Chapter 4

Amelia

“Lachlan, I have good news,I’m pregnant. No- that’s too boring,” I muttered to myself as I hurried into the house excitedly. 

I couldn’t wait to tell my husband the good news. It was the one thing he had wanted since the beginning of this marriage. The only thing he had hoped for. I believed this would help us get closer, and finally heal the rift between us.

But what if he didn’t believe me? 

The thought immediately halted me, but there was an easy solution to it. I could do a quick pregnancy test now so I could tell him with the evidence. I immediately rushed to my room and dug out one of the kits and followed the instructions then went to find Lachlan.

But as soon as I burst into the home office excitedly, my heart dropped to my stomach at the sight before me. My husband was seated on his big leather chair, and on the hand of the chair was none other than Cassie. 

I froze in shock as her hands slowly undid the the buttons of his shirt, murmuring silky words at him while he looked completely enraptured.

I must have made a sound of surprise because their heads suddenly snapped up in unison to look at me with different levels of irritation. 

“Amelia, what are you doing here?” He barked angrily. 

I took a step further inside, trying to maintain my smile and ignore their close proximity. After all, once I told Lachlan the good news, he would have no use of this bimbo anymore. 

I winced as I put too much weight on my bruised ankle. 

“Darling, you look like garbage,” Cassie shuddered, “Is that anyway to appear before a man like Lachlan?” 

I looked down at myself, and took note of my wrinkled and stained green dress. I knew my hair probably looked like a bird’s nest and my make up must have been smudged beyond repair. 

“I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m coming from the hospital-“ 

“You should have stayed there,” Lachlan said tonelessly. 

“I was discharged,” I told him. 

“Do you see what I have to deal with?” He turned to Cassie, “No one can blame me for how miserable I am in this marriage when she shows up looking like something that was dug out of the trash can.” 

“I’m sorry,” I said hurriedly. It seemed I was always apologizing in this marriage, but there was hope shining at the end of the tunnel that everything was about to change, “I will go shower and change quickly.”

“Get us a glass of wine first,” Lachlan ordered. 

“How mannerless of you to not even bother serving your guest.” Cassie said mockingly. “Did no one train you at all or were you raised by wolves?” 

“Forgive me. It’s just that I’m a little disoriented from the accident.” 

“How long will you continue to use that accident as an excuse?” She rolled her eyes, “Believe it or not, you’re not the first to get in an accident. If the doctor thought you were fine enough to get discharged, then you’re a hundred percent okay. Do as Lachlan ordered and don’t keep us waiting.” 

I scurried away to do my husband’s bidding. I ran into the housekeeper at the kitchen and she stared in shock at my experience. 

“Mrs. Mallory!” Greta gasped, “you look worse for the wear. What happened to you?” 

“I was in a little accident, but I’m fine.” 

“No, you’re not,” she insisted, “You should go lie down and get the family to look at you.” 

“I’m just going to take a bottle of wine for Lachlan and his guest and then I’ll lie down.” 

“His guest,” she said with a carefully blank expression, “Allow me to take the drink to them.” 

“It’s alright, Greta,” I smiled at her gratefully, “I’m not an invalid. I’m more than capable. And my husband really dislikes it when I delegate my duties. I already do so little in the house as it is.” 

I grabbed the bottle and glasses and went to serve Lachlan and Cassie. I was feeling like I was floating on air because of the good news that was threatening to burst out of my mouth. 

I couldn’t believe luck had finally shone on me. Soon, I’ll have a little boy with Lachlan’s handsome features running around the house. The sweet thought brought tears to my eyes which I quickly blinked away. 

No one would ever call me barren again. 

I walked into the office and dropped the glasses carefully on the table. Just as I meant to leave, Lachlan stopped me. 

“Who do you expect to pour the drinks?” He asked in a hard voice, “Don’t you understand the concept of being a hostess?” 

“You can’t blame her,” Cassie soothed, “She’s a bastard daughter with no solid roots. She had no mother to teach her these things.” 

Swallowing my humiliation and my protest, I struggled to uncork the bottle which earned me a mocking scoff from Cassie then poured it into the two glasses. 

“Is that all?” I asked in a small voice. 

“No.” Lachlan said, “I want you to move out of the house tonight. Cassie is moving in and will be bothered by your presence.” 

“What!” I gasped in shock, gaze swinging between them “where do you want me to go? I have nowhere to go.” 

“I don’t see how that is any of my business.” 

I dropped to my knees before them, hands clasped together, “Please, you have to reconsider. My step mother doesn’t want me in the house anymore and I have no friends.” 

Cassie laughed, “I’m not surprised you have no friends.” 

“Please, husband.” 

“Who is your husband?” Lachlan roared, getting to his feet. “I’m not your husband and I want you gone before I’ll call security. I may not be able to divorce you because of the rules my father set up before he died, but it doesn’t mean I have to deal with your presence anymore.” 

“Do you hate me that much?”

“You are the worst thing that has ever happened to me and everyday I wake up, I wished you never existed.” 

His voice was like a bullet that shot through the rose colored glasses I’d had on throughout this wretched marriage. I had thought that one day Lachlan would come to love me, but now I could see that all of that was a pipe dream.

I choked on a sob and rose to my feet. Then I reached for my bag, and the paper I had carried everywhere for weeks and did what I should have done years ago. 

I looked at Lachlan with eyes that must have showed shaky resolve, “I want a divorce.”