Her Conditional Marriage: Bound by Will

Game on

NOEL

I sat paralyzed, staring at the framed blueprint hanging directly across from me. I’d walked past it every day for years. The artist had included a small, stylized compass rose in the corner of the minimalist sketch I thought was just an office décor. The ‘N’ for North was replaced with his company’s logo.

The logo sat at the center of the world and everything, every road led back to it. How had I been so gullible to never understand? The sudden jarring strike of the clock broke my thoughts and instinctively diverted my gaze to it. 11 PM. 11 PM and he wasn’t back yet. He was at work, like always.

I was delusional to think things would change at the last minute. I stared at the divorce papers spread out on the table in front of me, took a deep breath and made the final decision to append my signature. Somehow, I had hoped he would show up and we would talk things out and maybe, just maybe, I wouldn’t need to sign it.

For three years, I had been a ghost in my own marriage. It’s quite safe to say I was married to myself. Sleeping alone, eating alone, doing everything alone. Every day felt like a mockery to my life. Our company had been going through a crisis and somehow, my father and his grandfather believed getting married would save our company.
Even then, he was distant but polite.

I was embarrassed to say I wanted the union and hoped love would grow. Yet again, he had proved me wrong. I set the pen down and reached for the rings. The engagement ring caught the light. Three carats. It had been bought by his assistant who probably knew his taste better than I ever would, definitely because they spent more time together than we have.

Our wedding ring was simpler. It was platinum engraved with our wedding date. The same date he couldn’t remember, not when a friend casually asked, not when it was our wedding anniversary, not during a game.

My suitcase was already by the door. I had stayed up last night to pack it up. It was just one suitcase. I had moved most of my things to the apartment above the women’s shelter where I volunteered. The cramped paint-peeling space felt more like home than this place had felt in a long time.

At least I mattered there. They knew my name and my voice; I wasn’t invisible to them.

I couldn’t return home. I knew what Dad’s stance would be, but I was tired of this whole drama. This cage. I stood up, smoothing my pajamas and stood right there for a minute, gently rubbing the spot the rings used to be.

Tears stung in my eyes. Despite everything, I had fallen in love with this man. Not the tech genius who had built an empire before thirty, the billionaire grazing magazines. I had instead fallen in love with this man whose jaw tightened when he was trying to think through a problem, the one who had a beautiful smile when business deals went through. Those smiles were never directed at me, yet I still fell hopelessly in love.

I summoned the courage to sign the papers when I suddenly heard voices approaching the study. It was that of Xavier and a woman, laughing so loudly as though she wanted me to hear her voice.

For reasons I couldn’t name, my heart skipped a beat and I hurriedly tucked the papers into the drawers before hiding behind a curtain. I had barely hidden when the door flung open and Xavier’s cologne filled the air, followed by a feminine scent.

“So....” She started in a sultry voice. “Shall we go upstairs?”

I had even been more foolish than I thought. Business wasn’t the only thing holding him back from seeing or wanting to be with me. He had a mistress! Someone he loved who was obviously not me.

Her back was turned to me so I couldn’t see her face from where I hid, but I could see her hand lazily resting on his chest as she sat on the arm of his chair.

“I’m married, Veronica.” I heard Xavier say. “This is inappropriate.”

“Please...” The woman answered. “Everyone knows that marriage is a joke. Even your so-called wife knows this. You don’t even wear your ring anymore!”

“That doesn’t mean I am available.”

There was a deep silence and all I heard next was the sound of heels, moving towards the exit. He said he wasn’t available? Did he... did he care about me?

She had barely left when Xavier walked out as well, relief flooding my veins. I scurried to the drawer to grab out the papers when my eyes caught something else. It was an invitation. An elegant invitation for a private charity auction tomorrow night at the Grandland Hotel. The same hotel where we had spent our ‘wedding night’.

I recognized several names on the list, including Xavier’s name and “Xavier Russell + Guest’. Perhaps, a more dignifying word for mistress? My eyes caught the handwritten notepaper clipped to the invitation.

‘Darling, I’ve set the penthouse suit for us after. Finally, time to make this official? -V.

My blood ran cold as the wordings echoed in my mind.

V..... Vincent? No, Vincent was the name of a man, and then, it hit me. Vivienne! It had to be her. She was the daughter of Xavier’s business partner. Rumors had circulated about their union for long yet I had dismissed it because I believed he was simply married to his work and had no affair.

Of course, we had nothing to offer him anymore. He had to jump to the next big thing. Was that why he wanted a divorce? No, this was entirely my idea. He’d barely reacted to our dying marriage. Unless....

A thin smile found its way to my lips. I guess two can play the game.