CHAPTER 6: A Woman Scorned

Sarah 

My senses are enveloped in a fog, leaving me feeling disconnected from my being. I am only aware of Philip's familiar touch and the warmth of his kisses upon my lips and neck. Yet, I find myself lacking the strength to respond, delve deeper, and confront reality. 

Darkness gripped me fiercely, dragging me into the depths of a distant realm within my dream.

Gently, my eyelids fluttered open, pulling me from a deep sleep. As awareness seeped in, I struggled to piece together recent events, finding myself in the familiar confines of the bedroom I shared with Philip.

The memories flood back, the last clear one being outside the villa, rain pelting down as Philip dragged me away, leaving me until I succumb to unconsciousness.

Unwanted tears traced down my cheeks, a bitter reminder of how fate has toyed with me. A sudden knock on the door startles me out of my reverie, breaking the heavy silence of the room. 

"Sarah?" a voice called from beyond the door. I hastily wiped away my tears as though chastising myself for showing vulnerability before making my way to the door.

Opening it, I was met by one of the maids from the Cornell mansion; her eyebrows arched in subtle scrutiny. 

"I'll clean the room," she stated casually, her tone betraying no hint of warmth or empathy. Among the staff, she was the one who consistently treated me with the least kindness.

"Why are you here?" I inquired. Is today the scheduled day to clean the villa?

"Madam sent me and three other maids to Serenity Pines Estate," she replied. "Boss Philip called and requested to tidy up the villa because he mentioned that your body couldn't handle it." She nonchalantly glanced at her newly manicured nails, subtly insinuating a lack of efficiency in maintaining the mansion.

"I'll handle our room with Philip. You guys can take care of the other rooms," I directed.

She scoffed before heading towards the adjacent room.

Feeling slightly dizzy and struggling to recall the events of the previous night, I made my way down to the kitchen for some water. Unaware of the cause, I was experiencing a sense of queasiness, potentially attributed to either the flu or medication.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, I noted that my husband was already in his office. Lost in thought, I was startled by the sound of a car pulling up in front of our villa.

Grappling with the idea of welcoming an unexpected guest, my thoughts raced through my mind, hoping against hope that the visitor wasn't my mother-in-law, who had just randomly come to Serenity Pines Estate without notice. 

However, my apprehension heightened as Megan emerged from the sleek Porsche Boxster parked outside, clad in a striking red dress that accentuated her curves. As she removed her sunglasses and met my gaze, I couldn't help but wonder what had brought her here.

A rush of embarrassment flooded through me as I stood there in my dishevelled sleepwear, my hair in wild disarray. My throat constricted with the pressing uncertainty of what she could want from me.

Her eyes roamed the expanse of the villa as though expecting something hidden beneath her gaze, while her presence left me unsettled.

"Ms. Megan, would you like something to drink?" the maid asked, smoothly taking charge of welcoming the guest while my mind swirled with questions.

Megan was offered juice and placed on the center table before her.

"I'm here for one reason," Megan declared, producing divorce agreement papers from her bag and casually laying them on the table, then exclaimed, "Divorce Philip!"

My lips parted, leaving my mind scrambling to catch up with her audacious declaration. Did I hear her correctly?

"I heard Philip caught you last night with another man here. If you're not happy in your relationship, don't worry. I'm kind enough to help you leave your relationship with Philip," she said.

"I'm not divorcing Philip!" I blurted out. Was this woman serious?

"Come on, Sarah. Don't be a b!tch, and sign the papers! I've kept in touch with Philip for three years straight. I let you take my place as Mrs. Philip Cornell, but I've got bored of the charade. Playing these games is exhausting, you know? It's better to clear the air than to keep dragging this out," Megan remarked casually.

My chest constricted at her words. A secret relationship with Philip for three years?

While my husband is f[u]cking me, is he continuing his relationship with Megan? 

If so, where did I stand in Philip's heart for three years? Is that why I'm doomed never to win his love?

Megan appeared to anticipate my thoughts. "Philip and I have crossed paths at various business conferences and trips abroad. He's f[u]cking good! I enjoy the way he takes charge..." A peculiar grin formed on her lips.

I masked the urge to burst into tears from Megan's probing gaze. Deep within, a tempest of emotions raged as I grappled with the notion that Megan was playing with my heartstrings. Every fiber of my being resisted accepting her words as truth, clinging desperately to the belief that it was all nonsense! I don't see Philip as a cheater!

However, my eyes inadvertently drifted to Megan's neck, adorned with the expensive necklace I once spotted in Philip's drawer. It was unmistakable evidence of Megan's significance in Philip's life. I received nothing in return, yet he kicked me out last night from the villa.

"Leave, Megan!" were the words that escaped my lips.

"What?" Her eyes widened in surprise.

"I said, leave. This is my home! I don't care if you're here to meet my husband, sneaking around, or having an affair with him! This is Serenity Pines Estate, and this property belongs to me!" I growled. "It's my decision who I allow to stay in this villa!"

It's agonizing to know she still has a relationship with Philip, but I refuse to let her dictate to me just because she's returned. It's painful! But I'll reserve my tears for moments when these people aren't around to witness my vulnerability.

"I'll report you to Philip! I'll tell him everything!" Megan threatened.

Her words pierced my heart like a dagger, plunging me into a pit of despair. How bitterly unjust it felt that she could effortlessly engage with Philip while I struggled to have even a casual chat with my husband.

"Sarah! That's Ms. Megan! What significance do you hold in Boss Philip's life? You're just a homewrecker who offered herself when Boss needed a bride instead of marrying Ms. Megan!" the maid interjected.

With a fierce glare burning in my eyes, I lunged forward, seized the juice she had prepared for Megan, and hurled it onto her face. She almost gasped in shock.

"Is this the behavior they teach at Cornell Mansion? Clearly, they didn't teach you proper manners! I am not Sarah; I am your Madam Sarah! Leave!" My voice reverberated throughout the villa.

The maid was taken aback, but she fell silent in fear as she met my glaring eyes.

"You are a rude, uneducated woman! Well, that's right! You didn't continue your studies because you expected to be content with Philip's wealth," Megan sneered.

"I'll say it again, the two of you, leave my villa right now!" I thundered, my voice echoing through the corridors with intensity.

"You'll leave here soon, too! Trust me!" Megan spat out the words like venom as she stormed out of the villa, leaving a wake of tension in her path. 

The maid left behind—visibly shaken.

"Do you not know where the door is?" I mused.

Sneering, the maid exited the villa.

With a heavy heart and trembling hands, I retrieved the divorce papers that Megan callously left on the table. Clutching them tightly, I trudged back to the primary bedroom, each step echoing the pain that tore through my soul.

"Madam Sarah, are you okay? Boss Philip told us you were sick, so he sent us here to take care of the villa all day," another maid explained, having witnessed everything.

I nodded at her and returned to the bedroom. 

It's disheartening to be compassionate when, ultimately, people exploit your kindness. So if Megan or the earlier maid chose to report me to Madam Cornell and Philip, then so be it. I'm deeply hurt by what I heard and by my current situation.

The crushing weight of reality settled upon me as I stepped back into the room, and finally, the floodgates of my pent-up tears burst open. Three years of deception came crashing down around me while Megan's words echoed hauntingly in my mind; I didn't want to accept it because of the fragile hope I clung to.

My phone rang on the bedside table, stopping my tears.

With a shaky breath, I answered the call. "H-hello!"

"Sarah, it's me," came the familiar voice of my brother.