Chapter 1

ZESA RUSSO

            It would appear Levi was serious about what he told me at the contract signing event. One month after our wedding and his behavior toward me had yet to change. Before the press, he was the sweetest, most caring husband a woman could ask for, but behind closed doors; I was nothing to him. His heart was somewhere else. With Nina Meyer.

I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Levi and I knew each other since we were eight, making it over twenty years since we met. With Nina, it was different. They’d met each other last year. On my birthday. Nina was to serve drinks and instead of doing her job, she bumped into Levi, spilling the drinks all over him. Did she think she was in a movie?

When I realized they were getting too close, I did a background check on her. It turned out she was the daughter of a restaurant owner. It made me wonder if she blackmailed Levi into loving her. Then again, Levi wasn’t the type of man to be blackmailed. He was righteous. Too righteous. I felt like the devil in our home. Funny, isn’t it?

I placed the remote on the center table after turning off the television and picked up my cellphone. 11.14pm and my dearest hubby was yet to come home. Where else could he be if not in the arms of Nina Meyer? I stood up from the white couch and went into our room. We weren’t even sharing a room until his mother came to visit us and found out. She scolded him. It changed nothing, though. It still felt as though I was sleeping alone.

I sat on the bed for a few more minutes, hoping he’d walk in. When it was 11.30pm and he’d yet to come home, I slept off.

<>_<>

            As a married woman, I would expect to be woken by the feel of my husband’s lips coming into contact with my cheek, but for me, it was a different story. Instead, I woke up to the sound of Levi changing out of his suit and into a new one. He did not come home last night. Again. I sat up and leaned against the headboard.

“Where were you?” I asked.

Without sparing me a glance, he responded. “Don’t pretend to not know. I know you have people watching me.”

It was true. “Why do you keep doing this to me? I don’t expect you to love me right away, but at least be thankful. If it wasn’t for me, your company would be done for.”

He worked on his tie, meeting my eyes. “I never asked for your help.”

“Your mother did.”

“Exactly.” He said through gritted teeth. “My mother asked for your help, so why don’t you marry her instead and allow me to be with the woman I love?”

I felt a sting of jealousy. He was boldly declaring his love for Nina in front of me. “Can’t you try? Can’t you try to get to know me? Try to know what I love, what I hate, and those kind of things. Can’t you just try?”

“I cannot.” He grabbed his suit jacket from the bed and turned around to leave.

“Levi,” I called after him, leaving the bed. He halted and looked over his shoulder at me. “Let’s eat breakfast together. It’s been three weeks since we ate together.”

He lifted his wrist to look at his wristwatch. “I’m late for work.”

I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. It was only 6.45am. He was not late. He just did not want to eat with me. “Go.” I told him, fighting my tears. He did not deserve to me cry.

He walked out of the room and shut the door. I inhaled and exhaled, hoping to stop myself from crying and, just like every other time, I failed. I got ready for work and left the house without having breakfast. I simply could not stomach anything. Just as I was about to get into the car, I received a call.

I put my phone to my ear. “Zesa Russo speaking.”

“Why do you keep doing that?”

 I turned to the direction the voice came from. Finn Giovanni. One of my good friends and the chief operating officer of my company. He always reported back to me the happenings at the office. Black, curly hair, a radiant face and beady brown eyes that reminded me of chocolate whenever I saw them.

“Why are you here?” I asked, putting my phone into my bag.

“Let’s talk on the way.” He entered my car and patted the seat next to him. “Get in.”

With a sigh, I entered the car and one of my security men shut the door. The driver started the car and drove off, headed for the company. I placed my bag beside me and crossed my arms over my chest. “What did you want to talk about?”

He narrowed his eyes. “I take it he did not come home.”

“I don’t want to talk about him.”

“Don’t you see the writing on the wall?”

“I do, but I will erase it.”

“What do you mean, you’ll erase it?”

“I’ll go to see Nina after work. She has to know her place. Does she have no shame? Messing up with a married man.”

Finn brought out his phone and scrolled through his pictures before stopping in front of one. He handed his phone to me. “I had someone tail him like you asked and it turned out he was a jewelry store. It’s confirmed that he went to buy a ring. You and I know who it is for. Which is why I don’t want you to blame Nina. Blame Levi instead. He is the one married to you.”

"Are you certain he bought a ring?”

“I’m sure of it.”

That was the confirmation I needed. I clenched my fists, knuckles turning white as anger thrummed through my veins. “To H.K.”

            The car stopped in front of H.K’s one hundred, and twenty floors building. I marched into the building with Finn trailing behind me as he begged me to stop. I couldn’t care less about my reputation at such a time. I was that kind of person. Love made me do dumb things. A worker ran up to me. I knew him. Mr. Julian Alcaraz. He was Levi’s secretary—a smallish man who wore glasses.

“Levi is in, correct?” I asked, getting on the elevator.

“Yes, Miss Russo.” He joined me alongside Finn. He pressed the button and turned to me. “Mr. Del Campa did not inform me of your visit. Is something wrong?”

I smiled at him. It was neither friendly nor hostile. “Does a wife need a special invitation to see her husband?”

He shook his head immediately. “Not at all.”

The elevator soon came to a stop, and we stepped out of it. Finn pleaded with me to not enter Levi’s office, but my mind was made up. How could he do such a thing to me after all I did was show him love and care? Ungrateful son of a gun!

Julian opened the door and held it for me to enter. He and Finn did not come in after me. They were smart.

Levi slightly lifted his eyes and then lowered it to the computer in front of him. “What is it now?”

I angrily dropped my bag on his desk. “Am I a joke to you?” He was silent. It angered me even more. I grabbed some papers from his desk and threw them at him. “Answer me!”

He rose to his feet, just as upset as I was. “You’re making a scene. This is an office. You should know better.”

“And you are a married man. You should also know better.”

“Based on the contract, I am married to you, but my heart belongs to someone else.”

I tamped down my irritation. “Is that why you got a ring?”

He placed both hands on the desk, a smirk plastered on his face. “You’re smart. Put it together.”

“You wouldn’t dare do such a thing. I’m your wife!”

He was nonchalant. “In the eyes of the reporters, you are my wife, and that should be enough for you.”

“What?”

“Please leave if you’re done throwing a temper tantrum.” He sat back down. “I have a lot of work to take care of.”

Heartbreak came in waves, grueling and appetite stealing. It filled me with a new kind of emptiness. A feeling that told me I would lose him soon. I had to do something or I would be forced to watch the only man I’ve ever loved slip right through my fingers.

I spun on my heels and exited his office. When Finn followed me, I stopped. “Go to the office and take care of our guests. There is someone I must see.”

“Don’t tell me…”

I walked away from him. There was no stopping me. I needed to see her. One on one.

<>_<>

            The car came to a halt in front of the restaurant managed by Nina’s family—Sapphire Vine Eats. I stared at it for the longest time, wondering why and how she and Levi came to be. It baffled me, truly. Perhaps it was because I knew little about love.

“Do you want me to call her?” my driver, Edwardo, questioned.

“Yes, please.”

He got out of the car and made his way to the restaurant. Once he’d gone in, I fixed my make-up. She didn't need to know that I was a mess on the inside. I needed to appear intimidating if I wanted her to back off. I hurriedly put my lipstick into my bag and readied myself when I saw Edwardo come out of the restaurant with Nina behind him.

If I was honest, the woman was beautiful, but not as beautiful as I was. She had light brown skin, mid-length, curly and brunette hair. She was a woman of average height and quite thin. Edwardo opened the door for her and she entered the car to sit beside me. He did not enter the car, though. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Nina rub her thighs.

“I’m sure you know who I am.” I began, shifting on butt so I could get a better look at her. Up close, I could see her large hazel eyes were shaking with fear, yet she tried putting on a facade of calmness.

“Yes.” She answered.

“Why do you keep provoking me, then?”

She held my gaze. “It’s not my fault he loves me.”

I felt the words I had mentally prepared get punched out of me. “What did you just say?”

I watched as she crossed her legs. “Don’t you ever come to see over such a trivial matter. If it bothers you so much that the man you call your husband is interested in another woman, you should divorce him.”

“Excuse me?”

She smirked. “Quite excused.”

I fanned myself with my hand. “Wow. You’re unbelievable. Don’t you know who you’re messing with?”

“I do. Which is why I will not give you what you want. I don’t fear you.”

Nina was afraid of me, I could tell, yet she was pretending to be a tough cookie. I knew where to hit and she would be herself. I averted my eyes to the restaurant. “Techya needs land for a new building and I think this will be a perfect spot for it. There’s many people and business should go well.”

It seemed to do the work. “Leave my family’s restaurant out of this. The fight is between you and me.”

It was my turn to smirk. “You should have thought of that before running your mouth before me. I am no way in your level. I can destroy your entire life with just a snap of my fingers.” She swallowed. Very good. She was getting the memo. “You have just one week to cut off all ties you have with my husband or I’ll make you watch as I bring this restaurant to the ground.”