The Billionaire's Plus Sized Redemption

Olivia pov "Who is she, Damian?" The words came out small, but they filled the quiet kitchen. I stood by the marble island, holding a small piece of paper. My hands shook so badly that the paper rattled like a dry leaf. It was a receipt from the Grand Aurora Hotel, dated last night. It listed a room service dinner for two and a bottle of expensive champagne. Damian had told me he was working late at Carter Innovations. Damian did not look up from his tablet right away. He took a slow sip of his black coffee. He looked perfect, as he always did. His dark blond hair was combed neatly. His designer suit had no wrinkles. When he finally looked at me, his blue eyes were bright and warm. He smiled his famous magazine-cover smile. "Olivia, sweetheart, you are letting your imagination run away with you again," he said. His voice was smooth and calm. "It was a business dinner. I had to entertain an investor from out of town. You know how important these new acquisitions are for the company." "The receipt says room service, Damian," I said. I forced my voice to stay steady, even though my heart was hammering against my ribs. "It has your personal credit card number on it. And I found this in your coat pocket." I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. I opened it. Inside sat a gold bracelet with a diamond charm. I did not wear gold. I had not received a gift from him in years. Damian’s smile stayed on his face, but his eyes turned completely cold. The warmth left his expression so fast it made me catch my breath. It was like watching a window freeze over in a split second. "You went through my pockets," he said. He set his coffee cup down on the marble counter. The ceramic made a sharp, clicking sound against the stone. "I was putting your coat away," I whispered. "The box fell out. Why are you buying diamond bracelets, Damian? Who is she?" Damian stood up from the stool. He was tall, over six feet, and he used his height to crowd my space. He walked around the island until he stood right in front of me. The sweet smell of his expensive cologne filled the air. It made my stomach twist into a tight knot. "You need to drop this, Olivia," he said. His voice was lower now, stripped of all the charm he used on the world outside. "You are making a fool of yourself. You always do this when you get anxious." "I am not letting it go," I said. I looked up at him, my vision blurring with tears. For seven years, I had stayed quiet. I had stayed home like he wanted. I had stopped working. I had let him take over our bank accounts. I had listened when he told me I was too messy, too loud, or too careless. But looking at the velvet box in my hand, something broke. "I know you are seeing someone else. I know about the others, too. I cannot keep doing this. I cannot pretend everything is fine." Damian reached out and grabbed my wrist. His grip was tight, his fingers digging into my skin. "I said, drop it." "No!" I cried out. I tried to pull my arm back, but he held on tight. "Let go of me, Damian! Just tell me the truth for once!" "The truth?" Damian laughed. It was a sharp, mean sound that echoed off the high kitchen ceiling. He squeezed harder, and a dull ache spread up my forearm. "You want the truth, Olivia? You cannot handle the truth. You live in a fantasy world." "You are lying to me," I said, tears finally spilling over my cheeks. "You have been lying to me for years. Every time you stay out late, every time you hide your phone. I am your wife. I deserve to know." "You deserve what I give you," Damian snapped. He threw my hand down, knocking the velvet box out of my fingers. The gold bracelet slid across the hardwood floor and stopped near the refrigerator. "Look at yourself. You are tracking my receipts like a crazy person. Do you think I want to come home to this? To you?" "I only wanted a real marriage," I said. I pressed my hands against my apron, trying to stop the shaking. "I loved you, Damian. I gave up my job for you. I stayed away from my parents because you said they were bad for us. I did everything you asked." "And look how much better off you are," Damian said, stepping even closer. He tilted his head, looking down at my body with pure disgust. "You think you could have survived out there without me? Look at you, Olivia. You have let yourself go completely. You are fat. You are soft. You spend all day in this house doing nothing, and then you have the nerve to question me?" "My weight has nothing to do with you cheating on me!" I shouted. It was the loudest I had spoken in years. The sound of my own voice shocked me. Damian’s face darkened. The skin around his jaw tightened until his bones showed white. "Do not raise your voice to me in my own house." "It is my house too," I said, though my voice cracked on the last word. "You did not pay for a single brick of this place," Damian said. He raised his hand. I saw the movement and flinched, pulling my shoulders up to protect my head. But I was not fast enough. His hand came down hard against the side of my face.