EIGHT- THE BEGINNING

CHAPTER EIGHT

My head felt lighter than it had in months, and I had managed to get a full night's sleep as well. Every fibre of my being looked forward to this day. The day had finally arrived, our plan was being put into motion, and even though I dreaded the public's reaction the most, I had to admit that imagining the looks on the faces of people like Maria Stetson had me excuted; she did hate both Ridley and me.

I wore one of my best pant suits, a teal blue one and paired it with black stillettoes. Leisurely, I ate the breakfast that Florence prepared and took the key for my car once I was done. I was walking out of the house when Ashton's black Mercedes came through the gat and stopped right in front of the house. I almost smiled to myself, clearly knowing why he was here so early in the morning but I put up an oblivious face and stood quietly, feigning surprise.

Had he not called last night, I would have genuinely been surprised and happy to see his car pull up in our driveway so early in the morning and perhaps a flame of hope for our relationship would have lit up. he got out of the car, and closed the door with a bang. he was fuming as he walked up to me with an aggravated look. Call me evil but I was especially excited about this part of today- when Ashton would confront me.

"What do you think you're doing Janelle?" He asked right after he stood in front of me.

I arched my neck slightly. "What are you doing her?" Iresponded with a question of my own.

"Cut the crap Janeell. Why would you be working with Ridley and why would you leave the waterfalls branch without telling me?"He continued with his onslaught of questions.

"I have no reason to answer your questions," I replied and somehow he looked even more upset.

"I don't want to argue with you, Janelle. why have you been hanging around my brother? Meeting in restaurants and him going as far as coming here, to my house."

As expected of Asthon, in the few hours he had between our call and now, he had managed to gather information about me meeting Ridley. He had an obsession with having the complete facts and information before confronting someone, he was that diligent even with his work.

"So what if I'm hanging around Ridley? Huh?" My hand rested on my left hip. "That is none of your business and if I decided to change where I wish to work, you really should bot be bothered, it's not like I'm disturbing you."

He chuckled and put his hands in his pockets. "Really? Ridley? You choose to involve yourself with Ridley just because I'm not giving you attention?" He looks to the side and sighs before staring back at me. "My mother was right about you, you're just a gold digger." He added.

If looks could kill, the one I gave Ashton would have made certain he was buried immediately without his body spending a day in a mortuary.

"How dare you? I live you and you know that too, just because you can't stay loyal doesn't make me a gold digger you fucking spoilt brat. Your mother has never been right about me." I was fuming and wanted to slap him but I did not.

I wanted to call him out on all the pain he had caused me over the last months. He was the kne that had left me without as much as a word or closure as to what had gone wrong. I spent every night blaming myself, counting my shortcomings and imperfections-imperfections he promised to love.

"Quite frankly, you have no right coming to my house and calling me a gold digger. You are the one that up and went with another woman and acted like I don't exist. You disgust me." I side stepped him and walked over to my car.

I spared him one last glance before getting into my car and driving away.

I had not even noticed the strong grip I had on the steering wheel until my phone rang when I was a fair distance away from the house. I answered the call without looking at the caller's name.

"Dear sister in law!" Ridley's voice resonated through my car and I rolled my eyes. He was too chirpy in the morning.

"I'm not in the mood to entertain you stupidity." Ianswered straight away.

"Damn, I'm guessing my brother already showed up and ruined your mood on such a beautiful morning."I guess this heads up call was for nothing.Is he with you right now?"

"No, he isn't." I replied and he simply hummed in response. "Are you at work?" I asked and shortly, his nervous chuckle followed before I heard shuffling. "Do you ever do anything with seriousness and urgency?"

"In my defense, I was worried that my brother will woo your pathetic ass once more and I would be left without a partner." He defended himself. "I couldn't even shower."

Truly, if Ashton had said words very different from what he had said, I would have probably caved into his arms and play. I would have returned to being his wife in an instant.

"What?!" You haven't even showered?" I exclaimed in disbelief. "You're unbelievably incorrigible."

I brought the car to a stop in front of an intersection, the lights had gone red. "Can you hurry up, I'm not going to Stetson Hotel without you."

"This is essentially your fault." He said once more and I rolled my eyes.

"The fact that you lack seriousness has nothing to do with me." I countered.

"Think of it as being fashionably late, or being late with a jaw dropping appearanc...Ridley Stetson with Janelle Stetson. What better way to get everyone's attention." He mused and sounded more excited than a kid on Christmas eve.

"Fine, give me a call when you're done. I'm going to make a short impromptu visit somewhere." I cut the call just as the traffic light turned green and instead of going straight ahead to Stetson Hotel, I turned left.

My mind was unlike how it was before Ashton had shown up. The weight of everything was suddenly weighing on me and felt like a heavy load. One look at Ashton and my resolve had almost crumbled, Ridley was right to worry. The love I had for Ashton felt unbearable at times, it emanate from my chest and heated my entire body and clouded my judgement. Ashton's voice alone made me want to forget any deal with Ridley.

I stopped the car and got out. My mind was still foggy even as I breathed in the earthy air and greeted the caretaker that sat near the gate with a cigarette in hand despite it being morning only. After walking past many tombstones, I reached the ones that belonged to my parents and sighed. Dry lilacs sat atop both their grave from my last visit.

"Hi mother. Hi father." I greeted and tucked my hair behind my ear. I stood silently for a few minutes, only looking at the mass tombstones around me and thinking.

"I came for advice. I'm doing the right thing, right?" I asked into the empty silence. The habit of visiting my parents' graves had grown when I was in High school and had ended up in terrible foster care. Somehow it had become a habit and whenever I was lost or had something to celebrate, I came to their graves.

"I wish none of this had happened. Maybe if I had never worked till late, I would have never met him or gotten married to him." I wrapped my arms around myself and stared at nothing. The gaping hole in my heart was only increasing thanks to Ashton.

I knew that what I was about to do was largely unfair to Ashton especially since he had trusted me enough to enter our marriage without a prenuptial agreement but now I was planning to rob him of more than fifty percent of what was his. But the more I thought of it, the more it seemed right in my head and I tried to think of everything to justify my actions. He had treated me like a piece of garbage or a shirt that could forgotten without him taking accountability.

"This is the right decision, it just has to be. We barely know each other but you guys understand me more than anyone else, truly." I unwrapped my arms and put them over my face. "I know that you are rooting for me even when I have no one in my corner but a lunatic that could betray me any time he wishes."

I stood there for a couple of minutes before I said goodbye and walked back to my car. Almost more than thirty minutes had passed since my call with Ridley, and so I decided to drive to Stetson Hotel and call him on the way.

"Ready as I'll ever be." He answered once I asked if he was done. "I'm driving to work, we'll meet there." He said before cutting the call.

Just as agreed, when I parked my car, Ridley's car pulled up only a few minutes later and he smiled at me as I got out of my car and so did he. His black hair was not combed neatly like Ashton's, instead it had an unruly and rebellious look that suited him and made him look handsome and accentuated his playfulness.

My heart belonged to the other Stetson brother but I could not help it but acknowledge and admire Ridley's look, from his face to the black suit he wore. The genetic excellence I the Stetson bloodline was greatly notable, Emmett Stetson himself was a handsome man in spite of his age, anyone that looked at him could guess that he was quite the head turner in his prime.

"Do I look that dashing?"

I instantly broke out of my trance of appreciation and rolled my eyes at how rocky he was. "Don't make me bail on you." I threatened and he raised his hands in the air.

"Can't take a joke, just like my brother." He said lowly as though he were taking mental notes. He looked at me and smiled. "Boy, do you look select." He complimented while his eyes shamelessly scanned the length of my body.

"I'm a married woman,"

"To an asshole." He chimed in and by habit, I glared at him. "About that, have you filed for divorce yet?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Not yet, I'll contact my lawyer and have it done soon." I replied quickly, wanting the conversation to be done and thankfully he only nodded.

"Come on, let's shake this place off its foundation," He said in his childish and laid back manner once more before he linked our arms and led the way to the elevator.

Purposefully, Ridley had the elevator from the underground car park stopped on the first floor and we walked though the reception area and gathered an audience. This was boud to happen, after all I was supposed to despise Ridley just like my husband did. Ridley remained calm and collected and I tried with my entire being to maintain my poise as we walked to the other elevators that were at the end of the huge reception hallway. Only when we got into the elevator did he turn to me and smile.

"I'm the Stetson that's going to make the headlines tomorrow for stealing my brother’s wife." He said with a light laugh.