Chapter 3
762 Words
The words stung like someone had punched her straight in the gut.
Even though she had seen this coming ever since she discovered she was nothing but a substitute wife for her husband’s first love, it still shattered her heart without mercy.
She had at least expected a better way for their marriage to end. This was cliché, wicked, disrespectful. and she hated the way her chest twisted in pain, the way he didn’t seem to care that he was hurting her.
This explained all the late nights he had been keeping for the last two months.
Laurie-Ann glanced at Ethan.
“You couldn’t even take her to a hotel room?” she asked, her hands trembling.
He had the decency to look remorseful, but it lasted only about five seconds before his face contoured into a snarl.
“You weren’t supposed to come home this early.” He said it was the perfect explanation for his infidelity.
“I think it's perfect timing, my love.” Jane stepped forward, “You were going to divorce her by the end of the month, weren’t you? This just makes things move a little faster.” she smirked. “No reason to keep her around when the original is here.” She rubbed his chest. The sight made Laurie-Ann vision blur with emotion especially since she had never been this close to Ethan for months now.
Laurie-Ann was not a violent woman, but she couldn’t help, but feel the urge to slap her across the face. How could someone be so shameless? And how could Ethan be so blind? This was the woman he wanted to be with?
A woman that left him for another man for the sake of her career?
Yes, she did her research after she had found out about her two weeks ago. She never even thought she would be back, at least not this early.
No wonder he never allowed her to pursue acting. It wasn’t because he was protecting her from the industry like he always said, it was because the one, and only woman he had ever loved had left him, and he didn’t want a repeat of that from the copy of the same woman.
“I see. You already have it all planned out.” Laurie-Ann said, her calm and smooth voice, a huge contrast to the storm brewing in her chest. She wanted to cry, scream, but what good would that do, but give them the satisfaction they had broken her.
Her mother always used to say this to her before she passed away.
“You can’t break invisible tears.”
“Yes, we have. We have been planning this for months, and you are welcome to take your things. Ethan will get the divorce papers ready by the end of the week, and don’t even bother trying to play any games. We have the best lawyers, and we will make sure you don’t get a dime more than we are willing to give.”
“I would like to hear the words from my husband, Jane.” She gritted, her hands curling into fists beside her.
“Husband?” Jane scoffed. “Don’t be cocky. You were merely business partners, a convenient copy of me to warm his bed while I was away. The only problem was that you were blind to it. You should have left when you had the chance.”
Ethan stepped forward just as she was about to respond.
“You knew this was coming. I want you out of this house by the end of the week. I'll get my lawyers to compensate you for your time as my wife.”
Those words stung her so badly that before she could stop herself, her hand shot out, and slapped him across the face.
“How dare you?” She spat, her hands shaking with fury.
“Was that all I was to you?” His voice broke. “A glorified prostitute to warm your bed ?” she gritted “I loved you, Ethan, and all you ever did was lie to me. f**k you, and your compensation. I don’t need it.”
Ethan was frozen in place as he held his cheeks that were now stinging. In the three and half years he had been with her, she had never spoken to him like this before, not to mention hit him.
“You b***h! How dare you slap my husband to be!” Jane marched forward, already raising her hands to return favor. But Ethan stopped her.
- Writer
