2|Your Game

It was suddenly quiet on the other side, but I knew he was there and listening to me. We were still together. How dare he flaunt their relationship in public. I saw them, so I was sure our acquaintances might have witnessed the incident, too.

"Good, you know everything. Things will be easier now. Yes. Bella and I are getting married soon," he declared arrogantly. "We've been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. So, stop ruining my plans. Sign the divorce papers and come to the court tomorrow."

"Ruining your plans? Have you gone mad? You've ruined our marriage by cheating on my best friend!" I protested.

He laughed. "Bella and I knew each other before we met, Camari. She was my first love, the one I wanted to marry. Listen. I never loved you."

His words pierced my heart like a sharp sword. The pain made me unable to speak for a while. I even had to lean against the wall, realizing my legs failed to support my body.

"Y-your first love?" I stammered. "Th-then what am I?"

"Do you think you're my first love?" He scoffed. "I'm just following this game you invented. Do you think I don't know what you're doing behind my back? You act innocent and kind, but you're a cunning person."

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"No need to play dumb. I know you planned this wedding. You've separated me from Bella eight years ago, but we'll be together forever now. You can't break us apart again."

His accusation pierced my heart. I could hear the hateful tone in his voice. I couldn't even reply because I was shaken by his change in attitude. Since I was no longer talking, he ended the call.

What did he mean I planned our wedding? I only knew him eight years ago. How could I separate him from Bella and plan all this? I didn't even know they were in a relationship. What kind of things had I done behind his back?

The more I thought about it, the less I understood. Eight years ago, Farrell came to me. Our introduction process was brief until he confessed his love. Having been in love with him for months, I agreed to be his girlfriend.

Three years into the relationship, he proposed. When we married, I was even surprised to learn he wasn't an ordinary employee at Haworth Incorporation. His name wasn't Farrell August, as he introduced me, but Farrell August Haworth, the heir to the highly respected Angus Haworth.

"Camari?" Someone tapped my shoulder. I turned and saw my superior looking at me with concern. "Are you okay?"

I looked around and realized I was still standing in the same place. "Y-yes. I'm fine." I stood tall.

"We can take you to the infirmary if you're not feeling well," Mr. Bloom offered. After I shook my head, my boss asked, "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm fine. I, uh, need to use the restroom."

I excused myself and walked toward the restroom. It was empty, so I could calm myself without anyone interrupting. I was hungry but decided against eating at the cafeteria. I could make some hot chocolate and eat the bread in the kitchen.

I checked the communications room on the office's official website and found the information I sought. Bella resigned the day before. She hadn't said anything about her plans.

No wonder the coffee she promised didn't make it to my office. She was only toying with me. That was why she was amusingly laughing with Farrell. My eyes heat up at the memory of their intimacy at the café. What did I do to them to cheat on me behind my back?

Oh, my goodness. What was going on? Farrell and Bella never seemed to get along. They behaved like two people who knew each other casually. Bella didn't even like him and argued every time they met. Was it all an act?

As if knowing I was thinking about her, I found Bella standing beside my car when I walked to the parking lot. She took off her sunglasses and told me to follow her car. I was surprised to see her enter a luxury car.

Farrell was pretending to be an ordinary employee. Could it be that Bella wasn’t a commoner but the daughter of a billionaire? What did these two people from a wealthy family want from me?

Her car entered the parking lot of a café, so I followed her. The waiter greeted her kindly and escorted us to the eatery. It turned out that she had reserved a room for us.

"I won't waste my time." She stared at me arrogantly. Completely different from the way the old Bella looked at me. "I heard you didn't come to court this morning. Stop dreaming, Camari. It's time you wake up. Farrell never loves you."

I held my suddenly trembling hands over my lap. "I don't know why you've been my friend for the past eight years, but I don't allow anyone to interfere in my private life," I retorted.

"I'm just having fun with you. You wouldn't know how I refrain from laughing when you say Farrell loves you so much." She covered her smile with her right curled finger.

"Farrell hates you. You have no idea how hard he tries not to reject you when you hold his hand, hug his body, or kiss his lips." She smirked. "That's why he stopped touching you after you became his wife. You disgust him."

"You're lying." I felt my whole-body tremble with anger.

"He only loved me since we were in college. We planned a future together, but you ruined everything," Bella accused fiercely.

I frowned at that sentence again. "What do you mean? I didn't know you or Farrel before. I didn't even know you had been together since college. Why are you accusing me of ruining everything?"

"Is there a criminal who confesses his actions?" she asked rhetorically.

"Are you going to keep talking nonsense about that? Why not tell me frankly how I've ruined everything?" I stared at her in disbelief.

"This is the last chance. You have to come tomorrow morning to the courthouse. You'll regret it if you're absent again." She still didn't answer my question, so I stopped asking.

"I'm not afraid of your threats, Bella." I looked into her eyes without flinching. "I'm his legal wife. You need more than big talk to separate me from my husband."

"Is that a challenge?" She slyly smiled while crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine. Blame yourself for the suffering that will befall you. You've asked for it."

I still thought of this morning’s event as a dream. Two dear people to me walked embracingly before me. Farrell didn't even take his eyes off my best friend until they reached the other side.

However, hearing them both admit that they had known each other for a long time, I realized they were on the same page. Farrell's voice was full of hatred when he spoke to me. Bella's eyes were full of anger when she threatened me. They really hated me.

I jumped up in surprise at the loud honking horn. I blinked my eyes and looked around me. Oh my. I was daydreaming. I waited for a green light but was busy thinking about those two bad guys instead. I hurriedly stepped on the accelerator and drove the car.

A blinding light came from behind. A car was flashing its headlights repeatedly. Seeing that, I pulled the car over. I wondered if the tail lights had gone out. The window on my side was suddenly hit hard, making me jump in my seat.

"Open the window! Open it quickly!" someone ordered.

I turned and saw a man staring at me with bulging eyes. I swallowed heavily. What had happened? I hadn't hit anyone or nudged a car. Everything was fine. Then what was he mad at me for?

"What's wrong? Why did you ask me to pull over?" I tried not to flinch at him.

He kicked my car instead, making me yelp. "I said, open up! You've worn out my patience. Open it!"

"Who's going to open their car window when you're acting like that?" someone on the back left of my car said.

"Hey, you stay out of it. Go back to your car! Let me deal with this bitch!" The man banged my window again. "Open it!"

"Please stop that, sir," the second man said again. He put his hands on the first man's shoulders.

"Assh*le! I said, stay out of it!" He threw his fist at the second man.

I squealed in surprise as I closed my eyes. Oh my. Oh my goodness. What was going on? What had I done to make someone so angry with me that they forced me to open the car window? My heart was beating so fast. What should I do?

Hearing the sudden silence, I ventured to open my eyes. I saw the man running backward with limping steps. I watched him through the rearview mirror. The man got into his car and drove away.

The second man stood at the side of my car and smiled. My heart was still beating fast. I didn't know if I was out of danger or not. Seeing my hands holding the steering wheel trembling, I took a deep breath. After calming down, I turned to my helper.

"He's gone. You're safe now," he said kindly.

I braved myself to open the car door and then got out. "Thank you so much. I don't know what happened. He suddenly pulled me over and hit the window."

"He was looking for a fight. You were a little late moving after the light turned green. It happened sometime," he reported. "Next time, don't stop. Just take him to the police station. He won't dare bother you."

"Uh, I get it." I smiled nervously. "Again, thank you so much. You did me a favor."

"You're welcome. I'm leaving. Be safe on the road," he excused politely.

"Will do," I replied.

I stepped into the car and glanced at the vehicle a few meters behind me. That second man entered the car. It looked like he was a driver because there was a shadow of a person sitting in the back seat.

Farrell didn't come home. I was ready to defend myself if he scolded me about my absence from court. My eyes heated at the thought that my husband might be with Bella. Was that what he'd been doing for three years, claiming overtime at the office?

I entered the shower room and let the water wash over my body. I touched my stomach, chest, neck, and face. During the six years together, we had only kissed and hugged. Farrell didn't touch me any more than that. Also, we hadn't been intimated in three years of marriage.

I sobbed. Did Farrell never want me? Could what Bella said be true? Did he force himself to kiss and touch me? Oh, God. I loved him. I couldn't bear the thought of the last six years being an act.

I didn't come to the courthouse that morning. I went straight to the office and did all my work. I didn't care about all their baseless accusations. I had the right to refuse a divorce from my husband.

I visited my parents after work. I wanted them to know about my divorce from me, not the media. The incoming calls and new messages from Farrell hadn't stopped since ten in the morning. I didn't want to fight over the phone again. He might meet me at my parent's house to talk.

I pulled over when I entered the city border where they lived. My tears wouldn't stop flowing, obscuring my vision. My chest was getting tighter every time I got closer to their town. I felt heavy carrying the bad news.

My phone vibrated, so I turned to the dashboard. Reading Mom's name on the screen, I took a deep breath and cleared my throat. "Hi, Mom."

"Camari, what should I do?" Mom sobbed. She sounded panicked. Oh no. Did something happen there? "Your dad collapsed and is now in the emergency room."