001: GAME IS OVER.

“You are pregnant, Mrs. Russo.”

.

.

Elena felt her stomach tied in a knot again for the umpteenth time as she remembered the piece of information the doctor had said to her at the hospital a while back.

The last thing she had expected now… at this critical time was being pregnant, still it did not help but make her assume that it was only going to strengthen her relationship with her husband.

Her marriage has almost hit the rock button— IF it has not even hit it yet.

Of course, he did not love her.

They did not marry because they loved each other. She loved him, it’s him who did not spare her a glance.

She had been married to her husband, Zeke, for three years and all through the three years, she could count the amount of time that he had looked at her.

Zeke did not like her, and he never hid that fact. 

After all, it was a loveless marriage and she had forced himself on him.

Had she, though?

Three years ago, because he needed to get some inheritance from his grandfather or something, he had to get married as that was the old man’s wish.

She had known Zeke for a while. And she had liked him the whole time.

Her father runs an investment company and he had worked with Zeke’s company and there she had met the man.

Unfortunately, Zeke did not see her as a woman. 

He only thought of her as the daughter of his business partner.

That did not stop Elena from forcing her father to set her up with that man and coincidentally, Zeke agreed to meet her.

There, he did not hide what he wanted.

He instantly told her that he wanted a wife.

And without thinking it twice, Elena agreed to marry him.

Even when Zeke had drafted a contract and had her sign it. She did not care much… not even when the contract said they were going to be married only for a year.

She believed that she could make her husband love her within a year.

Fortunately for her, his grandfather grew to love her and this could not let Zeke proceed with the divorce and they agreed to stay together.

Even when he had tried to talk to his grandfather that he would like to part ways with her under the pretense of a huge argument, the old man refused, telling them he would only let them part ways over his dead body.

Six months ago, the old man died, and she met with a new person— a new Zeke.

Zeke stopped coming home and only returned whenever he liked.

At first, it was once a week, then gradually, once in two weeks… till she lost count.

He would never pick up her calls and whenever he did, he would tell her that he was busy even without hearing from her first.

Elena pressed her lips together as she wondered how to break the news of her pregnancy to her husband.

The fact that their first and only intimacy resulted in pregnancy was not enough to make her feel withdrawn to the fact that her husband never said anything about that night.

He had returned home drunk and they had sex. She could have turned him down. After all, he didn’t force her.

But, she believed that this would strengthen their relationship. She believed that he would look at her and come home more from time to time, but… she was wrong.

When Zeke woke up the next day and left home like that night never happened, she knew that her husband might never ever like her back.

She twitched her mouth upward and stared at the test result in her hand.

If he would not come home, then she would go to him.

If he would not pick up her calls or talk to her, then she would go talk to him.

Hopefully, the news of their unborn baby will strengthen their relationship.

‘Strengthen.’

She must have mentioned that word at least a million times in the past few years she has married him.

A girl can only hope…

===

“Get the car, we are going to my husband’s,” Elena said to her driver as she got out of the house.

“The company?” He asked and she swallowed.

The surprise was written evidently on the man’s face and this was because she had never gone there before.

All through their three years of marriage, she has never visited him there and this was because she was careful to not offend him.

She thought showing up there would not sit well with him and as usual, she had always put him first.

“Yes.”

The man nodded his head, moved over to the car, held the door open, and then watched her as she entered.

Elena settled inside the car and then rested her head on the headrest.

She hoped that she was doing the right thing. She hoped that she was going to meet him in a good mood and that they would settle everything there then he would return home… and that their marriage would begin to go well.

As the car drove out of the compound, Elena sighed and then clasped her hands together.

It’s going to go well.

She assured herself.

~~~

“M… Mrs. Russo,”  his secretary stammered as she saw her and hurried out of her seat.

“I will see my husband,” she said firmly.

It was as if she was going to be stopped.

She knew what length her husband could go to. He might have told them to not allow her in or whatever.

Maybe it’s just her thinking. 

There was no reason for him to do that, was there?

“Mr. Russo is in a meeting,” she said.

“I will wait in his office,” Elena said and took a step forward.

When the secretary hurriedly stopped in front of her, her brows raised upward suspiciously.

“Is this you stopping me?”

“I am sorry, Mrs. Russo. He is in a meeting.”

“And I said that I will WAIT… till he is done,” she said, dragging the ‘wait’ on purpose.

“Mrs. Ru-”

She had just started when Elena brushed her aside and then walked past her while she ignored the woman who stayed back.

She could have followed her… no?

Then, Zeke is in there.

Elena stopped in front of the door, and gently pushed it open.

However, she felt her face dry up as she watched the scene in front of her.

That was her husband. She could recognize that backside even in the midst of a million people.

She breathed out shakily and her brows dilated.

Her husband… Zeke… the man she had assumed to be one of high principle…

She breathed in again.

He was right there, kissing another woman as if his life depended on it.

His hands wrapped around her back and even though she could not see it well, she could feel the movement of his hand going up and down the woman’s body.

A wave of nausea hit her and tightly, she held the handle of the door. Her eyes met with the red heels on the floor and she bowed her head.

As if the heels being familiar was not enough, her husband not being aware that someone was in the room was more painful.

She turned around gently to leave, but then again, why?

She wondered.

She was the wife.

Not the other women.

If at all, she should see the woman’s face first.

Finally mustering her courage, she entered the room and gently, and forcefully swallowed the lump in her throat.

“Z… Zeke.”

It took a few seconds before Zeke finally turned to look at her while the woman hurriedly hid her face behind his huge back.

Right now, she does not even care who she is.

She just wanted this man to rush to her and fall on his knees for hurting her that way.

“What are you doing here?”

His question was like a dagger.

What was she doing here?

Was that the correct question?!

“What?”

“You heard me. What are you doing here, Elena?”

“Y… You are a cheat…”

“Don’t.”

Her brows pulled together at his cold dismissal.

“Don’t do what?”

“Go home, Elena. We will talk at home.”

“What home? We are going to talk right here!” She snapped and then panted.

She probably looked like a madwoman.

The woman behind him who is obviously slender and beautiful would have thought the same way.

Anger suddenly surging within her, she dashed at him with the hope of seeing that woman hiding her face possessively at his back.

“What are you doing?” He frowned.

As she got to where he was, he shoved her aside without a thought and she fell to the ground.

Elena parted her lips as she raised her head to look at the unfazed look of her husband.

He breathed out, swept his neatly cut hair to the back, and then moved away from the woman finally.

And she saw her.

No wonder she thought the shoes were familiar.

She had gifted her.

Her eyes were still pinned on the woman who stared at her back when an envelope flew in her direction.

“I’ve signed it. It’s a divorce paper.” 

She turned to look at him with a frown. “W… what?”

“We are divorcing, Elena. Game is over.”

GAME IS OVER?!

She widened her eyes.