Chapter 4
1398 Words
Naya's POV.
I had already left him and that should have been the end of it.
That night was a stupid night. And it was a dangerous deal, he was just a stranger I should have never seen again. But his name followed me home.
Jasail Ashford.
It echoed in my head while I sat on my bed staring at the wall, my phone was in my hand.
There was something about his name that felt so wrong to me. It just felt familiar, like I had heard that name before.
I tried to convince myself that it was just my imagination. That my mind was trying to create a meaning out of chaos, that I was tired and emotional but still, I wasn't convinced so I opened my browser just to check and confirm my doubts.
I just wanted to satisfy my curiosity. And I typed his name as the page loaded.
My breath left my body. I just saw a billionaire. A business mogul, an investor, international deal, political connections, headlines, and so many pictures.
There were pictures of private jets and men in power shaking their hands with each other.
Articles calling him ruthless and comments calling him feared. Rumors of people who crossed parts with him in a wrong way and disappeared from the spotlight.
My hand started to shake. This wasn't just a rich man. This was a man people didn't play with.
“What have I done?” I whispered to myself as fear coursed through me.
I had signed a document. I had agreed to something with a man who could buy and bury people with the same breath.
For a moment panic tried to take over my body. I imagine court rooms, contracts and secrets. Power plays I didn't understand and I was nobody compared to him. Just a wife in a broken marriage.
Why would a man like that even look in my direction?
Why would he choose me?
Then another thought followed. It really didn't matter, because I didn't agree to this for him. I agreed for Derek. For my marriage and for the last piece of hope I still had.
If Jasail could make my husband jealous. If he could make him see my value, to the extent that he will become afraid to lose me. Then, maybe it was worth it.
Even if it was dangerous, messy, and stupid. Whenever I thought about Lydia's pregnancy, the living proof of Derek's betrayal. I would always feel so angry.
How would this even work? How would my marriage survive with another woman carrying Derek's child?
The truth hurt, but I forced myself to face it. Derek didn't love her, he just used her. He didn't love me either but at least I was his wife. And in my twisted and desperate mind, that still meant something to me.
I told myself that when Derek finally wanted me again, when he finally fought for me. Lydia would just be there. They would co-parent and she would have the child but I will have the ring, the name, the title, and the place beside him.
I hated myself for even thinking like that but I was tired of being the person that always lost at the end.
My phone vibrated in my hand. It was a notification from Twitter, my heart skipped for no reason and I opened it.
Jasail Rashford had liked my post. Not just liked, he had also commented. It was a picture I had posted earlier in the day. I was at a charity event donating to a small organization that supported women and children.
His comment was just simple.
Beautiful work my love. The world needs more loving and thoughtful hearts like yours.
That wasn't just a random or casual compliment. It was intentional, public, and visible.
I just stared at the screen, my heart was racing in my chest and I knew that was him making a move. He was letting the world see everything and telling them that we have started.
I could easily ignore the comment and pretend I didn't see it. I could still back out but then I thought about Derek's face, and about how nonchalant he was when I spoke about our wedding anniversary. The only thing that mattered to him was Lydia and he walked past me, embarrassing me before her.
I typed a reply and it was something soft and sweet. Something couple- like that would leave no room for doubt.
Thank you baby. I love how you support me and it means a lot coming from you. I am the luckiest woman to have such a loving man like you in my life, and I will always be proud to support what matters to us.
My heart pounded in my chest as I hit the send button. That was it and I had just confirmed it, not just to him alone but to the world.
A few minutes passed and I heard the keys jiggling in the door. It was the sound of Derek entering the house, normally I would have jumped up and rushed to the kitchen to start cooking.
I would have tried to fix myself and look like a good wife just so I could earn his attention. But I stayed where I was, time had already passed and dinner wasn't made. And for once, I didn't care.
Derek walked inside and I didn't even look up to him.
“Naya,” he called out my name in an angry tone.
I slowly turned to face him and I also noticed that his phone was in his hand.
“That comment on Twitter. Do you even have any idea what you have done?” he said, and I raised a brow at him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Don't play innocent Naya. It is everywhere and people are tagging me. They are calling me and asking me questions.” he lashed at me but I stayed calm.
“The internet thinks you are having an affair with another man. They think you're having an affair with him.” he added.
“With who?’ I asked softly.
“You know exactly who I'm talking about. That billionaire. That man.” he said.
“And?”
His eyes widened at my non chalant gesture.
“And?” he repeated. “Are you insane?”
“You just have to stop picking their calls. And why are you even angry, Derek?”
“Because you are my wife!”
The words hit me and I did not know any other way to express it than to chuckle. He was just a joke at that point in time.
“Your wife,” I repeated. “That's interesting.”
“What's that supposed to mean?” He demanded and I stood up, walking closer to him.
“Did you forget something?” I asked.
“What is that?”
“Our open marriage. Did you forget that part?”
“That is different,” he said.
“How?” I asked. “You brought your pregnant girlfriend into our home in front of me and on our wedding anniversary.”
“That's not the same.” he said and I scoffed.
“So it's okay when you humiliate me but when I finally get attention from someone else, suddenly I'm wrong?” I said and he stepped closer to me.
“So are you saying you did this to hurt me?”
“Yes.” I replied and that shocked him. I saw it.
“You wanted me to be quiet and to swallow all of it. To just pretend that I am fine but I am not.” I continued.
“You are embarrassing me by doing all of this.”
“Good.” I said, my eyes staring into his eyes.
His phone buzzed again. More Notifications and more reactions, it was just more proof that the world was watching.
“You are playing a dangerous game Naya. Do you even know what kind of man he is? Ruthless, merciless, name anything dangerous and is Jasail Ashford” and I chulked dryly.
“I am sure that tells you everything you need to know and not to mess with anything that belongs to him, which I'm at the top of the list”
- Writer
