Chasing Her Discarded Ex-husband

BÀD FOR YOU

ABEL BLACKWOOD'S POV

"Don't test me, Abel. I don’t want you to see that side of me that it's not meant for you. I only want you safe.”

I read the text from my ex-wife, shaking my head in disbelief. Does she even hear herself? Sometimes I wonder if she knows what kind of an entitled, arrogant control freak she is.

Another message pops up, “I need you to listen to me so I can keep you safe and protect you."

Is she trying to soften the threat from her first message? And we’re not together anymore, I’m not her responsibility. I type back. "I’m not your problem."

She’s out of her mind if she thinks I’ll let her control me now or dictate who I can see.

Before I can even put my phone down, it buzzes again.

“You are.”

Great. Arguing with her is so pointless. She has this ego, this sense of entitlement expecting everyone to fall in line with her demands.

I want to ask about what Ms. Raven told me yesterday, if it’s true she was seeing other men while we were married. But what would that change? She was with my brother during our marriage, that’s the answer I need. If she could betray me like that with my own family, who knows what else she did?

Just as I close my laptop, the doorbell rings.

I open the door to find Wensley standing there with an urgent look.

“ lWhat’s going on?” I ask, bewildered. It's f*****g eight O'clock in the morning.

“You should have your TV on!” Wensley says, pushing past me and heading for the living room.

“What’s happening on TV?” I follow anxiety creeping in.

Wensley rummages through the couch cushions for the remote. “Vanessa sterling's ex-husband Cyrus Blackwood is talking to the press.”

Again? I feel my heart race. I hope he isn't going to reveal anything about me and Vanessa, so much would go wrong if public knows that now.

Wensley clicks on the remote and an impeccably dressed Cyrus appears on the tv screen seated on a cushioned seat across from a lady host. The timer indicates ten minute of the interview has already passed.

The Caption below reads. "Cyrus Blackwood claims he never had feelings for billionairess Vanessa sterling "

"So you're telling the world that you never truly loved Vanessa Sterling? Even at the start of your marriage?" the host asks, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Cyrus smirks and leans back confidently. "Nah, never have."

That’s the biggest lie I’ve ever heard. Long even before Vanessa and I started dating, my brother was obsessed with her, expecially her beauty. He would have sacrificed anything for her, even his soul. Money was just a bonus. Vanessa was everything he ever wanted.

The host raises an eyebrow. "Well, why would you do that? Why would you marry someone you have no feelings for?"

Cyrus shrugs nonchalantly. "Because I needed stuff. I took advantage of that. She was just dumb."

Even the host seem astrouded by his answer as she gasps. I wonder if Vanessa is listening to this.

"I know most people marry billionaires for stuff and wealth, but what stuff are we talking about?" The host presses.

With a boastful grin, Cyrus replies. "I wanted the lavish lifestyle, designer clothes, luxury cars, and endless vacations. I needed that"

"And of course you knew she had money to make that all happen." the host says with a smirk.

"Of course,” Cuyrus replies with a nod.

"And why would you post pictures of your honeymoon two years after it happened? What were you trying to achieve?" the host asks.

"I wanted to stall her, keep her thinking that I loved her to get more." Cyrus says. The man is really a fool. This all the evidence Vanessa needs if the divorce goes to court and he will walk out empty handed.

The host feigns shock. "Ah, the classic 'let's keep the illusion alive' move! Very smooth!"

Cyrus shrugs with a smirk. "You know how it is, sometimes you just need to keep the peace."

The host chuckles, "So, it was all about the money! I hope Vanessa sterling has a good therapist."

She announces that they are going for a commercial break and wensley turns to me.

"See, this is your chance," Wensley exclaims.

"My chance to do what?" I ask, puzzled.

"Come on, we talked about this. Vanessa Sterling wasn’t just asking you to work for her, she wanted something more. That expensive gifts wasn't just bribe," he insists.

I shake my head, I really need a drink. He came all the way from his place to tell me this?

I head to the kitchen, he follows. "You could get us both better jobs," he claims.

How did even end up with a friend like him? He wants me to sleep with a woman he barely knows so that I can get him a job? What's wrong with the one he has?

"Her ex-husband even shares your last name, maybe she has a fetish for names," he says, causing me to halt in my tracks. That is one connection I hoped no one would make.

"That one she does," I mutter, exiting the kitchen.

"Then connect me to her if you don’t want to!" Wensley shouts after me. I wonder if he’d say the same if he knew we had once been married.

VANESSA STERLING'S POV

I find myself looking through the photo gallery on my phone. I wish I’d let Abel take more pictures of himself so I would have more to look at now.

If only he would agree to come back to me without a fight. I’m so used to people bending to my will that him defying me is just so... frustrating.

I can tell from his texts that he thinks I am controlling him. I don’t think I’m controlling him. Am I? Sure I do like him at my beck and call but right now he's being so impulsively stupid and I'm only trying to keep him from making a huge mistake.

Whenever I don’t know that he's safe it’s like a panic alarm in my head blaring at me. I don’t want to fight with him. I just want him safe. Is that really so hard for him to understand?

There’s a knock at the door, and my publicist, Marla, walks in.

“Miss Sterling, sorry to interrupt,” she says, handing me a sealed envelope.

“This just came in your direct mail.”

I glance at the return address, it’s from Mr. Raven,l. Aubrey's father. Probably a reminder about his fundraising dinner for one of his charity projects.

“You should also know that your ex-husband gave an interview to the press today,” Marla adds.

I had anticipated Cyrus would rush to the media after our divorce, so I’m not surprised.

"The press is all over the story. There are several TV news and print outlets that wants an interview with you." She explains.

“How’s the public reacting to whatever nonsense the i***t spewed?” I ask.

“Um… most are calling it a humiliating rant,” Marla replies.

"Then I'm not Interested doing any interviews."

"But, miss sterling."

"The answer is no. Now leave and get me Clark.”

“Of course, Miss Sterling,” she says before turning on her heels and exiting the room.

A few minutes later, Clark walks in.

“Clark, I need you to find me a reliable CCTV installers,” I instruct him. “Also, look into the name of the electricity company that installed the service in Abel Blackwood's apartment.”

He nods and leaves to carry out my orders.