The first light of dawn crept across the Archer estate, the world still wrapped in a sleepy haze. Most of the maids were off duty, hidden away in their quarters, leaving only two on night watch. As Marley approached, their faces twisted into awkward expressions, clearly not expecting her return.
"Miss Marley, please go home," one stammered, wringing her hands. "Everyone is still sleeping."
But Marley knew better. She saw the panic in their eyes and marched past them, determined to find out what had them so rattled. Her heart pounded as she ascended the grand staircase, each step bringing her closer to the truth.
"Shit," she muttered under her breath, gripping the banister tightly. "This can't be good."
As she drew nearer to the main bedroom on the second floor, a familiar male voice drifted through the closed door. The sound of moaning – a man and woman entwined in passion – stopped her cold. Marley bit her lip, holding her breath, torn between fear and anger. Her hand shook as it reached for the doorknob.
"Here goes nothing," she whispered with grim determination.
A soft creak followed as the door cracked open, revealing a scene that made Marley's face drain of color. Clothes strewn about, bodies tangled on the bed. The air hung heavy with lustful energy. The woman sulkily called out Oscar's name, confirming Marley's worst fears.
"Oscar?" Marley's low voice trembled, her chest constricting with pain. "How could you?"
The woman turned towards the door, smirking as she caught sight of the devastation on Marley's face. With deliberate cruelty, she moaned louder and pressed her lips against Oscar's neck.
The woman's sugary voice slithered through the air, reaching Marley's core and igniting a firestorm of rage within her. "When will you divorce your wife?" she asked Oscar, her tone laced with faux innocence.
"Tonight," he replied, his eyes locked on hers. "I've arranged for someone to take pictures of Marley with another man. My mother may adore her, but she won't forgive that kind of disrespect." His expression hardened, and he pressed himself onto the woman, their bodies moving in a more frenzied rhythm. "Olivia, you're the one I love. I promise, I'll be free from her soon."
So that was their twisted game, Marley thought, her vision blurring from hot, angry tears. She bit down on her lip, drawing blood as she struggled to contain her fury. But it was no use – like a dam breaking, her voice burst forth, halting the movements of the adulterous pair on the bed.
"Oscar Archer, you conniving snake!" Marley seethed, each word dripping with venom. "You're not content with just cheating on me, no – you have to support your mistress here, too. And now you're plotting to set me up?"
Oscar's head snapped toward the door, eyes widening in shock at the sight of his wife. A heartbeat later, his expression hardened into an icy glare. "Get out," he spat.
"Excuse me?" Marley scoffed, her chest heaving with anger. "No, Oscar, you've got it all wrong. If anyone should leave, it should be you two disgusting creatures!"
As she stared down her cheating husband and his mistress, Marley couldn't help but marvel at the depths of their treachery. In that moment, she vowed to herself that they would both pay dearly for their betrayal.
Oscar's eyes flickered with fear, his protective instincts kicking in as he hastily wrapped Olivia in his arms, shielding her from Marley's wrath. "You'd better divorce me first," he snarled, his voice low and threatening. "Or I'll show the world those pictures of you with another man. How do you think our dear mother will react to that?"
"Are you seriously trying to blackmail me?" Marley spat back, her voice dripping with venom. "You're more disgusting than I thought."
The air between them seemed to crackle with tension, Marley's resentful gaze meeting Oscar's icy stare. She had never loathed anyone as much as she hated him at this moment.
"Listen, Marley," Oscar said, his words measured and slow, as if speaking to a disobedient child. "You've got two choices: Divorce me and save face, or stay married and be exposed for the whore you apparently are."
Marley's vision blurred as her eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall. Damn him. Damn this place. Damn everything about their sham of a marriage.
"Go ahead and sleep with your whore," she spat as she stormed out of the bedroom, slamming the door behind her with such force that it rattled on its hinges.
"Divorce," Marley muttered, forcing herself to sound indifferent. She straightened her back and clenched her fists, determined not to show how much Oscar's betrayal had wounded her.
"Damn them both," she thought as she stormed out of the bedroom, her steps unsteady, yet filled with fury. Each stride seemed to echo through the corridor like a drumbeat, announcing her departure from this hellish nightmare. As she wiped the corners of her eyes, she wondered if anything could ever erase the images seared into her mind.
"Watch where you're going!" A shrill cry pierced the air, followed by a tiny thud. Marley, startled, looked down to see a little girl sprawled on the floor, her wide eyes brimming with tears. The child stared up at Marley, fear etched across her face. In that moment, Marley felt something inside her crack even more.
"Tricia!" The woman – Olivia – hurried out of the room, her face a mix of concern and wariness as she scooped up her daughter. "You stay away from her," she snarled at Marley, clutching Tricia protectively to her chest.
"Your... daughter?" Marley could barely choke out the words, each syllable dripping with disgust. What a twisted mockery of a family they were – the cheating husband, his mistress, and their love child. Is this another curse of faith?
"Damn right," Olivia shot back, defiance blazing in her eyes. "And if you even think about taking your anger out on her, you'll have to go through me first."