Jessica's POV
"Jessica, clear out a room for Zoey; she'll be moving in with us for the time being."
That was the beginning of my troubles. Had I known, I would have stood my ground and kicked against it, but would I have won against Zoey, my husband's childhood friend and ex– girlfriend?
From living in the guest room, downstairs, Zoey made her way up and finally took my room. Not only did I lose my space and comfort, I lost my husband's attention and time. After Zoey returned from abroad, six months ago, she began working as my husband's secretary, making them inseparable, and their bond grew stronger.
The sound of my ringtone jolted me back from stupor. I've become a thinking mess these days, thanks to my husband and Zoey driving me nuts.
I glanced at my phone screen. Seeing it was my sister, a tired sigh escaped my lips; her own troubles were just as big, compared to what I have to endure in my marriage. I answered the call, knowing that if I didn't, she wouldn't stop calling. But before I could speak, her booming voice almost turned me deaf, prompting me to shift the phone away from my ear.
"Where are you?!" She asked. I frowned a little, Maddie wouldn't care about where I was on normal days. All she ever cared about was asking for money.
"I'm at home, why?" I replied, my voice laced with exhaustion.
"So, you're wasting away at home while Zoey is frolicking around with my brother-in-law?!"
I sat up straight, my muscles tensed up, my heart dropping to my stomach as I asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Now I see why Zoey can easily snatch your husband from you. You're so lame. See, I don't care what you'll do to keep your man. The last thing I want to hear is you've been divorced."
I felt a headache coming. Could she just stop blabbering already and just go straight to the point?
"What did you see, Maddie?"
"I saw them at the shopping Mall earlier, he bought her a diamond ring. They shared a passionate kiss, and then went into a hotel afterwards..."
The phone slipped from my quivering fingers. My worst fear has happened... Liam was cheating on me - Maddie could be anything but a liar.
I mean, I was well aware that I was the only one in this relationship. For three years, my husband has never looked at me like he looked at Zoey. I thought there wouldn't come a day where he'd step on me like this...I thought that with his good reputation, he would be decent enough to respect himself in public.
But even though my heart was breaking, even though I was convinced that he'd slept with Zoey many times already, my heart still wants him. I long for him... because I'm stupidly in love with him.
...
Time slipped by without my notice. I can't even recall how long I've spent wallowing in my sorrow, until I heard the sound of a car.
That was his car.
I leaped off the sofa and stood by the door, biting my fingernails and pacing back and forth, waiting impatiently for him to come in - It has always been my routine for three years.
But this time, I spice things up a little bit, wearing a see through dress that left little to imagination, and wore a healthy amount of perfume to numb his senses. I didn't want to lose him to Zoey. No, I can't see myself living without him.
The door creaked open, and I immediately leaped into his embrace, my face buried on his chest. I've missed the comfort and protection his strong body gave me, I've missed this close proximity... The smell of his cologne that makes my mind go blank, every single time.
"What are you doing?" his deep voice sounded close to my ear, laced with irritation.
I felt a thud in my heart, but I composed myself and pulled away, my hands still wrapping around his waist. "I–" I swallowed. The unfriendly look in his eyes took away all my confidence. I lowered my eyes and bit my lip, suppressing my tears. "I missed–"
"Liam, you have a meeting tomorrow morning, you should get some rest. Thanks for the diamond ring, I'll treasure it with all my life."
That snake!
I screamed in my mind.
My head snapped in her direction, I almost forgot she came and left with him, like his handbag.
The bitch was smirking as she locked eyes with me. Her hand, with the gorgeous diamond ring on her ring finger, was placed on my husband's chest, her fingers crawling around his shirt, seductively.
Anger surged from within me and without thinking, landed a thunderous slap across her face. I have had enough!
"Zoey!"
My husband shoved me aside, my head collided with the wall with a loud bang, my ears rang, a sharp pain accompanied by a serious headache shot through me, and I felt I saw stars. But my husband was busy helping Zoey from the floor without giving me a single glance.
My eyes stung with tears as I sat there, trying to gather myself.
The slap wasn't enough for Zoey to fall... But she did, and her lip was bleeding. She looked pitiful, tears pulling up in her eyes.
Now, I regret it. I shouldn't have. The last time I let my anger consume me and I talked back to Zoey, Liam had retaliated against me and threw me out of my room and gave it to Zoey... This time, what would he do to me?
My heart throbbed, anxiety gnawed at me as I stared at the brooding look in my husband's eyes. I scrambled to get on all fours, crawling towards him as I pleaded with him, but my plea fell on deaf ears.
"Jessica, what have I done to you? Why do you hate me so much?" She held her cheek, weeping miserably like a child, despite the fact that she was older than me. "I know that you don't like my presence, but can you not hurt me? I endured my ex-husband's abuse for two years and it gave me trauma. You hurting me like this reminds me of what I went through, something I'm struggling to let go of. Waaah!"
I gulped, my eyes growing wide at the thought that I had fallen into her trap again.
"Liam, I – I...that's not true, I don't hate her." I tried to explain to my husband, who was glaring dangerously at me. But his eyes and aura had said it all. He wouldn't believe a single word I said.
"Jessica, you're testing my patience." He warmed me, scooped Zoey into his arms and walked upstairs.
Over his shoulders, Zoey locked eyes with me and sneered. My anger rose again - one thing I don't know how to hide. I wanted to tear her face apart with my nails, but I held back, I just wanted a place without Zoey, so I could explain and clear all the misunderstandings with my husband.