MELISSA'S POV
I was pouring the coffee into the mugs when I heard his footsteps from upstairs. I turned, just in time to see him heading to the kitchen, his hair slightly messy from sleep. He smiled when he saw me, and my breath caught in my throat at how handsome he looked. My cheeks flashed pink as I recalled the steamy night we had shared the previous night. His touches were too sweet to resist, especially since I had craved them for so long. He had been away for almost a week on a business trip, and while he was away, we couldn't communicate much. Although that's quite unusual, I would guess he was only busy with work. I had received great news in his absence and I was more than excited to break it to him but his phone was mostly out of reach, so I had to keep it to myself and wait for him to return. He came back last night and I've been finding it hard to keep it to myself. My heart swelled with pride and joy as I envisioned his reaction. I will break it to him at breakfast today. “Good morning,” he greeted and planted a kiss on my cheeks, his voice deep yet gentle. Pulling back slightly to look at him, I responded with a warm smile, “Good morning”. “Smells amazing,” he complimented, pulling a chair across to dig into his meal. “But you didn’t have to go through all that trouble.” “It’s no trouble,” I countered, trying as much as possible to compose myself. I could feel my heart racing, the words I’d been holding onto for weeks now, dancing melodiously on my tongue, ready to come out anytime soon. “Actually….” I began, breaking the silence that had enveloped between the clinging of cutlery on the plates. “I have something I need to tell you.” I finally let out, taking a few more bites of the pancake. His eyes widened slightly in curiosity and said, “That’s funny because I also have something I want to tell you too.” I blinked, caught off guard by his words. He had something to tell me? My mind raced, trying to guess what it could be. Maybe it was something about work, or perhaps he had planned a surprise for us. The possibilities were endless, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever it was, it would only add to the joy I was already feeling. I gestured, smiling up at him. “You go first then.” He smiled, and his masculine handsome face instantly turned into a cute boyish grin. I stared back at him with an identical look, in anticipation of hearing the news he bore. What could have possibly caused his eyes to gleam with such joy? “Lisa,” he called out, using the nickname he had given me, the one that always made me feel so special. “Guess who I met this week.” I tilted my head, intrigued but also puzzled. “Who?” “Wendy,” without a flinch, he answered, his voice filled with a kind of awe that made my stomach flip. The name hit me like a punch to the gut, the smile on my face slowly fading. “Wendy? Is it the Wendy I have in mind? His ex-girlfriend? The woman who had disappeared from his life years ago, leaving behind nothing but heartache and unanswered questions?” I inwardly asked. My mind struggled to keep up, to process what he was saying. I feigned a smile and repeated the name he had mentioned earlier. “Wendy?” I asked, nervousness evident in my voice. “Yes, my girlfriend, she’s back,” he answered, his eyes gleaming with something I couldn’t quite spot. “Oh…ummm…” I found myself stuttering, finding it hard to make up a sentence. I couldn't decipher if this was supposed to be good or bad news. But why is he referring to her as his girlfriend, when he has me, his wife? Before I could figure out what to say, he let out the words I'd dreaded to hear for the past three years. The very words, I for once hoped I would never hear for the rest of my life. “We can finally go our separate ways, let’s get divorced,” he effortlessly said, taking one more bite from the pancake before him. Tears suddenly welled up in my eyes, his words echoed in my head, each one irritating than the last. I was frozen, unable to move, think, or breathe. It took me a moment to realize my eyes was deeply focused on his. I immediately averted my gaze and tried speaking, but no words came out. The room suddenly felt dark, my gaze weary from the spinning going on in my head. Divorce? The word, repeated itself in my ears, loud enough to irritate my senses. It was as if my world and everything I'd built in it was falling apart. “What do you mean?” I finally gathered my thoughts and asked. I was so sure I hadn’t heard him right. This is Listowell Gordon, my Listowell, the man who had just held me in his arms, who had made love to me last night like he couldn’t bear to be apart from me. The same man who was sitting across from me now, looking at me with eyes that were full of happiness. But how could this be? How could he be happy about this? “I—” My voice cracked, and I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself. “Divorce?” He nodded, squeezing my hands, still smiling as if he hadn’t just shattered my world. “ We can finally move on with our lives”. My chest churned in pain at his words. It was as if my heart was being pierced with a thousand pins. Move on? After all these years? After everything we’ve been through? Why do we have to divorce just because she's back? How did those words freely come out of his lips? Isn't she the one supposed to move on? I felt the tears pricking at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to let them fall. I couldn’t cry, not now, not in front of him. Not when he was looking at me like this was something to celebrate.MELISSA'S POV I gasp for air, reaching for the glass of water in front of me, but my fingers fumble and knock it over. Before I can fully process what's happening, Listowel is on his feet, moving with that effortless grace of his, pouring another glass and handing it to me. "Here, take a sip," he said and tried helping me with it. I snatched the glass from his hands and without thinking twice, gulped the whole water down. Why is he acting caring when he just shattered my heart? Isn't he the reason I was in this state? He watches as I drink, the expression on his face unreadable. The water soothes the burning in my throat, but it does nothing to ease the sudden tightness in my chest. Finally, able to calm myself, I looked up at him and asked with a shaky voice. "What... what did you mean by that, Listowel? About it being time to get divorced?" My knees wobbled underneath the table, but I held them back to maintain composure, waiting for an answer that made sense. He loo
MELISSA’S POV He may have used me, turn every shred of dignity I have down and ripped my heart open. I wiped the tears off my face, trying to gather what little strength I have left. So, it’s happening, everything I’ve feared, everything I’ve suspected. Listowell never valued me. The thought of it alone crushes me, and before I can stop myself, the tears start to fall again, hot and uncontrollable. I sink to the floor, my chest heaving with sobs. How could I have been so blind? How could I have let myself fall so completely for a man who never saw me as anything more than a convenience? I need to do something—anything to take my mind off the overwhelming pain. I pushed myself up, wiped my tears, and looked around the mansion that once felt like a home. It’s all a lie, every bit of it. I start to clean. I stripped away every decoration, every item that I brought into this house to make it ours. The soft throws on the couch, the family photos on the walls, the flowers I care
LISTOWELL'S POV It’s been three days since I left the mansion. I had received a call from my butler that I had to come to the office as soon as possible. A rival company had something on my company, Gordon Inc so I had to rush out and get it sorted. Later in the day, I received a call from Mr. Macinni, Wendy’s grandpa. I had a meeting with him and in the course, I lost my phone. I had wanted to call Lisa and inform her that I wouldn't be coming home but I stopped because I thought she might be angry with me. I still can't wrap my head around her reaction, the other day. Our marriage is purely contractual, and she's aware of that. Well, I’m home now, we can sort things out and if it is money she needs, I will triple it up for her. As I walked through the front door, an unfamiliar scene greeted me. I was expecting to see Melissa standing by the door, her graceful smile playing widely across her face. She would have come to hug me and take my briefcase while asking if I had
MELISSA'S POV ****SEVEN YEARS LATER**** “Congratulations Miss Mugins, you've been selected to participate in the Silver Edition of the Legal Hour Conference! See you at Aphrodite City Soon!” That's how the message read when it came through the mail that morning. I couldn't hide the excitement I felt as I saw my name boldly embedded in the list of eligibles. My dream has finally come true. It is indeed happening. My dream of becoming a lawyer is finally here. Seven years have passed, yet it feels like a lifetime. It feels like yesterday when I promised myself, to come back to Aphrodite City as the best version of myself. I left this place as a broken woman, a woman whose heart had been shattered into a million pieces. I didn't know where to go neither did I know my next move. It was as if the world was moving while I stood still. Everyone and everything was progressing while I stood still, hiding in my shell. I spent years of my life caring for that one person to the e
LISTOWEL’S POVMy butler, Kevin, had informed me earlier about my invitation to the legal hour conference. If not for the fact that it is one of the most prestigious events in Aphrodite City, I would have turned down the invitation. I hate meetings and conferences. But this is a chance for me to network with other executives and presidents of famous brands, so I wouldn't miss this for anything. To maintain my influence and power in this city; I've got to mingle with these people. Within the blink of an eye, my car pulled up in front of the infamous Glory Palace, where the conference was going to be held. It is an 82-floor building, known for its serenity and perfect ambiance, purposely built to cater to the demands of the first-class citizens in the city. Kevin walked up to my side of the door as soon as he turned off the engine. With a slight bow, he opened the door to usher me out. Fixing the one stubborn button on my suit that had removed itself from its hole earlier, I headed
MELISSA’S POVAs I forced myself through the crowd, trying as much as possible to endure the curious stares of the people around, Wendy’s image played relentlessly in my head. She looks like a literal model. Her slim pretty face, her hair, make-up, dress and the jewelry she was adorned in screamed nothing but luxury. At a glance, anyone can tell she's a typical spoiled rich brat.The kind of glare she shot me when our eyes met is what startled me and caused me to pull myself from Listowel’s embrace. I must admit, I got frightened by her unexpected presence. I felt like I had taken something that’s not mine. Just like seven years ago, I couldn't help but think that I'd stolen her man. I did it once and I don't plan on repeating it. Things naturally crawl to their owners no matter how far they wander. Seeing her wrap her hands around Listowel’s arms caused a stir in my chest. It was as if she was asserting her ownership of him even when he had me tight to his chest. I swung the doo
MELISSA’S POVMy heart raced heavily against its cage as I exited the forecourt of Saint Glory. I turned left to join the main road, my car almost hitting someone else's. It was the honk of incoming cars that saved me from the commotion I was about to create. I couldn't think straight. My mind was only filled with the urge to run from him. “I have to get out of here” I whispered and sped off. But as I drove through the vibrant city, a series of unanswered questions lingered in my mind. I couldn't help but whisper them aloud. Why did Listowel pull me tight to his chest like he'd found a lost treasure? Why did he follow me to the parking lot? What did he want to tell me? Does he still think of me as the naive woman he met seven years ago? Maybe I should have stayed. I shouldn't have run away. I should have let him know that I’m no longer the 23-year-old girl he toyed with. I bit my lower lip in regret as memories of the past rushed in. *Flashback*I vividly remember the day my
MELISSA’S POVThe sharp irritating sound from my alarm jolted me awake the next morning. I swept my hands across the bedstand to turn off the alarm as the consistent sound it made threatened to tear my earlobe. In times like these, I always wished I could throw it out the window and destroy it. But I simply can’t. If not for anything at all, I partly owe this alarm clock for the woman I am today. During my dark days, when I felt like the world had turned its back on me, it was the only companion I had. Its irritating sound always jerked me into action. It would always ring till the sleep in my eyes vanished.I was also able to write the law school entrance exam, all because of this my red apple-shaped alarm clock which woke me up five minutes before the starting time. A wide smile formed on my face as I took a glance at the time on the alarm clock. It was exactly 7 AM. I had set it last night after my bath. I didn't want to be late for my new job at M&M Legal Firms. “Today is an
MELISSA’S POV The clock struck five and it was already time to close. I shut off my monitor and started arranging my desk, bringing the day's work to an end. I grabbed my bag and put in it some accessories before I stood up and adjusted my dress. From the glass windows, where I was checking myself, I could see a blue folder with a stack of documents inside. I let out a gentle sigh as I remembered what I told the owner the other day. I remember telling Listowel that I was gonna give it to a dispatch rider to deliver it to him but there here it was, still lying on my desk as if all the riders in town were on holiday. Well, I changed my mind at the last minute and decided to go give it to him in person. Yes. Yes. I know. I know that seeing him often was gonna disrupt my healing journey but….. I forced a chunk down my guts as I inched closer to pick it up. These documents seem to be important and it'll be thoughtless of me to leave them in the hands of a random rider. Wha
A wave of gasps erupted from the people around me as the liquid drenched my designer dress, turning the white fabric into red.My lips parted widely, my eyes closing shut as the wine dripped from my hair to my face and onto my dress. I froze. For a moment, I couldn’t move or utter a word.Was I just hallucinating or that dang old bat had poured the wine on me?I let out a slow breath, my fingers curling into a fist beside me as I stood properly. “What the hell do you think you’re—“ I yelled, but my statement died on my lips as her palm vehemently clashed against my cheek.My head snapped to the side, my hair flying everywhere as the sting spread through my face. My hands shot up to caress the area she had just slapped, glaring at her with deadly fury. Whispering, the onlookers started inching closer to the scene; their phones shot up in the air as they started recording. I raised my hand, intending to return the favor. These people were recording and I hate to be the one at the m
WENDY’S POV Tonight made it exactly a month since Listowel woke up in my bed. I had sent the photos to Melissa to get a reaction out of her. But to my surprise; she never reached out as I expected. I was even doubting she must have seen the photos until I witnessed Listowel being thrown out of her house by security two weeks ago. Only the heavens know how happy I was that day when I realised my plan had worked. Their so called lovely relationship had crumbled. I had this in mind and was in the process of planning my next move not knowing the blow that hanged in the air, waiting to be served. I was dining at the rooftop restaurant, when the articles of Listowel admitting that Melissa is the lady he’s been going out with circulated the internet. The people around had started murmuring among themselves so I had requested to change to a private dinning room. The music played softly in the background while the symphony of clinking glasses, people conversing over their foods an
MELISSA’S POV My phone buzzed with messages as my colleagues from work texted to inquire if I was really dating the famous ‘Listowel Gordon’. Who the fvck released these images and how the hell did the person get them? My mind raced with thoughts as mixed feelings wrestled to take over me. I couldn't really tell how I was feeling. I didn't know whether to be happy or pissed. Unlike before, people were admiring me now. They were somehow glad that we were a couple and wished that our relationship would prosper. Really? What changed? Why were they happy for us all of a sudden? Well, this and other thoughts swirled in my mind as I tried to connect the dots. The fact that the pictures that were trending were personal ones I took with Listowel baffled me. Unless maybe Listowel got hacked, I’m not sure he will release the photos like that without informing. Even though I wasn't getting immediate answers, I was glad this in some way had cleared rumors. For weeks now, I have
LISTOWEL’S POVI let out a long exhale as I read through the articles about Melissa and I. Surprisingly, all the comments we were receiving are all good and encouraging. Unlike the previous months, the people were complimenting our resilience to have kept our relationship going despite everything. The articles were spammed with people admiring Melissa’s beauty. Even though I didn't like the fact that they were comparing her to Wendy; I was happy either ways that she was getting the good recognition she deserved. With a smile on my face, I scrolled through each comment, liking each compliment. Suddenly, a sharp knock echoed outside of my door. My brows knitted together as I wondered who could have been at the office at this time aside Kevin and I. Glancing at my wrist, I noticed it was a few minutes past eight. I was about signalling Kevin to go check who it was when the door flung open. The audacity! Who enters my office with such disrespect?! My eyes darted the doorway, as I p
LISTOWEL’S POV Listowel, do I look stupid to you?” Lisa’s voice jolted me back to reality, anger flashing across her face as she crossed her arms over. My lips parted, and I was about to tell her that she was the smartest person I've ever known and that I was the stupid one there. Because all this was my fault. I was stupid for failing to see the signs of Wendy’s plot when it was so obvious. I couldn't believe how stupid I was to have ignored the fact that, Webdy had seductively rubbed her shoulders against mine that evening. But before the words could part my lips, she grabbed her bag and stood. “You know what? I don't have time for your little games…” I reached for her hand but once again, she pulled away as though I was a plague. I wanted to follow her but stopped. I was going to give her some distance in the meantime. Now that a major part of the puzzle has been revealed, it will take me no more than a few days to find out the whole truth. ********** With a fo
LISTOWEL’S POV I have faced several challenges in my life, from impossible negotiations to dealing with rival businesses but none of them have taken a toll on me as the one that I have been currently battling. This one was the worst kind of battle. Why? Because I was fighting the one person I loved most. And it looks as if there wasn’t any chance of me winning. For the past few weeks, after the event that happened at Melissa all my attempts to get her to listen to me have proved futile. There have been days that I’ve tried to reach her by waiting at her doorstep, but I couldn’t anymore because she reported me to the landlord and now I’ve been banned from entering her residence till further notice. I tried to catch up with her at work but her goddamn boss, Giovanni has had security chase me away several times. Even though it was humiliating, I was willing to endure it all for her. I could have countered Giovanni’s actions by making my men oppose him but the fact
MELISSA’S POV It's been almost a month since I broke things up with Listowel. That jerk! After chasing me up for a few days, he gradually backed off. I guess he must have finally realized that I am no bvtch to be toyed with. But I must admit, the past few weeks have not been easy for me. Waking up every day to pretend as if I did not know or had anything to do with him has been heartbreaking. I try to convince myself that he's not worth my time and energy but deep within me, I've been hurting. On lonely nights, I cry my eyes out before I’m able to sleep. There have been days that I felt like calling to cry on him, to tell him how much he hurt me, to explain to him why I didn't deserve all that he did to me; but the fact that I had deleted his contact from my phone had saved me from embarrassing myself. Within the first two weeks, I was unable to concentrate at work; but Mr. Giovanni, already aware of the turmoil in my life, helped to keep me distracted from overthinking. H
GIOVANNI’S POV Seeing Melissa cry her heart out the other day in the office made me want to care for her more. I had offered to walk her to the garage because of the tear stains on her dress. I didn’t want her to attract unnecessary attention and questions from the other staff. At the garage, I was about to head back to the office after waving her goodbye when I suddenly heard a consistent click from the soles of heels behind me. Curious, I turned in the direction of the sound only to see Melissa rushing towards the other side of the garage. My eyes trailed to the direction she was heading and an unsettling feeling washed over me as soon as I recognized who it was. Listowel Gordon. The CEO of Gordon Constructions. Even though he might not know me, I know him very well. We’ve not gotten the chance to meet face to face yet but I’ve known him for a long time. He’s a smart business mogul whom most influential people in Aphrodite City admire. And I am no exception. When it