Tough Love - The Second Chance

Chapter One Georgia's POV “Hey honey! I'm home!” I announced loudly as I plopped the bag of groceries on the kitchen table. I stopped and listened for a response, something but nothing, even as much as Chloe's welcome meow came. Confused, I scrambled up the stairs in slow, cautious steps. “Babe?” My marriage wasn't in its best phase but at least I always expected a warm welcome when I returned from work but today, it seemed different. My heart already rammed heavily against my chest in fear of what might happen in the next instant. As I inched closer to our bedroom door, incoherent and muffled sounds reached my ears. Clearer and clearer the sounds became when I neared the door and opened it. “Babe, you scared me—” The following words stuck to the roof of my mouth as soon as my eyes conveyed the scene to my brain, there on the bed was Kingsley ramming into a woman underneath him. Her disgusting moans confirmed the premium pleasure she deprived from it. My eyes burned and my tummy turned over with a curdling feeling of pain and disgust. “Kingsley?!” I squeaked, struggling to find my voice and I called him by his first name for the first time in four years since we exchanged marital vows.. Strangely enough, he didn't even react when I entered the room, instead he went faster and the woman's moans louder, completely ignoring my presence. I only stood rooted in place, unable to move, just watching them in horror. They climaxed and collapsed on the bed, panting. King's gaze then turned in my direction, like he didn't know I was there all along. “Oh babe, you're back already. As you can see, I was a bit held up on something important.” He said casually, throwing a shower robe over his body. He even went ahead to plant a kiss on the woman's forehead. I squeezed my eyes shut in pain. The blood in my veins dried up. Shock scattered around my body in unforgiving pulses. “What in the actual hell? You were f*****g a woman in our house and on her marriage bed and you're waving it off like it's nothing? Are you crazy?!” “And that's the point I'd warn you to watch your f*****g tone. How dare you raise your voice at me?” King growled, a tickle of rising rage laced in his voice. I shrunk in fear, taking a few steps back till I hit my back against the door. King was now prowling in my direction. “You seemed to grow some wings to even talk back at me, right?” I wanted to bite back but I choked on my words. His ferocious part was now in the open and I could not afford to say anything that would make matters worse. “You want to know who she is so bad? Hm?” I pressed my lips, unable to reply. “Answer the damn question, woman!” His sudden roar startled me. “Ye…yes.” I squeaked out, already choking on my tears. I slid to the ground, covering my head. “Good. She is the woman who is likely to replace you if you don't do your job and quit poking into matters that do not concern you. Understood?” I nodded shakily and turned away to the woman. A wave of defiance powered by a mix of broken sobs and reddened eyes swept over me and I called out to him. “Where and when did I really go wrong, King? What exactly have I done to you to deserve this disgrace and treatment? I have done nothing but try to be the perfect woman but you do this to me even in our own home?” King stopped in his tracks. I gulped hard as the drive of defiance that held me strong moments ago instantly deserted me in a heartbeat. A blood-curdling laugh filled the room and my ears, causing the hairs on my skin to stand. “You want to know so badly, eh? Answer these questions as honestly as possible.” His tone was oddly calm. “What's the aim of having a family?” An odd question in an awkward moment. “To start and live a life of love and have kids?” Noah let out a light chuckle. “Have I answered your question now? “Give her a break, King. You don't have to be that savage.” The woman cooed sarcastically, all wrapped in the bedsheets. It was then realization hit me hard. He was indirectly referring to my inability to birth a child for him. I was left to question my very existence as he reminded me of my predicament. My heart squeezed as I watched the man I loved so badly turn into a stranger right before my eyes. “Plus, if you feel I cheated on you and find no reason to stay, you can always walk off the marriage. I'll only feel bad since you'd have nothing left if you leave. Your call.” He returned under the sheets with the woman. “Please can you do us a favor and close the door behind you on your way out?” Without words, I summoned strength to rise to my feet. Battered and beaten to silence, I walked out and closed the door, leaving them to their activities. In this case, there was absolutely nothing I could do but obey like an obedient dog. Everything screamed that I packed the few belongings I had and scram as far as I could from Noah to save myself from further humiliation but the cruel fate that awaited me if I dared rang in my head. I had no other option than to stay and endure the humiliation until something good happened or so I believed. Fast-forward to a week later. I was home alone. Kingsley was off to what he claimed to be a business trip but we knew better.I stared intently at my reflection on the bathroom mirror, oblivious to my surroundings only to realize that I had left the faucet running even after using it. The warnings — or should I say, the threats given to me by Kingsley still played in my head, over and over on a loop. It was hard to believe they came from my husband. “Your days are already numbered. I have a replacement for you since you appear to be of no use to me.” The venom in his tone was vivid and unmistakable. I rinsed my face with some water at least to clear the pressure weighing heavily on my head. The sensation did not disappear, instead intensified, making me feel nauseous. “Oh, for f**k’s sake. What's wrong with me?” I touched my forehead and It was boiling over. “A checkup won't hurt.” I cleaned up and headed to the hospital in my car for a quick checkup. My platinum card made me bypass the small crowd at the reception and quickly underwent some tests. I was taken to a private room and asked to wait patiently for the results.