Chapter 25: Divorce
1319 Words
It was like any other day for Jessica. Any other mundane, gloomy, Wednesday. She had reached the hotel bright and early (except it had not been bright at all outside). She had changed into her work clothes and grabbed the cleaning trolley and started her rounds.
Jessica seemed to be on autopilot, going through the cleaning without really paying attention; her repetitive routine saving her from the lack of attention.
Jessica decided to leave the penthouse suite for last; however, the turn came quickly – too quickly for Jessica to stomach. Her heart pounded as she went up the elevator to the last floor – his floor. Her feet seemed to drag as she neared his door. She prayed to God he was not in the room even though it was the opposite of what she wanted. She needed him to be there so she could carry out the plan she had so meticulously thought out last night. She had been up all night because of it, God damn it!
Jessica squared her shoulders and knocked on the door.
"Housekeeping!"
It was not even a second later that a voice came through the door, “Come in!”
Jessica walked in strongly; however, she lost her nerve when she saw him sitting on the sofa. He did not look up, which Jessica was thankful for, as she grabbed the items and started cleaning. Thankfully, the room was pretty tidy, so she finished quickly. Before she walked towards the bathroom, Jessica stopped and gingerly rolled the rag between her fingers.
Should she talk to him now or later? She asked herself.
She did not have to wait for an answer too long.
“What is it?” Roger asked indifferently. “What do you need?”
Jessica flinched, how the hell did he know that she was standing there to talk to him!? Jessica turned around and stared at him.
Is this what she really wanted? Should she do it? Could she say it?
Jessica thought back to her conversation with Aaron in the car yesterday and the time she spent with Evan last night playing. He had wanted her to make puppets with her so her mother and go to the store and bought origami paper. They had played almost the whole evening, making silly animals' noises, and trying to outdo one another.
“Roger, I want a divorce!” Jessica finally blurted, now wringing the rang tighter in her hands.
Roger stilled for a minute and looked up at Jessica impassively as if trying to decipher the storm going on in her mind.
Jessica bit her lip as Roger looked back down at his work without any expression.
“Okay.” He then spoke up.
Jessica’s eyes widened, “Okay?” She repeated in a confused tone.
Roger quickly glanced at Jessica again. “If you want a divorce, go to the court and get the papers.”
"Why don't you go to court?" Jessica retorted. A feeling of anger rushed through her at Roger's response. Okay!? Just okay!? That is all he was going to say. No questions!? Nothing? He was not going to…ask why? He was going to agree with this easily!?
"Why should I go to court? You're the one that wants the divorce," Roger replied coldly.
“You’re agreeing to it! You…” Jessica replied angrily.
Roger interrupted her, “But I don’t want to divorce.”
Jessica was panting in pent up anger and frustration, but Roger’s response made her pause. What!? Did she hear right?
“Why?” She never believed that he loved her. So why would he not want this divorce? What was he getting out of this marriage?
Roger stared at her for a few seconds; Jessica could not decipher his look. Within a few seconds, however, his face changed and transformed into the same cold smirk that was always transfixed on his face.
“Why you ask?” Roger sneered. “I want to be able to see your face when you realize the enormity of being trapped with one person – the person you hate. Because I will make you hate me. This…” Roger gestured to her staring at her up and down. “This is just the start!”
Jessica glared at him in frustration. After everything, after all the change he had noticed in him, this was how he was going to continue to treat her?
“You’re surprised, aren’t you?” Roger asked in a low voice. Jessica could detect a hint of regret in his tone.
“What you did to me three years ago…” Roger shuddered and closed his eyes. “You destroyed everything. Everything that my family and I had built from the ground up. You destroyed it within a few seconds. And then you left as if you were too guilty to see the fallout. You did not even stay behind to watch how we struggled, how we were left with nothing! No! You left and went about your merry way leaving destruction behind you."
Jessica shivered as she listened to Roger’s account of what had happened three years ago. He was right; she had been too much of a coward to stay behind and watch everything. Because deep down she knew what she did was wrong, unethical, and completely immoral. She had no right to destroy someone else’s life like that.
“Do you know what you did to my family? Do you know what you did to my sister and her husband? Do you know because of YOU, there is now a child without his parents?” Roger growled.
Jessica could do nothing but look down at the floor in guilt and shock. Of course, she had heard what had happened to Roger's sister. Her heart had ached for the sweet little boy that had run into his uncle's arms the day of their wedding.
“Do you know my sister and her husband were going to the court that day? To try and figure out the mess YOU left behind? Do you know the driver that killed them ran a red light?” Roger shook his head angrily. “The police had said they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. A senseless death!”
“Because of you Jessica Brown! Because of you! If nothing had happened, they would not be going anywhere that day! They would be right here in this world, with their son, instead of six feet underground!”
Jessica closed her eyes as anguish overtook her. Tears were flowing freely down her face. She felt extremely sorrowful and she wanted to tell Roger that she had no choice at that time. She had not expected things would play out this way. If she had known…if only she had known how many lives would be affected, she never would have acted out the way she did! But it is too late now Jess, a voice spoke in her mind. It is too late.
“So, you see why I do not want a divorce?” Roger hoarsely spoke in a sarcastic tone. “I want you to feel the same way that I felt!” Then, Roger burst out laughing.
Jessica stared at him in confusion. Was he going mad?
"Oh, man! What am I saying!? You can never feel the same way I felt but God damn it I will make sure you come close!" Roger finished with an eerie smile.
Jessica swallowed and stared back at him not having the energy to say anything in response. What could she say anyway? She could say nothing to defend herself. Because every word he spoke was true.
She did deserve everything that he would give her.
- Writer
