A wonderful husband. Not.

What?

"What?" I asked out loud, looking up at him as my brain struggled to comprehend.

"Don, are you sure?"

He pulled out his gun and fired back without looking.

I screamed again and he grabbed my throat, forcing me to look at him.

My body burned with a feeling I didn't understand and his eyes chilled my bones.

"I will let you have my resources, my men, money, whatever you need but you will give me your body anytime I want it. Anywhere I want it."

"Yes," I muttered through a strained throat.

"No," he let me go, "you're not thinking straight. Here."

He threw me a black card and I rushed forward to catch it and slammed into his rock-hard chest.

He steadied me back on my feet and stepped back.

No one said a word again, who would?

He just randomly fired someone's leg for questioning him.

"Go before I change my mind, Little Dove."

I didn't need to be told twice, I was running and calling Lucas in the same breath, giving him the location to pick me up from.

"Ma'am, what were you doing back there? It's really unsafe," he asked me this time, "Are you fine?"

Don't I know it

"Drive, Lucas," I mumbled, trying to quiet my shaky hands.

The drive was filled with constant gasps at the realisation of what I'd just done.

I met with The Devil.

And I offered him my body in exchange for revenge.

Is that how far gone I was?

Did Jason ruin me so much that I didn't consider myself worth anything?

I looked at myself, the love handles, the chubby stomach and cheek.

It's a shock that the Don even wants a taste of me. Jason found me revolting.

When I got home, he wasn't back yet, thank God.

I showered, washing off the day's dirt before rushing into the Kitchen.

This time, I didn't cook anything by myself like I usually did. There were three professional chefs on my payroll and I let them do their job while I sat down, supervising everything.

I didn't even need to.

When he finally got back, he was with his mother.

Now, Margaret was a hill I've been trying to climb for years.

At first she didn't like me because she was scared I was making her son chase a useless dream.

Then when the dream paid off, she was angry that I was hogging him all to myself even though it was Jason who didn't like going to meet her.

Then she complained I was too controlling, that the money was getting to my head...

Basically, she hated me and I didn't realise it until she was walking through that door, disdain on her cheeks.

She gave me a once-over and scoffed.

"It seems your wife has completely stopped trying to look good for you," she said to her son but loud enough that I felt it in my soul.

"Mum, let's not bother with such trivial matters. Remember the reason for this dinner."

"You always spoil her. Where's Maya?"

My staff ran out and collected her coat.

We all traipsed into the dining room and Jason's hand suddenly came to my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" He asked, frowning.

"I don't understand?"

"You've been quiet. You didn't even try to hug me."

That was my routine for the last five years.

At first, he was happy with it and then, he began complaining and recently, he completely blew me off whenever I came too close.

"You don't like it. Why should I continue?" I blurted as I went to my seat.

His mother sat next to him, her face in a permanent frown.

As they served her, my throat became tight.

This woman had cleaned toilets for years until my hard work began paying off and I helped retire her permanently.

She moved with high society women now and people she used to work for fawned around her like leeches.

But behind closed doors, she insulted my background, my folds and everything about me.

Not once did I go against it, I simply tried to do better.

But now I see it.

Both son and mother, cruel and heartless.

"You're not hungry?" Jason asked, his face showing concern.

Or maybe I'm reading it wrong. He probably suspects I know something and if he does, I'm finished.

So I plastered a smile on my face.

"I was admiring your handsome face," I replied and dished my food.

"If you weren't so empty," his mother grunted, "you would have had more handsome versions of him running around this big house."

I looked up both of them.

"What did the doctor say?" He finally asked me.

"Same story."

"You're barren. There's nothing any doctor can do about it," Margaret said around the chicken she was chewing. "I think you should consider other alternatives."

"Like what?" I hissed, struggling to hold back my rage.

"Mom, I think we should give her some reprieve. Carmen is usually brittle whenever she comes back from another failed test."

She grunted and continued eating.

Then Christian, our steward opened the wine and Jason poured it for everyone.

"So," he stood up, holding the glass up, "today is a wonderful occasion for this family. What we've been working towards all these years is finally paying off."

I sat up, dropping my fork.

"What is it?"

"We secured a top-level buyer for half the company!"

His mother began clapping, and both of them began laughing and hugging each other.

I was dazed.

He was actually going with the plan.

I wasn't imagining the whole thing.

"Carmen? Why aren't you rejoicing? I told you about this before, didn't I?"

"That you're looking for a buyer? No."

"Oh. It must have slipped my mind but think about it baby," he reached my side, his hand coming around my shoulder, "We've worked hard for this company. It's time to take a step back and enjoy everything we've worked for. Let someone else carry the burden of running the company. He's buying at a very high rate. No one else will be able to top it."

"Oh," I mumbled, my hands freezing cold all of a sudden.

"Don't tell me you're overthinking this. I've always made the right decision for this family. All you have to do is sign it tomorrow at the Company’s anniversary gala and everything will be perfect.”

By perfect, he meant they'll move to the next stage of killing me.

Awesome.

"Okay,” I whispered.

"Good," his mother nodded, "let Jason take all those shares off your hands so you can be a good wife. Who knows? You might finally get pregnant."

"Shares? It's my shares you're selling?"

"Of course. Who else's?”