3. Defeat at high speed.

I left the café with a heavy heart. The knowledge of Edmund’s affair had evaporated the sliver of hope I had unknowingly held onto. With Violet’s return and pregnancy, earning my husband’s sympathy was next to impossible; let alone saving our marriage.

Cracking a bitter smile, I drove straight to the mall, feeling like an invisible hand was meticulously tearing off my flesh one piece at a time. And so, just like any other lady, I shopped until I dropped, swiping away Edmund’s card while hoping that it could lessen the pain gnawing at my insides.

Truthfully, this was the first time I had ever spent so lavishly since I married into the Grants. But after prancing about for three hours in the expensive designer shops, my phone started vibrating.

Sneering, I answered the call, chuckling drily the moment the line connected.

“Are you doing this to spite me?” Edmund’s cold, baritone voice rang out. His tone was dripping with annoyance and it had me grinning from ear to ear. The string of message notifications from my transactions must have irked him.

If I were him, I’d get pissed off, too. Only a crazy person would spend over thirty million in a matter of hours, after all!

“What? Are you regretting that you handed me your card? I told you, didn’t I? I enjoy the privilege of having your last name attached to mine. The staff would bow their heads and accommodate me at the drop of a hat upon the mention of your name. And you’re asking me to give this all up?” I taunted.

Truth be told, I never enjoyed being treated like royalty. I was not born with a silver spoon, and I preferred to live according to what I was comfortable with. But to preserve the Grant family’s image, I have learned to doll myself up in hopes that Edmund would notice me and my efforts, but to no avail.

My hands clenched the device tightly as the memory of Violet’s conversation with her friend replayed in my mind. 

I blew a puff of air to calm myself and stared listlessly at my manicured nails fingers. Oh, how I wished I could scratch the adulterous couple’s faces!

Now that I have decided to live as my brother’s sister and assume my real identity as Margaret Delamar, there was no point in keeping my fake auburn hair. I had gone to the salon to wash out the color I had been constantly dyeing my hair with, reclaiming my voluminous blonde locks. My next stop would be the VIP spa to get a relaxing massage and a facial.

Edmund's unfeeling laughter snapped me back to my senses. But before he could even speak, I rasped, “You wanted to give me monetary compensation for helping you take the shortcut to own Grant Global when you gave me this. But you’re calling me out for spending a mere bit of what I truly deserve? Oh my, what would your friends think if they learned you’re such a stingy guy?”

Scoffing, I eyed the group of bodyguards standing a few feet away. Edmund had tasked them to keep an eye on me—to report my whereabouts and movements—instead of the priority of protecting his wife.

It was suffocating, honestly.

Still, I followed his decision, believing that it would be one way of letting him see I’m not as materialistic as he thought me to be. 

I respected him, reaching a point where I almost worshipped him. I used to think that my husband was a man of virtue; that even if we were only married in name, he would at least heed the vows he had made with me. 

Unfortunately, today’s event has proven me wrong.

“Go home now,” he ordered icily.

“I’m going to the spa. I’ll be back in the evening,” I replied calmly, cutting off the call and shoving my phone back into my pocket after turning it off. 

I have no plans to accommodate his demands. I was done treating him like a king.

Spending the rest of the day in the spa, I assessed my thoughts and took my sweet time to reevaluate my feelings. Sadly, I couldn’t deny that even though murky, my feelings for Edmund were still there.

But my realization remained; he was not worth it.

The longer I think, the more it frustrated me. He must have had the time of his life having fun with his mistress while I was trying my very best to live up to the expectations of the high society as his wife.

I must have been insane for giving him my absolute trust, not considering the possibility of him cheating.

In the end, I was not only a tool but also a fool.

After treating myself to my favorite sushi from an authentic Japanese restaurant for dinner, I drove straight home with a firmer resolve. Freeing myself from Edmund was the best way to start anew.

After all, there would be several ways to make him pay for his infidelity.

Ah, I couldn’t wait to see his reaction if he learned he had been mistaken all along. That would be such a slap on his face!

However, God seemed to be determined to mock me today.

Behind the steering wheel, I watched Violet Mitchell sauntering across the garden I tended myself. A smile was gracing her lips as she exited the gates of the villa, moving like she belonged there.

My pulse quickened, and blood rushed straight to my brain. Before I could control myself, my feet had already stepped on the pedals, speeding up to the driveway.

As expected, Edmund was home. The cheating bastard had just gotten out of his limited-edition Bentley. How thick of them to flaunt their affair in this very house!

My silver Lexus continued to move, not slowing down in the slightest, and the surprise that registered on his face made me sneer.

Through the tinted windshield, I saw Edmund staring straight into my approaching vehicle. He even gracefully arranged his suit and lifted his chin, looking confident that I wouldn’t run him over.

This action ticked me off.

Cursing internally, I wished I could hit him, but rationality won over. Murder was a crime, and I wouldn’t dirty my hands with his blood.

At the last minute, I made a crucial drift and rammed my car into his. The deafening sound of shrieking tires echoed in my ears and the smell of burnt rubber permeated my senses. My body shook at the impact, and I could feel the warm blood gushing out from my left arm where a piece of broken glass was lodged.

I grinned victoriously when I spotted Edmund standing frozen on the spot. The shock on his face was so comical that I forgot the physical pain washing over me. My flashy, albeit foolish, display of superiority was to vent the frustration that plagued me the entire day.

“Have you gone mad?!” his thunderous voice boomed.

I smirked. “Not half as mad as you, Mr Grant.”

The adrenaline rush was waning as I looked over the broken windows.

“Margaret Sharpe, you have crossed the line!”

Grinning haughtily, I raised my chin and held his gaze. I didn’t give a shit about the damaged cars. Hell, I didn’t even care that I was injured. I just wanted some outlet to express my resentment.

“What are you all gawking at?! Call an ambulance and get her the hell of the damned car!”

Upon hearing Edmund’s enraged shouting at the servants, I almost believed that he was genuinely concerned about my safety. But when I looked at the cracked side mirror, I saw Violet scampering in his direction.

“Ed! Are you hurt?” Violet cried out. Her angelic voice registered in my ears and I could only smile bitterly as consciousness slipped over me.

When I came about, I was already in a private ward with a bandaged arm, a concussion, and random cuts on my neck and face. I had a sprained ankle and a swollen cheek, too.

“Thank goodness you’re awake!” Wilma exclaimed. She was the middle-aged steward Edith had sent to take care of me when I first married Edmund.

“I’m so sorry for making you worry, Mrs Winfrey,” I apologized, wincing at my throbbing pain in various parts of my body.

“No, no. You must lie down. Stay here and I’ll tell Edmund you’ve regained consciousness. He’s been worried!”

I reveled in silence when the door clicked. Before I fainted, I had already made up my mind to give up not only my marriage but also my love for Edmund.

Holding onto something and someone that wasn't meant to be mine in the first place was too exhausting. 

It was time to give my heart a rest.

When Edmund appeared before me, I stared at him for a good minute, drinking in his gorgeous features one last time. Today would be the last time I’d be referred to as his wife.

“Let’s get a divorce. I’ll sign the papers,” I stated, my voice stable and firm.

He chuckled, but it did not reach his eyes. “You have got to be kidding me. You almost killed yourself right in front of everybody. For what? To guilt trip me? Now you’re making me look like the evil one by accepting divorce… all battered? Do you think I’m stupid?”

I stared at him blankly. Of course, his pride came first.

“Are you not?”

“Stop playing games, Margaret. We’ll talk about this when you’re better.”

“Just take it as compensation for the damage I’ve done to your cars. After slamming my head on the wheel, I realized I don’t want to be involved with a cheating bastard like you. Let’s end this.”

Edmund’s mouth twitched. His expression darkened as his hands turned into fists. If it weren’t for the pain of my injuries, I would have laughed out loud. Did he expect I wouldn’t find out about his illicit affair?

“Bullshit. Where did you get that idea?”

I shrugged off his inquiry.

“If you don’t bring the papers, I’ll ask my lawyer to draw up the agreement. Now if you don’t mind, please leave. I don’t want to see your face.”

I closed my eyes and squirmed under the blanket. He did not move for a whole minute, his piercing gaze almost bore a hole in the piece of cloth covering me. Was he mad? Insulted? Grateful?

It didn’t matter.

I wanted him gone.