I've been with an award-winning actor for seven years. We've been secretly married for five of those seven years. For the sake of his career, I drink so much that I get a stomach perforation. I also allow others to trample over my pride and dignity. Yet he goes on lakeside dates with another woman and kisses her underneath the fireworks. He even has the nerve to tell me not to be unreasonable. Later, I get caught in a landslide when I'm on a business trip. I make one last call to him in fear. All I hear is him singing his lover a birthday song. I ask for a divorce after losing hope in him. That's when he suddenly begs me not to leave. He even announces our relationship to the world on the day he wins an award. Our seven-year relationship is finally public, but I don't want it anymore.
View MoreClement disappeared from my life after that day. Wilfred began dropping by my office daily, making up any excuse he could.Things had gotten complicated between us since the last time we kissed. Deep down, I knew I shouldn't hold him back.Wilfred came by again that afternoon with a homemade meal. "My maid made too much food. Care to join me?" I nodded without hesitation, though I saw the sly twinkle in his eyes. He seemed a little surprised.Halfway through the meal, I couldn't hold it in anymore. "Wilfred, I'm not worth all this. You deserve someone better."His fork hovered in the air, and his eyes got all teary.I thought he wouldn't answer, but then he suddenly choked out, "It's not for you to decide if you're worth it. That's for me to decide. Who are you to decide for me?"His lips quivered, and I found myself hesitating. I wanted to wipe his tears away, but I held back. "I'm sorry…"Wilfred quickly got up and ran off.I didn't know why, but I felt empty deep down. I s
"Quit calling people 'the other man.' Maybe you should say that to Vivian, who's right behind you. Isn't she the one who ruined our marriage?" I didn't raise my voice, but it was loud enough for those coworkers around me to catch it.Clement could pick on me, but Wilfred was blameless.Clement didn't expect me to have Wilfred's back. His eyes got teary immediately."H-How can you say something like that about me?" Vivian's voice cracked, and her tears were about to fall.I ignored her reaction and grabbed Wilfred, who had been watching the spectacle.Clement grabbed me as I walked past him. He'd pulled himself together in just a minute. "Call off the divorce if you don't want him kicked out of this company."He used to loathe those who used their connections to solve personal problems, but now he had become just like them. I suddenly felt repulsed by Clement—someone I used to know so well.Before I could say anything, Wilfred rushed off while shouting, "Dad!"He pulled David
Even though I still had plenty of doubts, the thought of finally being free of Clement had me so excited I couldn't sleep.But I never thought I'd run into him and Vivian at my new company's welcome event.Vivian came over, holding a glass of wine. "Lucille, I owe you one for what you did last time."Her assistant was behind her, staring at me with contempt. "Ms. Lundy, did you follow Clem here? Oh, wait—I almost forgot, you're fired."Vivian feigned annoyance and told her assistant to shut up. "What are you talking about? You think anyone can just get their hands on Clem's schedule?"She was right. Even when I was Clement's assistant, there were times I had no idea where he was, let alone now that we were divorced.A thought hit me when I saw how smug Vivian looked. "Clement's not going to make it official with you, is he?"Vivian froze in place.I grinned. "So, that's the reason. He doesn't want to take responsibility for you. No wonder he was still begging me not to divorce
"You're seriously thinking about divorcing me? Listen, this isn't happening. I'm not agreeing so don't even think about it," Clement said.A small smile crossed my face as I thought about what he said. "You want me to help Vivian?"Clement bit his lip as if he could already tell what I was about to say. Before I knew it, tears were running down his cheeks.It used to tear me up when he cried. Every tear he shed made me wish I could carry his pain for him, but I didn't feel a thing now."Since you've got the divorce agreement, go through it and sign. I'll clear Vivian's name after that," I said.The divorce agreement slipped from his fingers and landed on the floor.I knew how much this incident could ruin Vivian's career. She was an actress who rose to fame recently through wealthy backing, but now her public image was trashed. Who'd still pay to see her after this mess?Clement broke the silence after what felt like forever, his voice trembling. "Lucille, don't do this, alright
"I'm not getting a div—" Clement barely got halfway through the sentence when he spotted a nurse entering. He went quiet right away.I couldn't help but give a wry smile. He was so afraid someone would find out about us.The nurse couldn't stop glancing at Clement and me while she changed my IV.Her nosy look made Clement frown deeply. "She's just my assistant. Quit staring."Flustered, the nurse quickly finished changing the IV and bolted.Clement was refusing to divorce me a second ago, but now he was telling others we were nothing more than coworkers.He stepped closer and reached for my hand, but I swatted it away. "I told you not to touch me. You gross me out."Clement pursed his lips, his eyes welling up like he'd been deeply hurt. He was great at pulling that wounded act around me, but I wasn't falling for it this time."Forget about a divorce. I love you, and you're not getting away from me, not even if I die," Clement declared his love for me, but when his phone rang,
I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Clement was rubbing his fingertips together. It was his tell when he was ticked off.I was halfway through my meal when Vivian's assistant suddenly appeared beside me. Before I could react, he tossed a rag into my soup, sending oily bits all over me."Wash Vivian's car later," he said.It rained hard today, and her car was covered in mud.I ignored Vivian's assistant and quietly wiped my hands.When he saw I wasn't moving, he leaned it and yelled in my ear, "Are you deaf? Why aren't you answering me? That's so rude!"Then, he reached out for my collar.I let Clement have his way because I loved him, but that didn't mean I would let some nobody walk all over me.I grabbed my half-eaten meal from the table and dumped it over his head. "Get lost! Asshole!"Vivian came rushing out at the sound of the noise and shielded her assistant behind her as if I was the one making a scene."Lucille, if you've got a problem with me, come at me, but
Clement didn't get home until the early hours.My stomach hurt too much for me to sleep. I had to get up and take a painkiller."Here, I brought you a late-night snack," Clement said, tossing a few half-eaten boxes of spicy wings on the table.He kept his attention on the contract sitting nearby. He didn't even notice how pale I looked or the sweat beading on my forehead.I chucked the spicy wings into the trash.Clement knew about my stomach condition, but he never bothered to care."What's your problem? I brought you something nice, and this is how you act? All you did for me was drink a few, wasn't it?" he snapped."I've got a stomach issue. I can't handle spicy food."Clement stiffened, looking awkward. After a moment, he stepped closer and took my hand, worry in his eyes."I forgot about it. You're not going to blame me, right?" He looked at me with pleading eyes.We were standing so close, and I could catch the scent of perfume on him that wasn't his. The things those c
It was our wedding anniversary when I ended up in the hospital with stomach bleeding."Wow! I'm rooting for them to be a couple!""A big-time actor and a rising star? Now that's a power couple! It's like something straight out of a novel!""Kissing by the lake with fireworks in the background is pure romance!""I heard they dated in school, but their backgrounds didn't really match. And it all ended after Vivian left the country…"Two nurses were talking about tonight's hot gossip right outside my ward.I'd say it was a romantic scene if the guy they were talking about wasn't my husband. I could barely recall the last time Clement Carter and I held hands, let alone kissed.The voices outside kept going, each word stabbing at my heart.Suddenly, my phone rang. Seeing "Babe" on the screen gave me a tiny flicker of hope.But as soon as I picked up, Clement's furious voice hit me like a wave. "You can't even close a simple deal? If you couldn't do it, you should've just said so! H
It was our wedding anniversary when I ended up in the hospital with stomach bleeding."Wow! I'm rooting for them to be a couple!""A big-time actor and a rising star? Now that's a power couple! It's like something straight out of a novel!""Kissing by the lake with fireworks in the background is pure romance!""I heard they dated in school, but their backgrounds didn't really match. And it all ended after Vivian left the country…"Two nurses were talking about tonight's hot gossip right outside my ward.I'd say it was a romantic scene if the guy they were talking about wasn't my husband. I could barely recall the last time Clement Carter and I held hands, let alone kissed.The voices outside kept going, each word stabbing at my heart.Suddenly, my phone rang. Seeing "Babe" on the screen gave me a tiny flicker of hope.But as soon as I picked up, Clement's furious voice hit me like a wave. "You can't even close a simple deal? If you couldn't do it, you should've just said so! H...
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