He was Never Hers

Chapter Five

ASHA

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I kicked against the blankets of unconsciousness; trying to force my eyes open.

“Doctor, she's moving.” A frantic voice called beside me.

Hurried footsteps. A stethoscope on my chest.

My eyes were still groggy as I tried to make out where I was.

There was a weird feeling in my limbs, the weightlessness like they were detached, and the pounding pain in my skull made me feel like throwing up.

I was in a hospital. I tried to remember how I came in here. What I could recall came to me in flashes.

A flood of light. Voices. Arms lifting me gently. Faces I didn't recognize hovering over me.

White uniforms. Gloves. Stretchers.

The rest was blank.

Then a thought crossed my mind. Eduardo. Did he look for me? Was he the one that found me? How long was I unconscious?

The nurse told me to rest, I'll be fine. She wasn't able to answer any of my questions like “where am I?”

“A phone, any phone?”

What if Amaya made it look like I willingly disappeared like she promised she would?

10 minutes after the nurses left, I pulled the drip out of my arm.

I sat up and a paralyzing pain shot through my stomach.

I had to see Eduardo.

I rang the doorbell of the mansion and Selena's voice cracked through the intercom. “Who’s there?”

“It's Asha.”

Amaya…she would be so shocked to see me. I can already picture her expression. Eduardo would have her locked up for attempted murder.

Click…the door opened.

“Come inside.” She whispered. She held me as I limped inside.

Shock creased her eyebrows as she looked at me. “Everyone thought you eloped with your lover. Eduardo has long moved on.”

A chill hugged my spine. “I was kidn*pped by my sister. That is why I went missing. How long have I been gone?”

“Two weeks.” She muttered.

We were now in the dining room and the first person I could see was Eduardo…laughing. Smiling and eating dinner with Amaya like there was no care in the world.

Her hand was resting possessively on his chest and they were about to lean in for a kiss when I cleared my throat.

Eduardo's head whipped around fast. He stiffened. “Asha, what are you doing here?”

Amaya’s face darkened. “Go back to your lover, Asha.”

The plates and glasses on the table jingled loudly as he abruptly stood. “Where the hell have you been?” He barked, stepping forward.

My jaw dropped. This was not the welcome I was expecting.

“Amaya kidn*pped me, stabbed me nearly to death.” I raised up my shirt and he recoiled, gasps rippling from him and Selena. “Locked me in an abandoned basement. The owner of the property found me and I've been in the hospital recovering. That's where I've been.”

Amaya gasped in mock horror. “That's a terrible accusation Asha. I can't believe you'd go as far as stabbing yourself to try and implicate me.”

Eduardo didn't question her, he stormed towards me instead. I stepped back, frightened. “I have a video of you confessing of your secret lover and how you used me to pay for your mom's hospital bills.”

Amaya stood up from her chair, a smile of triumph on her lips as she wrapped her arms around Eduardo.

“And where were you really?” She accused coldly. “Don't act like the victim here, thinking you can disappear, then come back with fake stab wounds to deceive us.” Her laugh was like poison. “Do better Asha.”

My heart beat wildly in my chest. Was Eduardo dumb? How could he believe her over me? What video?

“Diablo!” Eduardo called the bodyguard who stood like a statue by the staircase. “Get her things from the stair case and kindly escort her out from my house.”

“Eduardo wait!” I called as the bodyguard grabbed me. “Remember the contract marriage we signed for three years. I'm still your wife!”

He paused. “Diablo let her go.”

Fear sparked in Amaya's eyes. “Babe, no—”

“No, it's okay,” he gently kissed her lips. “She's my wife but only on paper.”

Rage simmered through me.

“Diablo take her to the guestroom.”

My suitcases were neatly packed and tucked away in the guestroom. Amaya and Eduardo walked in.

“This is where you'll be staying from now on,” he declared with a note of finality. “Amaya sleeps with me.”

They both walked out, leaving me shaken with tears, rage and shame.

__

The next morning, I walked into the dining room for breakfast. Amaya was already seated, wearing a robe — his robe.

“Good morning guest.” She greeted with a snarky voice.

“I am still his wife.” I barked as I brought a chair to seat on.

“…that sleeps in the guestroom.” She continued with a haughty smirk.

I tensed. “Well yeah, but soon, I'll have you kicked out. It's still my house.”

“Is it?” Amaya sipped her orange juice. “Because from where I'm sitted, it looks like you've been demoted.”

Eduardo walked in then, saying nothing. He only kissed her hair, told her a husky good morning, and sat by the table, pretending I didn't exist.

I felt defeated and I angrily sliced my bread, the knife scraping on the board.

Amaya caught on and a wicked glow danced in her eyes. “Oh, you should be grateful. At least, he's generous enough to let you sleep under the same roof. Most men wouldn't be so forgiving.”

I clenched my fists, and my chair scraped backwards as I sprang up.

“Forgiving for what?”

She grinned, enjoying every bit of this. I stormed out, trying to control my shaking fists. If I had my way, I would have slapped her and slapped her hard.

Eduardo called me back. “This is the last time you speak to her with that tone in front of me.”

I nodded, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. No, I couldn't cry. Not in front of them.

Late at night, I put on my sexiest lingerie set, planning to seduce Eduardo.

Whatever love I had for him was gone replaced by livid hate.

But I had to do something. I had to reclaim my power from Amaya.

I put on my robe to shield myself from the cold as I walked to the West wing of the mansion where the master bedroom was.

The door to the room was ajar. I could hear the sickening smack of skin on skin, Amaya's moaning cries, Eduardo’s thrusting grunts.

I doubled over, my dinner threatening to escape from my lips. My knees were weak.

Both of them cried out from their release and laid back gasping for air.

Amaya giggled, then said softly. “You should be more careful. Stress isn't good for the baby.”

Silence. My heartbeat roared in my ears.

Then came Eduardo's low voice. “I know. I'll be gentler next time.” A kiss on her stomach. “This child means a lot to me.”

My heart stopped. I stumbled back, hand covering my mouth.

Barely three weeks I'd been gone and Amaya was pregnant.

I fled.