CHAPTER 2
1289 Words
Laura’s Point of View
MARK. FREAKING. HUGHES.
Billionaire. Hotel owner. Karen’s father.
The man I was supposed to avoid like the plague.
I slapped both hands over my mouth. “OH MY GOD!!!”
His eyes cracked open. “Hmm?”
“WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST DO?!”
My heart was pounding terribly.
“Mark Hughes?!”
I screamed again. This time louder. More dramatic. I even slapped my face for good measure.
Mark stared at me from the bed, half-awake and confused.
“You—you—you’re Karen’s dad?! The Mark Hughes?!”
He blinked. “Do I know you?”
I nearly passed out. “I cleaned your elevator buttons yesterday! I’m— Oh God, I’m the Top Dawg hotel cleaner. And I just—I just—SLEPT WITH THE OWNER OF THE ENTIRE BUILDING!”
Mark sat up slowly, brushing a hand through his tousled dark hair. “I remember you now. You were screaming in the hallway last night.”
“Because I was being drugged and chased!” I snapped.
He just stared at me without saying a word. It seemed like he had not fully recovered from the alcohol.
I clutched the sheets around me like a nun at confession. “Listen, last night... was a huge mistake. I don’t even know how it happened. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I—I have a husband.”
That seemed to sober him up instantly.
“You’re married?”
“Yes!” I cried. “And if anyone ever finds out about this, I’m finished. My life is already a disaster—I don’t need this sprinkled on top like some sick billionaire cherry!”
Mark tilted his head and studied me. “Relax. I’m not trying to ruin your life.”
He got out of bed—fully naked. I shrieked and looked away.
“Oh, for crying out loud,” he muttered, pulling on his pants. Then, he walked over to his drawer, pulled out a shiny black credit card, and tossed it on the bed beside me.
“Take it,” he said. “Use it for whatever you need. Consider it... compensation.”
I looked at the card like it was cursed. “Are you serious right now?! I’m not a p********e!”
“I didn’t say you were.”
“You just offered me a card like I was some charity case with benefits!”
Mark folded his arms. “I’m trying to help you.”
“Well, don’t!”
I threw the card back at him like it burned my fingers. “All I want is for this to never be mentioned again. Ever. Not a word. Not even a whisper. Let’s both forget this happened.”
He picked the card off the floor, shrugged, and muttered, “Suit yourself.”
I got dressed in record time, practically tripped on my jeans, and stormed out of the suite like my hair was on fire.
—
The cab ride home felt like one long panic attack. My heart was pounding. My palms were sweating. My brain was running through all the possible lies I could tell Jerry.
“I got stuck at work?”
“No, too basic.”
“I slept at Clara’s place?”
“No, he hates Clara.”
“I was kidn*pped by aliens and then rescued by a magical billionaire who coincidentally fathered my co-worker?!”
Yeah. That one would land me in a coffin.
I clutched my bag to my chest as the cab pulled up to our apartment. My heart was racing for no reason—well, actually, for every reason.
“Ma’am, are you alright?” the cab driver asked.
I gave him a weak smile. “Nope.”
I pushed the door open and stepped out. The hallway smelled like cheap cologne and burnt toast.
I took the stairs two at a time and reached our apartment. My key was already in hand. I unlocked the door... and heard it.
Moaning.
Loud, obnoxious moaning.
I froze. My brain refused to register what I was hearing.
I took one step in.
Then two.
I walked into the living room... and what I saw made my chest burn.
Karen.
Jerry.
My couch.
Karen, legs wrapped around my husband like he was some carnival ride. Jerry, grunting like a wild animal in heat.
I didn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. My body went numb.
My eyes burned.
My heart cracked into microscopic pieces.
Tears slid down my cheeks without warning.
Karen let out a dramatic sigh and smacked Jerry’s chest. “You’re not focusing. Listen. I’ll get you money from my dad— a lot of money. All you need to do is dump that useless wife of yours. She's baggage. She’s never going to get you the life you should be living.”
Jerry laughed. “She’s already half-dumb. You should’ve seen her sobbing when we fought last week. I almost pitied her. Almost.”
Karen giggled. “Then do it. Get rid of her. Let’s start our own life.”
I took one shaky step back, ready to turn and run, when—
“Laura?”
I spun around. My mother stood there in the doorway, struggling on her crutches, a small grocery bag dangling from her wrist.
“Mama—” I whispered.
She stepped in, her face confused. “What’s going on?”
Karen and Jerry suddenly froze. Jerry scrambled to grab his boxers. Karen didn’t even bother. She looked me dead in the eye and smirked.
“Oh. Hi, Laura. Didn’t see you there.”
I wanted to scream. Slap her. Rip out her extensions. But I couldn’t move.
Jerry muttered, “This isn’t what it looks like—”
“Oh shut up!” I snapped, finally finding my voice. “You were inside her like a damn sandwich filling, Jerry!”
Karen rolled her eyes and turned to my mom. “You know, you’re such a burden to her. If you weren’t here, Laura could have a chance at being someone. Why don’t you do her a favor and just die already?”
“What?” I gasped.
“Karen,” Jerry warned, tugging her arm.
She jerked away. “No! If we want to be together, we have to clean up our messes. Starting with her.” She pointed at my mother like she was roadkill.
My mother looked from Karen to Jerry, her lips trembling. “Laura... is this true? Are they serious?”
I ran to her side and wrapped my arms around her. “Don’t listen to them, Mama. Please. Just go to your room. Please.”
She nodded shakily and turned to leave, but Jerry suddenly blocked her path.
“Move,” I growled.
He didn’t.
I shoved him so hard he stumbled.
“Touch her, and I swear to God, I’ll bury you with a spoon.”
Jerry stared at me like he didn’t recognize me. “You’re making a big mistake.”
“No,” I said, tears spilling. “You did.”
Karen grabbed her purse and walked to the door like she was walking a damn red carpet. “Don’t worry, babe,” she told Jerry with a wink. “I’ll talk to Daddy and get that money. We’ll be rich by the weekend.”
As they walked out, Jerry turned to me. “It’s over. I want a divorce.”
“Go to hell,” I whispered.
But he just smiled.
He shut the door behind him.
I collapsed to the floor and screamed into my palms. As though it had triggered my mom, she collapsed as well, her arm dropping lifeless to the floor.
- Writer
