Chapter 2

Marlowe’s POV

"Sign the document." He said to me as I stared at both of them. He climbed out of bed naked and wrapped a robe around himself.

"What is this about?" I asked him in a shaky voice as a premonition came over me.

“Are you afraid of the paper?” Tessy said to me with a sneer as her lips curled into a smirk. 

She stood and came to me, her breasts bare, nipple pointing as she pushed the envelope across the table towards me. “Are you frightened, Miss Marlowe?”

“I am not afraid.” I said but my voice shook as it betrayed my inner resolve that I tried so hard to muster.

“Are you sure about that?” Derek chimed in. His smirk was as venomous as his so-called sister. 

“I said I am not scared!” I said as my fingers curled into fists. 

“It is just a document, Marlowe. Sign it and let everything be over. Or maybe you are too weak to handle what you know is coming for you.” He added with a mocking tone.

“Then open it.” Tessy leaned forward, with malice shining in her eyes. “Do you need me to do it for you?”

"Are you serving me divorce papers Derek?" I finally mustered the courage to ask. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop my tears from falling out of my eyes.

"Open it and see." I reached for the envelope slowly as my fingers trembled, closing around the paper. 

“There we go,” Derek said in a mocking voice. 

“Was that so hard?” He chuckled but I ignored him as I opened the envelope and pulled the stapled papers out with shaky hands. 

My eyes fell upon the bold letters sitting proudly at the top. 

It said DIVORCE AGREEMENT.

“Divorce papers?” I whispered, the words barely escaping my lips.

“Yes Marlowe, divorce papers. I think that it is high time I stop pretending and make things official with Tessy here.” He said.

“Don't you agree Marlowe?” She asked me as she went up to Derek, rubbing her breasts over him.

"We don't want to keep deceiving you anymore you poor thing." she said to me with feigned sympathy.

“You have held us back long enough, Marlowe. This is the best thing for the both of us.” Derek said, proceeding to place a kiss on her forehead. 

"I do not owe you an explanation."

“An explanation?” I asked him with a loud voice. “You are the one who is cheating. You are the one who brought a woman into our home and called her your sister.”

“And now I decided to come clean and make it right.” He was completely unfazed as he spoke. “So just sign the damn papers and let's move on. It is not like you were happy here with me anyway.”

“You are so disgusting.” My vision blurred as tears slid down my cheeks. I swallowed hard as I fought them back.

“Oh, come on now.” Tessy chipped in,.with a sarcastic chuckle. “Don’t act as if this is some great tragedy. You have been living so miserably here for three years, haven’t you? This is your only chance to be free.”

I looked between the both of them, lying bastards while their smug faces taunted me. I wanted to fight back but I was not in a medical condition to not do so. 

I wanted to scream and throw the divorce papers in their faces for fooling me these past months and walk out on them.

But I had had enough of every single thing. 

And so I took the fountain pen on the table and scrawled my signature in all the spaces as tears stained the paper a translucent color that traumatized me.

“We are done, over?” I asked in a cracking voice as I threw the pen down. Derek smirked as he took the papers from me and examined it.

“That is wonderful. Now leave and don't bang the door on your way out Marlowe.”

"I won't." I said through my teeth. 

They both ignored me and kissed each other, Tessy letting out a giggle that pained me to the bones.

"She won't come back will she?" Tessy asked like I was not in the room. 

"We are divorced now. Are we not?" He asked as they both turned to me. 

But I did not give them the satisfaction of a response as I grabbed my purse and walked out of the bedroom, my legs moving on autopilot as I stepped into the cold, unforgiving street.

It was finally over, I was free. But there was a knot in my chest that made me drop to my knees and cry like a little child.

When I was done crying and bawling my eyes out like a hungry baby, I stood and made my way to the club. 

I needed a strong drink, and maybe a conversation with a random person to remind myself that I was still wanted.

The neon sign of the club flickered in the distance like a faint beacon in the darkness. I headed for the entrance with my thoughts, a tangled mess of hurt, anger and despair. 

That was exactly what I had felt in my marriage to Derek.

“I just need one drink, just enough to forget everything for a while.” I muttered to myself. 

I hoped that the emotions, the shame and the dreadful feeling of being utterly powerless that had all mixed together into an ugly cocktail of frustration would shoot down my throat like venomous poison alongside the drink.

The blaring of a car horn snapped me out of my daze and I turned just in time to see the blinking lights barreling towards me. 

My heart stopped as I realized that fate was not done with me yet.

The car came to a stop just before it hit me and a tall and handsome stranger stepped out of the beautiful black car and stormed towards me. 

“Can’t you not see?” He had a mix of concern and irritation on his face.

"I- I am sorry." I whispered.

“Are you trying to turn me into a murderer?” He demanded in a sharp scolding voice that couldn't mask the worry behind them.

“I am sorry. I just wasn’t paying attention.” I stammered as I tried to catch my breath.

He ran a hand through his dark hair and his jaw tightened as his eyes swept over me. “You look like you have been through hell.”

“I came out.” I muttered in response.

He raised an eyebrow at my words and smiled. “That is good. I am Callum Reed and would you like a glimpse of heaven?” I looked up at him, properly studying him. 

He had the most beautiful emerald eyes and the longest lashes a man could have. And I was sure there was more than a pound of well built and beautifully carved muscles under his half buttoned white shirt.

“Marlowe.” I said to him as I offered him my right palm and he brought my hands to his lips. 

A slight current ran through me. The warmth in his gaze melted some of the ice around my heart.

“Marlowe.” He called in a husky voice, soft and seductive. 

“Shall I buy you a drink? You look like you could use one.” I hesitated for only a moment before I nodded.

“Fine, a drink.” And I let him take me inside the club.