Beneath the Chairman's Facade

Chapter 4

Evan had just slapped her! For the first time ever, and so hard that he had busted her lip. She stared at the blood on her fingers. Her blood. This had to be the last straw.

Right from the moment he had gotten arrested, she had been steadfast in catering for him and his family. She had gone through the grueling process necessary to be his surety so he could be prematurely released. He was free indeed but he was also far from grateful.

"I've been in prison you insensitive wench. When do you expect me to have the time to see another woman? I can never stoop low to your level. Go make me dinner!" After barking out his cruel orders, he stalked off upstairs towards the bedroom. Why the hell was he acting like he was the man of the house?

Her phone had slipped from her when she fell and it now had a zagged line running diagonally through the screen. The display and touch sensors were still working fine. She'd use the phone like that then because she was low on funds.

"Shit." Her lower lip was tender to touch. She had no doubt it would be swollen by tomorrow morning. She could not possibly welcome the chairman with a bruised face. She dialled Jarvis' number and it went through on first try. The asshole was trying to prove a point that he was above the no calls policy.

"I was just about to call you," he was saying, "I hope you've read the email I sent you. No f**k ups. Don't be late and try and look pretty, that may help…"

"Sir! Sir!" Natasha tried to cut in. Why was Jarvis acting like he was the one who called her and not the other way round? "I'm really not sure if it's a good idea that I go. I fell down the stairs and cut my face."

"Well, s**t. Can't you just put some make up on it?"

Natasha resisted the urge to facepalm. What would Jarvis know about cosmetics irritating wounds and even sometimes worsening them? Yet she could imagine his scowl on the other end of the line as he started accusing her that she hurt herself on purpose just so she could avoid going to pick up the chairman. "Nice that you dig your own grave and I don't have to feel guilty anymore. He'd be flying overnight so better be there on time tomorrow morning to see to his needs or I will personally ensure no one ever hires you again!" With this, Jarvis abruptly cut the call on her.

She panicked. If she lost this job, there was little chance of getting another that paid her as well, at least not with Evan's unfaithfulness looming over her head.

"What are you still doing?"

Her head snapped up. Evan was standing at the base of the stairs, his strong gaze on her. The only piece of clothing he had on him was black boxers. Evan's body was god's given but all Natasha could think about was him, kissing another woman. Vea.

"I gotta go back to work. My boss just called."

"Tell 'em you can't make it. Tell 'em you've got wifey duties to fulfil," he said gruffly.

"I'm sorry, what?"

He moved towards her fast, effectively backing her against a wall. "You're a horny b***h, you tell me you don't want a piece of me."

Natasha turned her face away. She was too hassled to be turned on. "Evan, maybe not now."

"What? You can let everyone else eat your cake but not me?"

This would not do. He was bigger, stronger and he looked really menacing. He had absolutely no idea how much she wanted to scream in his face and call him out for his hypocrisy. Confess that she had seen him being affectionate towards her best friend. But what if he slapped her again?

"Okay, okay fine, in the bedroom," she conceded weakly.

He frowned, having not expected her to give in so easily. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, go Evan I'm behind you. We'll have the day all to ourselves. After all, we are husband and wife."

"Why not come with me now?"

Natasha smiled tightly. "Let me take out some wine to set the mood."

"You know I don't care about mood setting babe."

"Right," Natasha drawled, trying hard to hide her disgust.

"Five minutes babe. Any longer and I'll f**k you right here on the couch so hard you'll be begging me to stop and I won't."

She watched him climb upstairs. The bedroom door did not close. She quivered. When did Evan become such an insensitive asshole? She should have rejected his proposal. She should have divorced him the moment his ass got indicted. He had committed a huge crime behind her back and then he and his family had begged her to stay.

She had five minutes. Damn she did not need five minutes to know what she had to do next. She did not want to sleep with Evan, not like this! This was just not how she had envisioned her first ever s****l experience to be like.

"JUST LEAVE THE WINE!"

The front door chose today of all days to whine loudly, Natasha hissed. Evan sensed something fishy and rushed out to top of the stairs. His heated gaze clashed with her frightened one.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?!!"

SLAM!!!!

The door went behind her. She could feel the thud of Evan's feet pounding the floor as she locked the front door. He'd have a hell of a time finding the spare key which she had plopped into a glass of wine on the kitchen counter. She did not put it past Evan to break a window however so she wasted no time running to hail down a cab as the front door banged heavily.

"Just my cat," she grinned at the driver that stopped for her. She entered and ordered him to speed away.

Five minutes later, her heart beat was finally coming down. Her phone rang. Evan. Evan was calling her!!! She had waited the whole of yesterday for his call but the circumstances were changed now.

"That call seems a bit urgent," the driver said.

"Just my cat," she replied hastily putting the phone on silent. Leaving the house was an impromptu decision. She wondered where she could spend the rest of the day and night. Finally, she decided to stop at a cheap inn and booked a small bedsitter for the night.

The room was a mess and she had to go out to fetch water, but the bed was clean. With how Evan had thrown a fit for her not having a car, she doubted that he'd be so quick to know that she would not stay in a regular hotel. Originally, she might have chosen to stay with Vea, but Vea had changed too!

She threw herself on the bed after securing the room, her phone she hid under her pillow. She closed her eyes and tried to send herself off into sleep. Maybe tomorrow morning when she woke up, this'll all just be a nightmare and Evan would be standing front of the correctional facility, waiting for her.

Alone.

***

Her phone was silent, but it was vibrating persistently under her pillow. Natasha wiped her eyes. How long had she been asleep? The sun was shining brightly through the room's one window. She looked at the caller ID, refusing to believe that Evan could have called her so much.

Her eyes widened, the last bit of sleep instantly flying away. It took all in her not to scream. It was Jarvis spamming her phone with calls for the last one hour. The nightmare was continuing.

She was nearly an hour late to picking up the chairman!!!