The car ride back home was drowning with silence from each side.
It was not like we talked our hearts out before. But I bet my husband expected an intervention anytime now...
"So you knew..."
"We do business..."
As I said...we both looked at each other, pausing midline. I let him complete it.
"We just do business with his dad."
Cole kept it simple and short. I parted my eyes off of him, staring out the window.
I was in no position to ask him to stop doing business with the Smiths. But it also made me feel not good wondering all the times when I thought he knew nothing of me when in fact he did.
After all, he was constantly in contact with my husband's family for business.
This piece of information made me feel not good at all. Down to the pit of my stomach, I felt uneasy.
No words came out of my mouth after that confession from my husband. The entire ride I could keep picturing his scrutinizing gaze all over me as we parted ways, with his mother and my mother-in-law promising to see each other very soon.
The men would most probably see each other the very next day. It should not concern me at all. But then I was the wife of this man...it complicated everything from the start.
So when we reached his condominium, Cole opened his mouth to say something.
"You did not say anything..."
What was I supposed to even? I was struggling to make words to describe how I felt.
"Say something..."
He pressed, making me turn to look at him. He genuinely seemed concerned. I always knew he cared about me and the kids. But it was not helping at all in this situation.
"Can you just keep me and the kids out of this?"
It was a question. It was not a request either. And if he was not capable of doing it, I was going to by myself anyway.
So I did not wait for him to answer either as I stormed out of there to his apartment.
The elevator opened right into his living room. It made Bianca sit up from the sofa seeing me. Was she waiting for us to return?
I did not bother to say anything and made my way straight inside making her turn around to eye me.
Emily was fast asleep on her bed. I had no heart to disturb her but no way was I going to let the kids sleep here tonight away from me.
Laying a chaste kiss on her temple, I carried her up and right at that moment, Cole reached.
"What are you doing?"
He implored. Usually, I would have driven back home alone keeping the kids back here to return right in the early morning but not tonight.
"I'm taking the kids."
I said in a hurry. The couple looked at each other. Emily was too deep in sleep as I took the elevator to go down to put her in the car first.
When I returned for Aiden, both of them were talking to each other, and stopped seeing me back.
"Why are you doing this?"
Cole asked blocking my way to Aiden's room. Bianca had seen us arguing before too so I did not care for her to see it another time.
I did not wait to answer him and walked past him towards the room. After grabbing my baby who was also in deep sleep and thankfully did not wake up when I picked him up.
"From next time do not ask me to be present in these galas."
I said coming out of the room. Cole and Bianca looked at me without another word. I did not mind if he took her and presented her to the world as his lover. Not anymore if the present reality of my kids could be in danger.
"They are my kids too."
Cole raised his voice. I could tell he did not like the way I taking them away from him. But I had to. He had been lying to me all these times.
"Not more than mine."
I retaliate back, a line of tears falling down my eyes. My emotions got the best of me in that moment.
How dare he claim the kids were his when he was barely present for them?
I walked back to the open elevator and was about to hit the button to go downstairs when he spoke up again.
"Is that why you are having a hard time signing the papers?"
He mocked me. I had not expected that and neither did Bianca as she looked at him too astonished.
"Maybe signing it now does not seem like a bad idea."
I let out in my most calm tone and the elevator doors closed. The moment it got down, I could not hold back my sob.
Did I just end my marriage like that?
With a baby in my chest, crying eyes and running towards the car in the nighttime was no new scene in my life.
Putting Aiden on his baby chair, I got inside to drive. Too many things happened at the same time and it overwhelmed me.
"Where are we going mama?"
Emily asked in her groggy voice. She must have woken up hearing all these commotions.
"Back home, my love."
I said looking at her through the front mirror and started the engine to drive home.
Driving in the silent street of night, I had not realized how fast it passed and here I was making my way to the office.
The events of last night were still fresh in my mind, I walked inside my office without stopping for my secretary to greet me and she stood up as if wanting to say something but I was in no mood.
So I straightaway opened the door to my office and halted on my steps upon finding someone already inside.
A man sitting, his back facing me. He heard the door knob opening and turned around, taking my breath away. He stood up. I went static in my position.
"Good morning Miss Johnson. You are late."
He smirked.
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