5. Divorce

MALCOLM

The smirk on her lips doesn't disappear and when she lifts her shoulder in a shrug, that's when I break out of her enchantment. Does she think this is a joke? Weeks of worry that turned into years finally roll into me again and I'm burning with annoyance.

I grab her by the shoulder, wishing to desperately lock her up and throw away the fucking keys!

How the fuck can she still smile after pulling such a cheap tantrum as that? Feigning memory loss after showing up from her mysterious journey to only God knows where!

I can't control my anger but I sure as hell don't grip her too tight. She looks fragile and delicate but when she glances at my hand on her shoulder, she blinks at me with so much class that you'd think she was born for this role.

"Caroline!" I yell, ignoring the harsh tone of my voice. Contrary to my yell, she doesn't flinch as much as my outburst or even frown. She's watching me with interested eyes, waiting to see what I'd do next.

There's something about that look that makes me nervous. No sane human being would react like this especially before their ex-husband who… who acted like a prick all those years!

"You think this is funny? Where the fuck have you been?" I scowl harder than I intend to. I can't keep a straight face around this woman. She always manages to drag some emotions out of me.

"I searched all over for you but you vanished! Where did you go? Who hid you? And what's this about you being a heiress-"

"Excuse me?" She arches her brow and brings a hand to where I'm holding her. Carefully, she pushes my hand off and takes a step back, shrugging my other hand away. "I don't know about you but I value my reputation and I wouldn't want to start a scandal. The press would latch onto anything and I'm not about to give myself off to vermin, Mr. York."

I can't process her words. All I can think about is that she's right before me. The woman I've searched for and have been searching for is finally right before my eyes. She feels real and my hands still tingle from touching her.

Moving forward, I catch her by the wrist this time. What if she runs away again and doesn't return for good? What if she disappears somehow? I can't let that happen. I've only just found her.

I need to lock her up where only I would see her. No one would steal her away. No one would-

"Malcolm," my name on her tongue rolls off so casually, mixed with so much familiarity that for a moment I'm catapulted back to our days of longing, desires and love.

Just one word and she has me hooked. I can't look away from her siren eyes and I can see how calm she looks.

"Breathe."

I'm suddenly taking a deep breath at her command. When did I stop breathing earlier and how did she even notice? I let go of her to try to and contain myself. I step away from her too lest I'm grabbing her again with the evil thoughts swarming around my head like stars after a hard fall.

While I do that, she doesn't move or make any attempt to leave. She looks relaxed-- too relaxed. Her demeanour automatically makes me feel like the prey instead of the predator and I suddenly remember that she called me 'Desperate' a while back.

Did I come off as desperate? I didn't think that mattered now. I just want answers and I want them now so I'm asking once again, where she's been.

Lifting her eyes like a madam with her hands clasped in front of her, she says in a soft and levelled voice, "That is none of your business. I kept to my end of the deal. I didn't speak of you nor did I tell anyone about you or what we used to be-"

Why did her reference of us sound so distant like something she had gotten over a long time ago?

I would have preferred if she said 'us'. 'I didn't tell anyone about us'.

"Why do you talk to me like you know me?" she's fixing those curious eyes on me again.

"Caroline," I call again, searching her eyes but they held nothing. "Stop this nonsense-”

"The only 'nonsense' I see here, sir, is you bothering a young woman. I wonder what you want, a meeting or a date," my ears perk at that but as quickly as she throws it out there, she adds, "But it certainly cannot be the latter as I've heard of you, Mr. York. You're… married."

I can't tell if she's trying to push my buttons or not. Not with those clear eyes and that genuinely clear voice. What game is she playing? First, she pretends not to know me, next she pretends to forget about 'us'.

I can’t keep up with this woman. I'd prefer it if she showed her anger, hate, contempt and malice towards me. It would make things a lot… easier to deal with. How do I get through to a woman who seems like she has no use of my existence?

It's like trying to build a gate over a brick wall, there's simply no way to come in or get out. She's… sealed.

"According to our divorce," I mention, waiting for a reaction from her but one of her brow simply jerks up and her eyes dart around as if to make sure no one is listening in on our conversation. "You're supposed to move into the house I got you. That was your compensation-"

"That's why you searched for me all these years?" she asks curiously. "To tell me I didn't move into a house I never asked for?"

Now that she puts it like that, she makes me sound ridiculous but that's not it. If only she had moved there, it would have made finding her very easy. I didn't want her completely gone. I wanted her within my reach to pull her close at the right time-

But without warning, I'm tensing as she bursts into a peal of laughter. Her head is thrown back and her hand over her mouth with her eyes closed as she laughs an elegant and classy laugh that reminds me of ballrooms, ballgowns and queens. It's a rich sound of mockery and unrestrained bitterness.

I am shocked by her behaviour but somehow, this is more welcoming than the calmness she wore a few seconds ago.

She looks beautiful and I cannot tear my eyes away from her face-

"Malcolm!"

Unless, of course, the heavens send an unavoidable distraction that catches even Caroline's attention. She's silent now, looking past me to the woman who called my name with enough anger and jealousy.

I feel a hand forcefully go around my arm, drawing closer to me before I look down to find Louise glaring at Caroline.

"So this is where you've been," Louise says in a spiteful tone. I don't know who she's referring to but she doesn't take her eyes off Caroline.

"So this is your wife," Caroline says.

"Yes, I'm his wife," she replies curtly. "What are you doing out here with my husband, dear cousin? Can I call you that or are you just acting for Grandma-"

"You can call me whatever you like," Caroline shrugs with a calm smile. "After all, you'll be seeing more of me at Grandma's place. I hope we can get along though."

"As soon as I confirm for myself that you're truly family and not some imposter then fine," Louise forced through a smile. "Now can you tell me what you two-"

"I have to leave now. See you some other time, cousin," Caroline smiles before her eyes roll to me. She doesn't do anything special when she holds my gaze and starts to walk away. She looks at me indifferently, "Nice talk, Mr. York."

Fuck! I don't want her to leave. I'm not done talking with her. I want to ask her so many questions but the leach beside me doesn’t loosen her grip. Even when I spin on my heels to quickly say something, she's pulling me back, grumbling by my side.

"Where do you think you're going? You're chasing after her? Why? What were you two talking about?"

What if I never see her again? What if she disappears-

"Are you cheating on me? Why did you make her laugh so loud? Did you two plan to meet here or something? Why won’t you look at me-"

Caroline is stepping out of the room and turning a corner. Her beautiful figure walking out of sight-

"Malcolm, look at me. Look at me when I'm talking to you-"

"For fuck's sake, shut that hole in your face!" I yell and push her off me, glaring at her till she's all frozen up and looking at me like a scared puppy.

"Shut up!" I say again. "Fuck!" I run my fingers through my hair. "My lawyer will contact you. We're getting a divorce-"

"What? What do you mean a divorce?" I've heard those lines before but unlike this one, they broke me and haunt my dreams till this day. "Is this because Father won't get the company? But he will. He'll convince grandma! That old woman is delusional and-"

"We're getting a divorce and that's final. I don’t care about your father's problems with his mother-"

“Don't talk to me like that, Malcolm!” But I'm already walking away from her yappings. If I dare to give her listening ears, she won't stop even after two days!

“I'm not signing them, Malcolm! I'm never signing them, you hear me!”