Chapter 4

When Chloe opened her door that morning, I stood there with my bags and a forlorn look on my face. It felt like I'd lost a part of me.

She covered the few steps that separated us and gathered me into her arms. “It's okay, baby. You're okay.” She said and rocked me as I sobbed.

When my sobs reduced to hiccups, Chloe let me in and went back for my bags. We spent the day in front of the TV watching romcoms and crying over the silliest things as we ate every snack in Chloe's fridge.

Later that evening, we went out for dinner. Chloe had made it her life's mission to ensure that I didn't sulk over Anthony, and I had in fact decided on the same thing. It didn't matter how much it hurt, I deserved better.

As we ate and chatted away, my phone suddenly rang. I looked at the phone screen and it was my mom. I knew better than to ignore her calls. She knew how to be dramatic over the littlest of things.

“I'll be back in a bit” I said to Chloe and stepped out.

“Hello, mom.” I said warily.

Her shrill voice came to me from the other end of the phone, “What is this I hear about you leaving your marriage, Marissa?”

I rubbed a hand over my forehead. This certainly wasn't the place for this. “Mom, can I call you back? I'm out right now, and–”

“No, you cannot call me back!” She yelled. “If you know what's good for you, you will go back home and beg your husband for forgiveness. Do you have an idea how much that man has done for our family?”

I felt my anger begin to mount. “Mom, he cheated on me! And then he had the guts to serve me divorce papers after!”

“I don't care!” Her voice rang clear. “Just go back to him and beg for his forgiveness!” She hung up.

I felt hot tears prick the back of my eyes. This was another reason why Anthony thought it was okay to walk all over me. He knew that I had no one to stand up for me. My mom sucked up to him because of what she could milk out of him, and the bastard revelled in this.

As I walked back into the restaurant with unshed tears clouding my eyes, I suddenly felt someone ram into me, and I fell on my butt with a force that knocked out my breath.

Great. Just great. Could this day get any worse? I wondered to myself, as I struggled to rise to my feet.

To my surprise, a perfectly manicured yet masculine hand shot out to help me off the floor. As I took it and slowly hoisted myself off the ground, I looked at the man from his chest up to his face.

My God! He was a demigod! He was at least six inches taller than me. He had grey eyes that invited you to stare into them forever. His chiseled nose looked perfect on his beautifully sculpted face. 

All at once, my predicament was forgotten at the sight of this work of art. I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn't form the words. Even under his 3-piece suit, it was evident that the man did his due diligence at the gym. I most certainly paled in comparison dressed in my simple jeans and cashmere blouse.

“You really should watch where you're going next time, Miss.” The man said in a deep baritone, and all at once, the spell was broken.

Of course. Why should I be surprised? He was just a typical man. Rude and egotistical. 

“Well, maybe you should look where you're going instead.” I retorted and he chuckled.

Why the hell was he chuckling? What was funny?

He bent to pick up my purse and phone, and handed them to me. “Here you go. Oh, and Miss, Please, look after yourself.” He said with another laugh and turned to leave.

Look after myself?! Like I told him there was something wrong with me. The nerve of these men! I made a face at his retreating figure and walked back inside to find Chloe with a grin plastered to her face.

“Well, well, looks like someone found herself a tall glass of damn fine wine!” She said and whistled.

I scoffed. “Oh please. He's just another arrogant man who wouldn't look where he's going.”

“Oh?” She asked “It sure looked a little more serious than that from where I was sitting.”

“Everything looks ‘a little more serious than that' to you, Chloe. You're just delusional like that.”

She went off laughing almost hysterically at this “I wish I could deny it.” She said, and I joined in her laughter, forgetting about my mom's disturbing call for now.

After I'd stayed at Chloe's for a little over two weeks, I started applying for jobs again. I had a college degree, but Anthony had insisted that I be a stay at home wife instead.

Then, it had sounded like a statement made from a place of love and a need to cater for me without my having to lift a finger. I hadn't liked it, but I'd loved him, and so I had given in.

In the last two years however, it had become one of the insults he hurled at me; calling me a leech who only knew how to spend his money, but had no idea how to make any of hers.

Now, donned in a pretty suit that managed to look professional and sexy all at once, I walked into the gigantic building of Kingston Enterprise. As a fresh college graduate, I'd longed to work at this establishment, and now, as my first defiant move as a free woman, I was attending an interview there.

I waited for almost an hour before I was called in to meet with the CEO. I had already finished the first rounds of interviews with HR, and this was the final stage.

“Mr Kingston will see you now, Miss Colton.” The receptionist said, and I rose to follow her.

Although the divorce hadn't been finalized yet, I had used my maiden name when applying for this job.

I said a small prayer before stepping foot inside the office. However, as I looked at the man who sat behind the large oak desk, I felt my anger rise.

“You!”