THE WIFE HE REJECTED

CHAPTER ONE – ANDREA Everything was perfect. The balloon arch. The cake with Liam’s favorite cartoon character piped in blue frosting. The cupcakes with sprinkles. The tiny crowns and party favors. I even put his name on a banner that curved over the main hall like I'd promised. He’d waited all week. “Will Daddy come?” he asked me, again and again. I told him yes. I told him everyone would come. But they didn't. By five o’clock, Liam was pacing near the window, shoes polished, his little crown tilting on his little head. By six, his arms were folded, the corners of his mouth turned down, his eyes shining in that way that told me he was close to breaking. By seven, I couldn't take it anymore. I started calling. Aunt Cecelia was “at a silent spa retreat” and couldn’t speak longer than thirty seconds. Uncle Rhett had “a critical call with Japan.” His grandmother said, “The child’s always sick, Andrea. Do you really expect us to gather around for a child that could suddenly pass out in the middle of his own party?” My heart sank at her harsh words. “Let the child rest. When he's better we'll celebrate.” Hurt and disappointed, I tried Xander last. He picked up after the fourth ring, sounding immediately impatient. “What?” “Xander did you forget? It’s Liam’s birthday today.” “And?” I swallowed. “He’s been waiting all day.” “I’m in the middle of a very important meeting, Andrea. I'll speak to him whenever I get home.” “He asked you to come. You said you would.” “That was before my day got busy! What do you expect me to do when there's an important client on the line.” He spat harshly. “You’re his father, Xander...” I said tearfully. He may not love me but our son didn't deserve this. A pause then a low sigh. “You know what, Andrea? Maybe it’s time he stops expecting things from people. It'll hurt less.” He hung up. My hand trembled as I lowered the phone. I turned to look at Liam. He was curled up on the couch now, crown sliding off his hair, one hand still clinging to the teddy bear he refused to sleep without. Tears were quietly rolling down his now red cheeks.He looked so small and fragile and pitiful and I felt wounded on his behalf. Something inside me cracked. The Hillson's can hate me all they want. Xander can despise me for being shackled to him on this sham of a marriage just because of a merger, but Liam is innocent. I walked out the door without even grabbing a coat. --- The Hillson Tower gleamed like a dagger under the city lights, tall and imposing. I parked my sports car, handing the keys to the valet before heading for the reception I took the private elevator straight up. The reception was empty and so was his secretary's desk. It was late at night so they probably already went home for the night. So why was he still here? Faint noises emamared from the hallway as I approached the door to Xander’s office. The glass wall was opaque but I could see faint shadows dancing across it so I pushed the door open. And froze. Her dress was bunched at her waist, my husband's shirt was unbuttoned exposing his chest. Her palms were flat against his desk, nails dragging across the wood as his hands gripped her hips while he kept thrusting passionately. The sound of skin against skin echoed louder than my heartbeat. And the face that turned toward me—smirking, flushed, utterly unbothered—was Amy. Amy, his secretary. Amy, my step-sister. The woman who grew up in my house, shared my father's name despite not being blood related. We were never best friends but we could tolerate each other at the very least. With mom, and then dad gone,she's basically my only family. And now? She was moaning my husband’s name with her mouth parted in ecstacy and her eyes locked on mine with a mischievous glint in them. She didn’t even flinch. She tilted her head back and groaned louder. Her nails dug into his shoulders as if to mark him. Xander saw me too. And did. Not. Stop. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t blink. I just gaped at them like a moron. Amy finally climbed off him with a satisfied exhale, pulled her dress down like she had all the time in the world, and walked right up to me. “So sorry you had to find out this way,” she said, brushing my shoulder as she passed. “I told him we should’ve locked the door.” The door clicked shut behind her. I stood there, trembling as I tried to wrap my mind around what I'd just seen. Xander reached for a glass of bourbon and sipped like he hadn't been balls deep in another woman seconds ago. “Don’t look at me like that,” he said. “It's really disturbing.” “Disturbing?!” My voice rang out. “I just caught you having s*x with Amy in your office!” “Andrea please, stop with the dramatics. Why show up unannounced?” “I can't believe this. You're slee—Xander, how long has this been going on?” my mind was reeling, drawing up memories of all the times he had been “working late”. “Does it matter?” “Yes! It matters because I'm your wife. The mother of your son. Even after everything you and your family put me through, I stayed and this is how you reward me?” I was so broken hearted, my words coming out in pained whispers. He leaned back against his desk with a look of disdain. “You stayed because you don’t have anywhere else to go, Andrea.” “No. I stayed because I believed one day you'd finally look at me with anything other than disgust, Xander. I thought… maybe you’d remember how things were when we had Liam. It's been five years already.” He scoffed. “Oh please we both know that was never going to happen. This marriage is nothing but a sham and you brought me no benefits. You even turned our to be a fake heiress.” Tears stung my eyes. “I've done nothing but love you.” “I didn’t ask you to.” “And Liam? Is he nothing to you?” His jaw ticked but he said nothing. I stepped forward. “Say something, Xander.” Instead, he drained his glass before looking me dead in the eye, “I want a divorce.” The floor tilted under me. “No...” “Yes.” “You don’t mean that.” He laughed humorlessly “Oh I really do.” “You can’t—” “Aren't you tired, Andrea?!” he yelled, interrupting me. “I know you are so stop clinging to false hope. I'm tired too. Tired of being chained to a sickly child and a woman I'll neverlove.” I recoiled. “And Amy? You love her? Is that what this is about?” tears were falling uncontrollably now. “Oh don't drag your sister into this, she's the only reason I've endured being with you for so long. I'll give you one week to think about it.” I didn’t remember leaving. Just the sound of the music playing somewhere far below the lobby. The cold rush of wind as the elevator doors closed. The feeling of my heart cracking in real time.