FOURTEEN- BLAME GAME

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

After multiple meetings in the morning, I was stumped. All I wanted was a tall glass of juice and a soft bed to lie down. I could not get what I wished for yet, I had to go through a departmental meeting as well, at the least I was glad that it was the last for the day and all I had to worry about afterwards was paper work and emails.

Lisa carried my files as we made our way to Ridley’s office which was close to mine anyways. Ridley’s office was huge and had a huge table on the left side of the room for smaller departmental meetings such as this. When Lisa and I entered, all the seats were almost taken up with only three seats remaining. Ridley’s assistant came over to me by the door and led the way to the seat next to Ridley. I took my seat and nodded to him, to which he gave a smile before looking at everyone.

“Okay, everyone is here. Shall we begin?” He began enthusiastically.

By the time the meeting ended, my body was sore and I kept rubbing the back of my neck. I gathered my files and stood up with everyone else. “Ms Rawlins, please remain behind.” I sat down once again.

Once everyone had left the room, Ridley turned to me and looked worried. “Are you okay?” He asked and I raised an eyebrow in question as well. “You look barely awake, and you were rubbing the back of your neck throughout the meeting.” He added and my lips formed into an ‘O’ in realisation.

“Oh, don’t worry. I am perfectly fine, I’m just exhausted. Nothing a nap won’t fix.” I assured him but he did not look any less worried or slightly convinced.

“I can call my doctor to take a look at you, if you wish?” He put forth but I shook my head.

“I’m okay, there is no need for a doctor. I just could not sleep last night after signing the papers.” I explained and he gave me a small nod that clearly meant he did not fully buy my story.

He remained silent for a few seconds before standing from his seat. “I just want to let you know that I had the papers sent to Ashton through his secretary,”

I stood from my seat as well and got my files. “Is that all?” I asked and Ridley nodded hesitantly. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, that is all.” He answered and I gave him a sceptical ‘okay’ before leaving and walking back to my office.

Lisa’s desk was empty and I guessed she had gone for lunch since it was lunchtime. The only thing I could think of was taking a nap. I could lay on the couch for a few minutes before lunch ended and continue my work after sneaking in some sleep.

Ashton in the middle of my office was a major setback for my napping plans. As I closed the door behind me, I audibly groaned and walked to my desk. Ashton stood in the middle of the room with the most vicious glare and what I assumed to be divorce papers in his hands. I placed the files that were in my hands on top of my desk and looked at Ashton.

“Why are you in here?” I dragged my words with an exhausted tone, which I was.

“You know why I am here, Janelle.” He threw the papers on the desk dramatically. “What the hell is this?”

I looked at the papers and looked back at him. “Divorce papers,” I replied nonchalantly.

“Of course I know that!” His entire stance and hand movements were dramatic. “Why?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose and exhaled in irritation. “Ashton, I am beyond exhausted and I am in no mood to entertain your tantrum.”

He moved closer to the desk, it being the only thing in between us. “You call this a tantrum?” He scoffed. “These damn papers have the most unreasonable claims and you dare call my reaction a tantrum,”

To say the least, I was perplexed and lost of words. Divorce papers with my signature had been delivered to my husband and the thing that bothered him the most were the compensation and claims.

“Every single time you speak, you show me why I should have never married you,” I told him. “I don’t plan on settling for anything just as it is mentioned, so you better sign the papers or we will see each other in court.”

His jaw clenched and I could guess his fists too, which were obstructed from my view by the table. “You are so ungrateful. My mother was right about you but I thought otherwise. You claim to love me immensely but you want more than half of everything I own? Is that how you support your tall claims of affection?”

“Ashton, leave my office.”

“Was this your plan with my brother? Seduce me, marry me and then rob me?”

“Shut the fuck up! You are so ready to point a finger at me but you forget how much you have hurt me!” I retaliated and pointed my index finger at him. “Our marriage would not be ending and none of this would be happening if you had stayed loyal and true to your promises, so bite me for fighting for what I deserve.”

“Deserve?” He laughed. “This is all my money. Mine! You deserve none of it. I have asked for forgiveness so many times. What else do you want from me?”

“For you to mean it, you fucking bastard!” I was angry and irritated and my voice was getting louder. “What is the point of apologising and going back to your concubine an hour later?”

“If you forgave me then I wouldn’t have gone to her.” He responded too quickly.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s my fault, right?” I asked sarcastically. “Everything is my fault and you are a saint. You know what, fuck you, Ashton Stetson. I don’t know what I saw in you but you are scum—the worst kind.”

“You aren’t getting a single cent from me so you can forget about all this rubbish in here,” He pointed to the papers on the desk. “If you want a divorce, I will give it to you but you can forget about anything else.”

“I’ll see you in court then,” It was a challenge and I would do anything to come out with something. Even is I did not deserve more than half of what was Ashton’s, I deserved compensation for all the hurt he had caused me during the short period of our marriage.

“You think you have a chance in court?” He asked mockingly. “You are nothing without me, I am the reason people even know your name before me you were just an irrelevant and overworked employee.”

Never in my life had I had the urge to hit someone more than in that moment and if it weren’t for the huge desk between us, I would have jumped him to land a few strikes. “You are disgusting. Get out!”

“The truth hurts, doesn’t it?” He mocked with a small chuckle. “That is what you are, pathetic.”

I was about to retaliate when the door opened and Ridley entered. His eyes set on his brother and as if muscle memory, his face hardened in displeasure. He walked into the room and stood in front of Ashton. Ridley looked over at me and I saw concern in his eyes before he turned his attention back to his brother.

“Why are you harassing an employee of my department?” Ridley’s hands were in his pockets and he stood like he owned everything around him.

“Stay out of this. I am trying to have a conversation with my wife.”

“Conversation? Sounded more like yelling. And how can you call her “wife” after all the derogatory things you said?” Ridley pressed and looked like he was amused.

“Do you not have any manners? No one asked for your opinion, Janelle and I are married and I speak to her as I wish.”

“I don’t care if you are married or wish to speak to her like a slave. This is my department and I say you can’t speak to any of my employees in such a way. Do you have no regard for office etiquette, Mr Stetson?” He added that last part with a hint of mockery. “You can discuss your private matters outside of work hours.”

Ashton glared at Ridley before he looked at me and grabbed the divorce papers. “You’re clearly more stupid than I thought.” He said to me before leaving.

I fell into my seat and breathed out when the door closed harshly behind him. Ridley looked at me and gave me a pitiful look. I closed my eyes for a second and opened them.

“Do you need anything?” He asked and I shook my head.

“No, but thanks. I just need to be alone right now.” I told him.

“Okay, if that’s what you want. You know where to find me if you need anything.”

I nodded and he left after giving me a tiny nod. I leaned back into my seat and groaned; in the end I was unable to even sneak in a few minutes to nap. To top off my exhaustion, I also had a headache and the argument with Ashton had left me in a cacophony of emotions. I was upset, sad, irritated and everything in between.

Ashton had affirmed all my inner doubts, and he did it so easily. After so many shared emotions and moments, the man I loved was the one who nipped at my insecurities and made me seem like nothing. That was why it was easy for him to cheat on and disregard me, I meant nothing to him.