My Life with Hades

CHAPTER 7

"Are you okay, sweetheart? What's going on?" he asked worriedly.

I nodded, trying to hold back my tears. Seeing him again was heartbreaking.

"Can we go to a café? We have a lot to talk about."

"Of course. Don’t even think I’m going to let you go," he said, pulling me close.

We drove to a café a bit out of the way—it was my request so we could talk quietly. Once we arrived, I called my assistant, Abigail.

"Abigail, please cancel everything scheduled for this morning and move it all to tomorrow. If anyone asks about me, just say I’m handling personal matters." After hanging up, I turned off my phone. Christopher looked at me, puzzled. "That was just my assistant," I explained, trying to sound casual.

"I feel like I’ve missed years of your life. I wasn’t even at your graduation—I really regret that. And now, you’re a full-fledged businesswoman," he said, smiling proudly.

And I felt awful. If only he knew how I had achieved everything. But I wasn’t ready to tell him I was married. I definitely wasn’t ready to break his heart. So, I kept my left hand under the table the entire time, not wanting him to see my rings.

With Christopher, I had dreamed of a happy marriage—our house, our children with his same eye color, a joyful family having breakfast together on Sundays. I had planned it all with him, and he had shared those dreams. Now, how was I going to tell him I had married someone else? The thought alone made me want to cry.

"How is your mother?" I asked, changing the subject.

"She’s fine, sweetheart. As soon as she recovered, I came back for you. But I couldn’t find you anywhere. I was about to go crazy."

"Sorry, I moved houses," I replied, looking away.

"And your number? What happened to it? I tried to reach you, but it wasn’t available."

"I changed my number, too," I said, shrugging.

"What else should I expect? Did you get a tattoo?" he teased.

I shook my head, smiling. We talked for hours. Every second confirmed how crazy in love I was with him. I didn't think it was possible to love more, with greater intensity. Honestly, I didn't believe it.

We had lunch together and then I said goodbye to him to go to work. He insisted on taking me, but I refused. We exchanged numbers and, when I said goodbye to him, he kissed me. I had missed his kisses so much that it was impossible not to kiss him back.

But I felt like I was cheating because I was married. I had broken my vows. I had made vows before God, and I had just broken them.

Once in my office, Ramsés burst in angrily. Abigail looked at me in fear, and I nodded my head, as if to tell her everything was fine.

"Don't worry," I reassured her. In response, she nodded and closed the door.

"Bree, where the heck have you been?! I've been calling you for hours!"

"I was dealing with some personal matters" I said without looking at him.

"You're going to explain to me right now why you turned your phone off" he raised his voice.

"Can you calm down? I'm not in the mood for your nagging."

"I’m not going to calm down!" he shouted.

"Do me a favor and lower your voice right now!" I shot him a defiant look.

"No, Bree! Today, you don’t have the right to be angry about anything. You disappear for hours right after your doctor’s appointment, and you think that’s fair to me? I was worried sick."

"I have a right to privacy, don’t I?" I crossed my arms defensively.

"You do, but what you don’t have the right to do is leave me in the dark. Caden was looking for you all over the hospital and nearby areas." Mentally, I thanked Christopher for suggesting we go to a distant café. I didn’t want Caden to see me with another man. It would have been awkward.

"Did you seriously send Caden to look for me? What is this? Can’t I take a single step without you knowing about it? What more do you want from me? I married you because you wanted it. I work in your company because you wanted it. I live with you because you wanted it. And what about me? Don’t I have the right to want something too?" I asked, frustrated. He lowered his guard slightly, looking at me nervously.

"I sent Caden to find you because I was worried. When I couldn’t reach you, I had to call the doctor to ask if something had happened. I had to request your test results."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You were snooping through my medical records? What the hell is wrong with you?! You have no right!"

He turned around and opened the door.

“Yes, Bree. Yes, I have the right. Let me remind you that I'm your husband,” he said before leaving and slamming the door hard.

I was so furious I could have killed him with my own hands. I was certain he said, "Let me remind you that I'm your husband," by the door so Abigail would hear it.

Minutes later, when I managed to calm down, I called Abigail.

“Sorry for lying to you, Abigail. Ramsés Knight is my husband,” I sighed. “I didn’t tell you or anyone else because I didn’t want people to think I got this position because of him,” I explained. She nodded.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Knight. I totally understand, and I can assure you no one would think that. You’re the best at your job,” she said with a smile.

“Thank you, Abigail, and please, just call me Bree.”

“Now that I know you’re Mr. Knight’s wife, it feels even more inappropriate,” she added nervously.

“That has nothing to do with it, Abigail. Our relationship remains the same. I just ask you to keep my secret,” I told her. She nodded.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Knight. Your secret is safe with me. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention anything you overheard the other day at the café.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, smiling. “I agree with everything you said.” She sighed with relief.

Luckily, I didn’t see Ramsés all afternoon, because if I had, I might have killed him in front of everyone. I was furious with him and still upset after seeing Christopher. I couldn’t concentrate on work for the rest of the day. When it was time to leave, I didn’t want to go with Ramsés, and he didn’t wait for me either. I was grateful for that. Caden was waiting for me at the exit, but I didn’t feel like having him drive me. Instead, I walked to a nearby park and sat on a bench, alone with my thoughts. I needed to clear my head.

What on earth was I going to do? How would I tell Christopher I had gotten married? I burst into tears just thinking about him not being in my life anymore. I stayed there for about an hour, then caught a taxi home.

The house was dark. I heard Charon's little paws running towards me, so I shone my phone’s light on him. I petted him for a while and was about to head upstairs when a voice startled me.

“Can we talk?” Ramsés asked.

“I’m not in the mood or in the right frame of mind right now, so no,” I replied, continuing my way upstairs.

“Please, Bree. We can’t go to sleep angry.”

I ignored him and kept walking. I locked myself in my room and decided to take a shower. Maybe a hot bath would soothe my sorrows. A few knocks on my bedroom door interrupted me.

“Go away!” I shouted angrily.

“It’s Charon. He’s crying because you’re angry, Bree,” Ramsés said, trying to appeal to me. I laughed. Charon crying? Really? Couldn’t he come up with something better? I heard Charon scratching at my door, so I wrapped a towel around myself and opened it.

“Bree, let’s talk,” Ramsés said immediately. I sighed.

“Let me shower in peace, and then we’ll see about talking.” He nodded.

“Come here, buddy,” I called to Charon. He came in, and I shut the door in Ramsés's face.

“And why can he come in and not me?”

“If you don’t leave me alone right now, we won’t talk at all!” I shouted. Seconds later, I heard his footsteps retreating.

Charon jumped onto my bed and fell asleep immediately. I took a long, hot shower, and forty minutes later, I came out feeling a little better. When I went downstairs, Ramsés was waiting for me in the living room.

“What did you want to talk about?”

“I wanted to apologize for yelling at you earlier. I shouldn’t have done it, but I was angry and worried. I don’t know, Bree.”

“It’s fine,” I said dismissively. I really didn’t want to discuss it further. “If that’s all, I’d like to eat something and get some sleep. I’m a bit tired.”

“You’re still angry,” he sighed. I nodded because I wasn’t going to lie to him.

“I didn’t like your attitude today at all. You don’t need to know my every move, and I don’t appreciate it. Also, you broke your promise.”

“You’re absolutely right, Bree. But I was worried. I thought something had gone wrong, that you were scared somewhere. What promise did I break?”

His response took me by surprise. It seemed odd that he would say that. Where did he get the idea that something had gone wrong? But I brushed it off.

“I’m talking about what you did, leading my assistant to find out we’re married,” I said, furrowing my brow. He looked away, embarrassed.

“Sorry about that, Bree. I was angry. I can talk to Abigail and tell her it’s not true,” he offered, shrugging. I sighed in frustration.

“I’ve already spoken to her and told her the truth, so there’s no need to lie,” I replied. He looked at me hopefully.

“You told her we’re married?”

“Yes, I had no other choice.”

“Then can we stop hiding it?” he asked with a half-smile.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Hades. Abigail won’t tell anyone,” I said, watching his frown.

“Don’t call me that, Bree.”

“I’m angry right now, so I’ll call you whatever I want. Are we clear?” I raised my voice slightly. He nodded without looking at me.

“Can you at least have dinner with me?”

“Honestly, you don’t deserve anything today. I’m going to bed.”

“Come on, Bree,” he said, taking my hand. “Don’t leave me alone tonight, please.”

What the hell was wrong with Ramsés? Sometimes he acted so strangely that I couldn’t understand him.

“Well, what are we going to eat?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

“Do you feel like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?”

“Are you trying to poison me again?” I teased. He immediately frowned.

“Don’t use such an ugly word, Bree.”

I assumed he reacted that way because of his parents. I felt a bit sorry for him. Maybe he was dealing with his memories today, and I had been part of the problem. So I decided to keep things calm. He made the sandwiches, and we ate in silence.

“Will you join me for a drink?” he asked as soon as we finished eating. I nodded because, frankly, I needed one. As soon as he handed me the glass, I drank it all in one go. He looked at me strangely.

“Are you going to tell me what happened to you today?” he asked. I shook my head and asked for another drink.