a private investigator to get me her address. Come and pick me up.” "Alright, sir,” he said, and I ended the call before running my hand through my hair. James was really getting on my nerves. I had him follow Anastasia and her driver last time, just to find out where she was staying. But he failed, Scott was too clever, giving him the slip somewhere along the route. Today, I asked him to follow them again and somehow he managed to lose them all over again.I stood outs
~WILLIAM~ Jimena was now holding me by my belt; I'd never seen this side of her. “You're hurting me.” “I don't care, William; answer me, then I'll let you go.” "Aah, didn't you figure it out already?” “No…” She shook her head. “You can't do this to me, William; you can't be falling for her.” She sounded like she was about to cry. “She refused to go through with the divorce, and the judge gave us two months.” I lied; I didn't want her to cry, I knew what came after that, she would tweet it to her followers since she had a fanbase and they would start a rumor. “That’s ridiculous don't tell me you did nothing about it; I mean-” “I had no choice, Jimena, but it's just two months after that I will separate from her and marry you.” I needed her to calm down; I couldn't deal with her as I was dealing with a lot already. She seemed to buy it as she loosened her grip on my belt. “Two months is a long time. What will happen when my bump starts to show? You know I'm a model; so
{A WEEK LATER}~ANASTASIA~“No, just drive straight home; I'm exhausted,” I said to Scott as he asked if I wanted to stop by somewhere. “I'm so sorry, girl; I wish I could help,” Vivienne said. I was on a call with her. “It's okay, I'm not giving up; sure, he hadn't blackmailed all the companies in Seattle.” “I don't know, but all the companies you have visited so far don't want to employ you." She sounded sad like she was the one going through this. “I'm not losing hope; tomorrow I will try again until I get a job,” I said, sounding confident. “But for how long? You're already a month pregnant. What will happen when it starts showing, don't tell me William will never find out because he will, eventually, and I even don't know how I'm going to help you?” She sighed, but no matter how right she was, there was no way I was going to go back to William; the disrespect and mistreatment I had gone through for the past four yea
~ANASTASIA~ I still couldn't believe William was standing in front of me. I thought I would only see him again in court—when we finalize the divorce, well, I guess I was wrong. I tightened my grip on the documents in my hands to hold my ground. “Another failed interview?” He pouted his lips, which made me roll my eyes. "Oh, I forgot these companies are not even giving you a chance to speak; let me guess this time, I'm sorry we can't employ you, Mr. Rogers gave-” "Oh, save it, William.” I cut him, and for a moment he looked confused. “So what if I didn't get the job? It's not the end of the world.” "Well, it will be the end for you, and both you and I know it.” “You disgust me,” I said then almost walked away, but he held me back by my arm. “Let me go, William.” I struggled to free my arm but he didn't let go. “You just have to beg, then I'll forgive you; you'll not even need to publicly apologize for staining my n
~ANASTASIA~“No, that's a six!” Ivy loudly said.“No, it's a nine.” Dad insisted.“Oh my god, give me a second.” She said, and Dad nodded, then turned to me while I shook my head. Ivy walked to the dresser and then picked up her tablet. I watched as she typed something before she came to us, then showing the screen to Dad, she repeated, “It says this is six; nine is this one.” She sounded annoyed, and I couldn't help but bite my inner cheeks before commenting.“Grandpa is old, sweetheart; he can't see clearly.”“Yes, but he's being stubborn.”“It's okay; go get Grandma; Grandpa needs to take his medicine,” I told her, and she scoffed before leaving. She was so annoyed at Father; as soon as the door closed, Dad turned to me, and we started laughing.We laughed so hard until we lost our breath, and now we had to gasp for air.“My God, she's very smart,” Dad commented.“Yes, she is, and she hates it when she's right and someone insists she's wrong,” I said, and he nodded.“I loved messin
~ANASTASIA~These are the consequences of being from a wealthy family: whatever you do is the public's business because I'm sure just one of the people who were in the bar recorded that video and released it on the internet.“You… kissed him back?”“Hudson, I… I can explain.”“Yes, because I'm confused.”“I didn't know he was there.”“Why did you kiss him back?”“I don't know; I've been married to him for years. Do you think our connection will just disappear that same day?”“It was always you; he never felt the same.”“I know, okay, I'm sorry; I swear I didn't mean to.” That's all I could say; I really had no excuse as I was mad at myself for kissing William back, “but I slapped him so hard after—”“The kiss.”“Hudson?” I stood up as he turned to leave.“I'm going to try and get it fixed,” he said, and I nodded as he got his phone from his pockets and then walked to the bedroom. I watched him disappear before I turned my attention back to the TV screen.Somehow I was glad Hudson was
~JIMENA~I mean, I looked this way because of him. I was this dirty trying to make sure our marriage happened while he was here, clean, and not just that, but watching a movie, unbothered, and eating popcorn like everything was okay?!“You honestly need to stop going out at this time; what would your fans say if they saw you like this?”“My fans?”“Yes,” he plainly answered, then turned his attention back to the TV. I didn't understand how the man I left a few hours ago was already so sober; is it that he pretended to be drunk?I cleared my throat before I walked to where he was; his attention was on the TV, so he didn't hear me until I snatched the bowl of popcorn from his hands.“I think you should have a shower before eating,” he said, sounding unbothered.“Is that it?”“That's what?”“You're not going to ask what happened to me?”“I did, but you didn't—”“You asked where I was coming from, William.”“Isn't it the same thing?”“No, it's not. How does where I'm coming from and what
~ANASTASIA~I couldn't believe Hudson; I mean, how could he even think that? I stood up from the bed as he tried to touch me.“What is going on?” I asked.“What do you mean?” He sounded clueless like what he was trying to do was normal.“This, you—oh my god.” I rubbed my forehead. “You are thinking of sex with everything going on?”“We need to consummate the marriage.”“And you think this is the best time?”“I mean?”“Maddison is carrying your child.”“I will take care of that; nothing to worry about.”“Well, I am worried; my reputation—Lancaster's reputation—is at stake.”“Don't worry; Maddison will be taken care of.” He repeated, and he was sounding annoying at this point; all I could hear was, [She will be taken care of] but how?“Listen, I really don't have a problem with you sleeping with your mistress, but what I'm asking is that you be discreet about it.”“What?”“I mean—”“No, did you just give me, your husband, permission to sleep with another woman?” He sounded shocked.“You
~JIMENA~I was still determined to follow William, my eyes darting between the road ahead and the screen.We were now out of the roadblock; I didn't want William to notice me. He was very smart, but I was smarter; that's why I let three cars overtake me.I was busy canceling calls from Mom, who called me like I had lost my mind. I knew she wouldn't stop calling; that's why I picked up on the fourth ring and told her I was busy.She didn't want to end the call asking me to go back and be calm as usual, but I was not going to sit and play good wife when William was out here chasing his ex-wife, so I ended the call in her ear and pursued William.He seemed to have arrived, and of course, it was at a hotel; I knew it must mean Anastasia was there too.I waited for him to park his car, and after he left the parking lot, I also went ahead and parked. Then getting out of my car, I snatched a black cap from the man I bumped into; he called me crazy as he didn't chase or ask for his cap. I nee
~JIMENA~Dr. Luke confirmed to Mom that Anastasia was not pregnant, but she didn’t believe him. After ending the call, she told me to keep an eye on Anastasia: “Spy on her if you must; you know what it will mean if she’s really pregnant.”“Mom, she’s not; if she was, he would have told you.” I insisted I really didn’t want to entangle myself with Anastasia anymore. “I just want to get married to William and maybe, just maybe, beat Anastasia in the fashion world,” I said, referring to the new jewelry company William just opened up.He didn’t tell me about it, but I lied to Ana that he opened it for me. I had to convince William to let me manage it so I could prove a point to Ana, and while at it I wanted to beat Anastasia’s jewelry company.There are jewelry competitions, and it has been Ana’s company always wins the competitions I wanted to win and take her position. That way she will know I didn’t just take her home but her career too.“You’re a star; of course, you're going to beat
~ANASTASIA~Hudson opened the car door for me, but I didn't move. I was looking at Jimena, who was now threatening them.“William will not spare any of you.” I felt bad as Vivi asked one of them to give her their phone so she could call the police. “No, I wasn't trespassing; I... I came to speak to Anastasia.” Jimena continued.“Anastasia and you are not friends; why would you follow her here?” Vivi wasn't giving in as she was now waiting for the guard to unlock the phone. “The same way Ana sat in that cell is the same way you'll sit there tonight.” Vivi didn't seem like she was going to give in, and I don't know why I was now feeling bad, but the way they tied her up touched my heart.She was on her knees, her wrists and legs tied together.“If you move, I'll kick you, and you'll lose that stupid pregnancy if you're even pregnant.” Vivi threatened.“Let's go; Vivi will deal with her,” Hudson said, but I couldn't just leave a pregnant woman in such a situation. Yes, this was Jimena, b
~ANASTASIA~“Listen…” Jimena said after clearing her throat, “I followed you from the hotel because I want to speak to you.”“Oh, is that the reason you were eavesdropping?”“I wasn't eavesdropping; I just wanted to get some information, at least something I can use against you.” It was crazy how she didn't even try to deny it.“Mhmm, I wish you were always this honest,” I said and then walked past her.“Hey, hold up. I came all the way here to speak to you.”“I have nothing to say to you, Jimena.”“Well, I have something to say.”“Then set an appointment, speak to my assistant, and see if she can squeeze you into my busy schedule.” I said, reaching the car Hudson and I came in, but I realized it was locked and he had the key, “How the fuck did you pass through guards even?” I questioned running my hand through my hair.“You know that's easy; you only need a hundred-dollar note in Seattle to bribe anyone. Now back to why I'm here—”“As I said, schedule an appointment and see when she
~ANASTASIA~I don't know why her cry didn't surprise me; I mean, Jimena always did the same, although for her it was different, as I never touched her, but this one I did, and I would do it again and again if she repeated the nonsense she just called my daughter.She called my daughter fatherless, saying I wanted to steal Hudson from her so he could father my abandoned daughter, like she didn't know a thing about that, and William, even though he never treated Ivy like a daughter, never once questioned if Ivy was his, as he knew she was, so who was she to?It didn't take long for the door to open and for Hudson to barge in with Mrs. Frost and Vivi. I was shocked that Hudson came to me, leaving Maddison, who was on the floor.“Are... are you okay?” He checked me for injuries while Mrs. Frost helped Maddison up, who pretended to be in pain—I say pretended as I slapped her cheeks why the hell was she holding her neck?I didn't respond to Hudson as I massaged my hand, which was in a littl