Episode 1

EPISODE 1: UNGRATEFUL

They say that marriage is for better or worse, but is it true? I was previously married to a man whom I adored and practically worshipped; Justin Woods was my everything, my happiness, and the reason I want to stay in this hellish marriage.

Wait! He is not the primary reason I am enduring my marriage; Justin's family is extremely wealthy, and it would be a shame if I chose to divorce him and leave with nothing.

We entered into a prenuptial agreement. I do not receive any of his inheritance, and it makes no difference what I do; Justin wins the case if I choose to take it to court.

"Good morning, madam, Mr Justin is not in his office?"

Evelyn, my husband's lowly and favourite assistant, refused to let me enter his office.

"Good morning, where has he gone?"

I asked her as I turned my head slightly toward his door. She then took a few minutes of my time before responding to my question.

"He needed to go to an important meeting."

" Hmm! "When will he come back?"

I backed away as she began to act strangely.

She said he would be late for work or might not make it at all.

I want to believe my husband's assistant, but I have a feeling she may be covering up for him. It is been six months, and Justin has always been busy; he is either in the office or in a meeting, and he never makes time for me...

And whenever a man appears to be busy and unavailable, he has another woman who is also his mistress.

I needed to leave the office and then return home. Mrs Edwina, my mother-in-law, requested that I speak with her son about the upcoming burial of her husband, his father, and my father-in-law.

I did not get to meet him, but I heard he loved his family, and Justin has always been the type of son who presents himself as blameless in front of his mother and others.

"Were you able to communicate with my son?"

She asked; she would not let me take another step towards the stairs...

" No! He was not in the office".

I explained this to her.

She claimed that it was not like her son, and it certainly was not like Justin. He is always at work, but everything changed when he became one of those men who have mistresses outside of their marriage.

"Do not worry; you can talk to him when he gets home tonight." I informed her and proceeded upstairs to my bedroom.

I changed into something more comfortable and then hurried downstairs to the kitchen. I was starting to get hungry, and I do not usually control my emotions when it comes to finding something to eat.

" What! Did something happen?

Olivia, my friend and the head chef at home, entered the kitchen. She could tell something was wrong by the look on my face.

" Yeah! "I think my husband is cheating on me with his mistress." I informed her.

"I do not believe Justin has a mistress."

She mocked me by laughing.

"Yes, really! Then how do you explain his bad behavior?" I asked a question, and fortunately for me, she was unable to explain her boss's inconsistent behaviour.

Because she could not answer my question, I left her there and returned to my bedroom.

I was comfortably seated on the bed when my husband called me.

Justin asked me to take cash and pay it at the bank on his behalf; he was trying to buy some properties, including an old building that belonged to his family.

I asked him where he was, while hurrying to the bank. I gave the money to the cashier, and he deposited it into the bank account Justin had provided for me.

"Will that be it?" He questioned me...

" Yeah! Thanks". I replied and then left his office. I was almost to the door when I turned back and noticed the strange photograph of a young Lady standing beside an apple tree; she seemed familiar, if not suspicious, to me.

I left the bank and drove home, stopping at a coffee shop along the way to buy a cup for myself.

I got back in the car and drove home, a cup of coffee between my legs...

I accidentally hit a road bump, which threw me over so hard that the coffee fell and spilt on my body...

I quickly stopped near a hotel and cleaned myself with a handkerchief. I was just doing that when something prompted me to look to my right, and what I saw nearly brought tears to my eyes.

It was not surprising to see my husband holding hands with another woman; I knew he had a mistress, and the lady looked familiar; it was as if we would met somewhere but did not know where?.

Suddenly, a specific scene appeared before my eyes. The lady standing next to my husband was the same person I saw in the picture frame of the man at the bank.

Perhaps they were related, or there was something I did not realize...

I saw them from my car, and my husband smiled sheepishly as they boarded a taxi and drove away. I had nothing to do but drive behind them, angry.

It took them exactly one hour to get where they were going, which happened to be a house. A small but charming house with a car parked beside it....

" Hey! "Want to come in?"

I saw them talking and could read their lips as they held each other.

" Nah! I have to return home and take care of my family." Justin responded back.

" Hmm! And your wife? She is stunning."

She spoke, slightly lowering her head as Justin looked at her face.

He pulled it up and hugged her. "Do not be concerned! "Everything will be fine."

His hand quickly caressed her body.

I reversed a little and returned home.

I could not keep looking at them; Justin, as a married man, seemed too foolish to play lovey-dovey outside...

"Where are you coming from, Cynthia?"

My mother-in-law turned to give me a strange look...

" Oh! Your son asked me to drop off something for him at the bank." I answered her question and was about to walk back to my room when she stopped me and asked another question.

"Did you tell him about his dad's anniversary party?"

"No, I could not speak with you, but I am sure he knows about it." I told her, implying that Justin should have known what needed to be done.

Speaking of the devil, his car just drove inside the house, and his mother rushed to the door to greet him.

"Hello, son," she said, extending her hands to stop him from entering his home...

" Mom! "What happened? Did I do something wrong?" He turned his head slightly toward me, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Have you forgotten?" She asked him.

Again, Justin and I exchanged glances, "What am I forgetting?" He reached out his own hand, slowly taking his mother's hands...

"I need some money for your father's death anniversary. "Did you forget?" She questioned him a second time.

There was an uncomfortable stare between the two of us; he appeared desperate, and I have learned not to care when he acts like this...

"Mom! I am sorry, but I clearly remember giving my wife some money to keep..... Cynthia, where is the money?"

His mother turned when he mentioned my name.

She was enraged by the lie her son had told her; what was the truth? And why does it feel like I am about to scream out?

"Cynthia, where is the money?"

She came forward and grabbed my hand.

Her grip was so strong that I could not feel the bones in my body.

"I... I believe your son may have lost his memory; he did not give me any money, or did you?"

I looked away from his mother.

Justin's ability to calm his enraged mother required patience and charisma; she was determined to get the money no matter what. I understood why she acted so desperate, but it was also suspicious.

Why does she need the money so badly, especially tonight?