The cursed aplha's peace offering

Crossed Lines

Addison

“You two are fired!” a deep voice thundered from behind me. “You have five minutes to pack your things before I call security.”

“What, what do you mean we are fired? Why?”

“You have four minutes, thirty seconds left,” Matthew said as he checked his watch.

“You can't just fire us without reason, there are laws protecting employees from things like this!”

“Then sue me. Let's take this to court, I would really love to teach you both a lesson.”

“I’m really sorry, ma'am,” the girl who asked if Hunter and I were married, begged, immediately falling to her knees. “I meant no disrespect.”

“But you disrespected her anyway. She's your boss, she owns half of this gallery,” Matthew said, clenching his fist tightly. I could tell he was pissed off.

“It's okay, Matt, let them be.”

“No, it's not. I'm going to call security now, because you two must be deaf.”

“Sir, please, my family will starve without my salary.”

“What's your name?” I asked.

“Anna, ma'am. I'm so sorry for what I said.”

“It's fine, you can leave.”

She got up and scurried away. The second girl, who didn't apologise or show any remorse for what she said, tried to leave with her.

“I don't remember asking you to leave,” I said to her.

“That's literally what you just said!”

“Yeah, to Anna, not you. You are fired.”

“You are power-tripping. Since when do people get fired for stating the obvious?”

“You can call security now, Matt.”

“I already did. Come on, let's go,” he said, holding my hand as he walked me back to my office.

“You're okay?” Matt asked as I collapsed onto my couch.

“Sure, it's not like this is the first time something like this has happened,” I lied.

“Yeah, it still doesn't make it right.”

“I am fine, Matthew. I just need to rest. Can you excuse me? I want some alone time.”

“Alright, I'll be in my office if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Matty.”

“That's a silly nickname,” he huffed.

“I don't care, I like it,” I said, sticking my tongue out like a child.

When he left, I brought out my phone and googled my husband's name. All the recent articles popped up, and my stomach dipped again for various reasons.

One, my in-laws are going to blame me for this. Every time Hunter gets photographed by the paparazzi for cheating on me, the company's stock drops, Mr. Arthur hates that. As for Mrs. Arthur, she believes there must be something wrong with me. Surely that's why her hot-blooded son has lived with me for nine years and not fallen in love with me. My parents always said there is a fine line between love and hate, I think my in-laws have crossed that line without even knowing.

Two, I actually like Hunter. I wouldn't go as far as to call it love, but I do have feelings for him, and he knows. It started from trying to please him. I felt guilty that he didn't have a choice in picking a partner, so I did everything exactly how he wanted. It progressed into trying to get his attention. I would dye my hair blonde because he liked blondes, I would lose weight to look like the models he frequently went on dates with. I even wore only red clothes for an entire month because that was his favourite colour, and it worked. I did get his attention, just not the kind I wanted. There was really nothing to not like about him. He is handsome, intelligent, wealthy, but most importantly, he was caring, to those he loved anyway. I saw how he treated the women he dated, his friends, his siblings. I wanted him to treat me that way too. In the process of all this, what started as a little crush became full-blown feelings.

“It's one cheating scandal after another, the Arthur Group heir must have never heard of a divorce,” another article said.

I checked Kiera’s i********: page without thinking. She had black hair like mine, although hers was pixie short. She looked nothing like Hunter’s former girlfriends, and that worried me. What if he actually loves her? What if he asks for a divorce because he wants to be with her? My mind wouldn't stop spiralling.

A loud sound snapped me back to my senses. I looked around, trying to figure out where it was coming from, and saw my phone. It was a call from my mother-in-law.

“This is going to be a long night,” I sighed.

I made my way to the ground floor. I had already asked Matthew for a drive back home. I didn't feel like calling a cab, and I never learned how to drive after my parents' accident.

The drive back was quick, maybe it was because I was dreading the meeting with my in-laws. I wanted time to move slowly.

When I reached home, I could tell Hunter wasn't back yet, it was just his parents. I don't know if that's a good thing, since this was supposed to be a family meeting.

“Wow, so he drives you around now. How do you think that looks?” Mrs. Arthur asked the moment I stepped in.

“She probably doesn't think,” Mr. Arthur chuckled.

“He is just a friend, and you know that, mum,” I said. Every time I called this woman by the title that belonged to my biological mother, it left a bitter taste in my mouth, but she insisted I did so after I married her son.

He is not just a friend, he is a grown man. You are spending time with a man this late at night, what do you want people to say? That we raised you poorly? Are you cheating on my son?”

Have you not seen the news? Your son is the one constantly cheating on me. Your son is the one making a mockery of me to the public.”

I swallowed, my chest tight.

“If anyone was poorly raised, it's your son.”

I couldn't get the next sentence out.

Mr. Arthur punched me so hard, I could taste blood in my mouth.

I could see his mouth moving, but I couldn't hear a word he was saying.

My ears were ringing, loud, drowning everything else out.

I just stood there, frozen.