ANNA LIVERMORE: THE BILLIONAIRE'S OBSESSION

Chapter 3

The whole crowd was sent into a frenzy. Noise erupted in all corners of the room. The atmosphere got so thick that I couldn't have predicted how easily it influenced my saying Yes. What have I just done? The pace of it all gripped me unexpectedly. Was he saying all this just to sleep with me?

Though I had my eyes elsewhere, this proposal was a huge opportunity. Being a practical girl, who came from nothing, I knew if I did go through with this, I would be able to live the life I wanted for myself and my sister, though that meant I would give in to him. I needed to consider my options carefully. I guess you could say I have already made my decision. Though it seemed an unexpected union, he expressed how important it was for him that I began to see him in a different light. He seemed to truly be in love with me, I thought.

I should say, however, that my peculiar predicament hadn't been the only reason I had said yes. Moments before he had gotten down on one knee, his gestures and conversations with me during those intervals where I was being introduced to several dignitaries showed something that I must admit tilted my notion of him. He had told me firsthand about Trisha and his ordeal with her.

That was exactly what he called it - an ordeal. It turns out Trisha was way worse than the rumors suggested. She had manipulated him unconscionably in affection and financial resources. I was stunned to find that his heart was gentle and kind but that he had to put up a facade as he felt he needed no one's sympathy. He also reinstated his everlasting affection towards me and when I asked about all his indecent advances towards me, he dropped my jaw.

"See Anna" he started, "I'm sure a woman like you pretty much doesn't want to be with a man like me. I've seen it unequivocally in your eyes... Anna, whenever I am reminded that I am never going to be more than a Boss to you, it pisses me off... genuinely. Anna, I ache to see you every day, the way you walk into my office with such unparalleled magnificence...it hurts to know I'll never wrap my hands around you... and because of that, I treated you that way... I thought if I remained incessant in my objectification of you, you'd decide to leave the company...then I wouldn't have to see you... I wouldn't have to ache so much "

I'm pretty sure my pupils dilated a little when he finished, something inside turned completely towards him and I wanted to throw myself at him. Anyway, I was able to delay the wedding until after the surgery. It was a successful one and Dollar was scheduled to recover in no time. The wedding was outstanding. It took place on a yacht in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. It was truly a beautiful event, everything was perfect. That night, when it finally was just the two of us in the room, I expected him to come at me. After all, I was now his wife, but he had done the opposite. Over a bottle of Chardonnay, we had a conversation that spanned the entire night. I got to know him, at least I thought I did at the time.

For about two good months, my life was blissful. For the first time, it seemed as though I had it all. Love, money, security, fame, and status. My life was good. I was married to one of the richest people on God's green earth, and he was head over heels in love with me. What more could I ask for? Our connection was so intoxicating that we DID it everywhere.

Open verandas, restaurant restrooms, back of his SUV, on boats, in his office, heck! For our first month anniversary, he had taken me on a submarine cruise, and guess what? We did it there too, underwater. It was arguably one of the best moments of my life.

Despite all the affection he showered on me, mine was only skin deep. I tried to shrug it off, but it wouldn't go away. I spent weeks hating myself that I wasn't contented. That I wanted more - that I wanted Eli. But I was sure to avoid him (Eli). Although we had many opportunities to meet and chat, I always tried to excuse myself. But the more I avoided him, the more I thought about him - the more I dreamt of him.

One day, I told Ashen that I wanted to start a little firm - a cosmetics company. I obviously could no longer work as his secretary, so I decided to do something of my own. He engulfed and yelled fervently at me. You'd think I had cheated on him.

"Why are you so pissed all of a sudden?" I inquired.

"Why don't you ask Eli?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused. How the matter landed on the topic of his brother confounded me with such gripping force, I must admit.

"For several nights now, you have been mentioning his name in your sleep..." He said, staring deep into my eyes "What do you have to say about that?"

The conversation progressed negatively afterward as he proclaimed his distaste for my a******y. Can you imagine? a******y? He said I had been cheating on him. He even went as far as to say that every time we did it, I was thinking of Eli. I was deeply hurt by this.

He wasn't lying about the dream-talking though (I have been accused of that in the past by my little sister), but on the other hand, hell no. The fact that Eli was still in my mind puzzled me with frustration. Sometimes, whenever I made those excuses to rid myself of Eli's company, I'd be so rude to him that he'd become so embarrassed. I wanted to keep my marriage, but my heart was elsewhere. I tried to explain to him that it wasn't Eli that I spoke of just to save my marriage and my sanity, but I didn't succeed. How could I be so ungrateful? What is wrong with me?

He (Ashen) then began to withdraw from me drastically. It grew more and more, even onto the borders of separate topics. Finances, PDAs, at a time he didn't come home for a whole week, and when I asked him about it, he gaslighted me into thinking it was all my fault, so much so that I felt obligated to appease him.

So, I went to the office to surprise him. When I got to the office, something peculiar was happening, there were loud s*x moans around the office, and the office workers all bent their heads in unison, signaling that there was nothing they could do to stop the sound. And indeed, they couldn't. Ashen was having s*x in his office and no one could stop him. They wouldn't want to lose their jobs. I was perplexed but made my way into his office. And there Ashen stood, humping another lady. How could he?

Not only was I now married to a partner who had no plans of being faithful, but I was married to one who would carelessly cheat on me but wouldn't allow me to have thoughts that he disproved of. Sure, a woman should not think of anyone else but her husband, but I have tried to talk to him but the very fact that Eli was the one in question angered him all the more.

Thus, it began, it hadn't even been four months since we got married, that he started to drive me mad. He would openly disregard our marriage vows and simultaneously lock me up inside. I was not to go anywhere, I was to always be at his side, I was not allowed to go anywhere without an escort, not to travel or shop or even pee alone. He knew everything about me. He kept a tab on every aspect of my life. I thought at first that maybe he was doing this to torture me for mentioning his brother's name while I was sleeping, but even months after I had stopped that taboo, he still didn't let go of me.

"You should get a divorce, Ann," my little sister Dollar says, but I couldn't tell her half of it. It's better if she's kept in the dark. Although she had recovered from the surgery, she has not yet fully regained her strength. The doctors suspect that due to the severity of her condition, she is better off not doing anything "severe or tough". This also goes for emotional and psychological matters. Well, I guess I'm going to suffer through this one alone, like always.

Like I said, Ashen and I still had to make public appearances together as husband and wife and I had to put up a smile whenever it was needed. But I was growing weary and rapidly too, it became more and more difficult to feign a smile and laugh at an unfunny joke. I told him this time that I hadn't the legs to go to one of his events, but truly I was just embarrassed to be seen with a man who had publicly disrespected the sanctity of our union. He was greatly vexed by this and forced me to go with him.

"I don't care how you feel inside," he said. "I don't care if you're tired or hungry or unhappy...you must be by my side at all these events and this will be the last time you'll make me say it"

I had no choice but to go. I occasionally kept out of touch with everyone during these events. Usually, I would recline myself in either a bathroom or a crowdless veranda for the better part of the night smoking cigarettes, although one of two of Ashen's aides could still be found around me (he paid people to be around me always. This has gotten to the extent where I can no longer trust anyone around me. You never know who's who). It was on one of my routine escapades that I encountered Eli again.

"Isn't he a son of a b***h" the voice pierced the quiet night.

"What are you doing here," I said, hiding my excitement.

Everything that my new life had tempted me to forget about him suddenly re-entered the air as he moved closer to me on the veranda. It seemed my mind was playing a cruel trick on me when I realized that he hadn't forgotten any of what we discussed at our first time of meeting. He rested his back such that he faced the room where all the dignitaries of the night scatteredly converged.

"I mean...look at them," he said, smiling to himself. "They'd do anything he says."

"They do look good though" I replied, matching his energy.

"Aren't you wanted elsewhere?" I continued.

"Lindsay? Nah... forget about her"

There seemed to be an undeniable attraction between both of us, but both our lives had taken different paths; I was married, and he was betrothed to his childhood sweetheart. Every time we were both silent during our conversation, it became more and more glaringly obvious. I hated this, I thought to myself, remembering how powerful an influence he had on my life. I wanted to excuse myself once again, but I didn't want to. I thought maybe if I spent just one more minute with him, just one more, then I'd tell him to go f**k himself. But let me have this one minute.

"How rich people could be so dumb still amazes me," he said, breaking one such silence again.

I laughed sheepishly.

"Ah... there it is, there's that smile I've been waiting the whole night to see.... talk to me about Dollar, how's she doing?"

"She's much better, thanks... she's not there yet, though you know"

"So why are you here then?"

I didn't know what to say to him. I didn't think there was anything that he could do to help my situation. His brother was hot-headed, and I suspect talking to him might even piss him off. I think Eli noticed it too when he started again.

"You know, Ann... can I call you Ann?"

I nodded

"You know Ann, the thing is ...it is one thing to suffer, but it's entirely different to suffer in silence. You don't have to feign a smile with me... I am sorry I wasn't quick enough to have warned you"

"You knew?"

" Oh, everyone knew... I had... I just found out you didn't know so much...if my hands weren't tied, I promise you, Ann; you wouldn't be here."

"I... you know what?"

"Yeah?"

"These days I don't think it has made much difference. Maybe I'd still have said yes. I guess I'm not innocent after all"

"You can't think like that, don't let him get a complete hold on you... he's a psychopath. "

I scuffed out a little smile

"No…no, I am serious...he is a narcissistic psychopath "he yelled out furiously.

"What do you mean? I inquired, but before he could answer, Ashen found me. He yelled from across the hall, calling for me. I’m sure he'd seen his brother too, but he had pretended to have only noticed me. As I was about to leave, Eli grabbed me by the arm.

"I shouldn't be saying so much... just take care of your will...make sure you get something...don't let him screw you out "

I wish I had spent more time with Eli. I wish I had told him those things that I couldn't share with anyone, not even my sister. I hate having to pretend that everything is fine. I hate it dearly, but fortunately, it seemed as though Eli knew, and even though it was small, it generated a sort of resistance within me. Something started brewing inside of me, a sort of outlandish scheme, and over time, when Eli and I would converse via text, I started to gain strength in the notion of this scheme. But who knows? Who knows what will happen?

Moreso, our conversation that night at the event had puzzled me so much because my contention about the fact that I could now provide for both myself and Dollar was threatened.

It was on a Saturday morning that she had poked the bear, such a foolish thing to have done, she had goaded him, trying to push his buttons, pressing every vulnerable spot she knew so well. Her words had to cut like blades, slicing through whatever patience he had in him. But for some reason, he refused to give in to any of her provocations. His anger was palpable, a tempest brewing within him.

"You think I don't know what's going on. Huh, you have become obsessed with me, you can't help it. You still want to sleep with me whenever you can...and I have always allowed you to. After all, it is my duty as your wife, but you have taken hold of my life, and you will not let go because of something I did months ago... Your obsession has driven you out of love with me," she cried.

In a moment of rage and desperation, Ashen pushed her away, violently, sending her crashing down the stairwell. The impact, the excruciating pain that followed, was all a blur. All she knew was that she woke up in a hospital bed, forever changed.

"Ann… Ann... it’s me," Ashen said, cowering over Anna, who had only just opened her eyes for the first time in months.

"Who are you?" Anna asked, confused.