3.

LYSSANDRA  

Uncle Nathan comes around the table, and kisses me gently on the cheeks.

I roll my eyes.

My uncle is Judas.

This is a kiss of betrayal.

Arcg is still sitting in my chair, and I walk around the desk, glaring down at him. “I guess it is not enough to fuck my husband, you also want my seat?”

I don't wait for them to attack me, I will attack first, and win.

Arch’s eyes flash with anger, but he stands, and walks around the desk.

“Lyssandra, I understand you are angry, but that is no way to speak to a major shareholder. Show some respect.” Cade snaps at me.

“You mean the same respect he showed me while he rammed his cock into you?” I grin, shrugging. “Okay.”

I will never allow any of these men to see that I am hurt.

They will never know that under this facade, I am broken, and drained, and sick.

None of them care at all.

“Lys, Cade is a man, he's allowed to do whatever he wants. You can't bring the issues in your marriage to work.”

“I haven't planned to, because Cade is no longer my husband, and I'm not bringing it to work, because he no longer works here.” I inform them coldly. “He can tender his resignation, or I will fire him, but I want him gone by the end of the day.”

You could have heard a pin drop in the silence. I don't break the silence, waiting for their next move.

“Cade isn't leaving.” Arch’s voice is certain, almost casual even. “He's not leaving, and that's final.”

“Yes, he is Cade. I'm the president of this company, and I say he is.”

“And I am the major shareholder. You can't fire him. He hasn't embezzled funds, nor has he made any wrong moves. It is the decision of the board to fire a CEO, not yours.” Arch snaps.

He stands, and buttons his suit. “We are having a board meeting this afternoon to decide if you will continue as president of this company, remember to come early, no excuses will be accepted. Not even your…” He stops, grimaces and shakes his head with disgust.

He's referring to my sickness. I'm sure Cade has told him the symptoms.

He turns and walks out. Cade follows him out like a little pet dog.

Cade throws me a venomous look at the door before slamming my door shut.

My uncle shakes his head. “It's become such a mess. Lyssandra, can't you forgive Cade? I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you.”

Yet I hadn't heard even one word of apology or remorse from him.

“I'm sure I can't. I've been sick for two years, and he's out cheating on me? I'll never be able to. Excuse me, Uncle.”

I walk out of the office, dialing Riley as I walk to my car.

She answers, groaning. “It's still early, Lys. It's still very early.”

“This is an emergency. Cade cheated on me. I need your help.”

 I don't cry, I thought I was all cried out, but I can feel the tears standing in my eyes.

I hear Riley cursing in the background. “I told you he was no good. I'll get the wine ready, are you coming here?”

“No. Let's go to breakfast. I need to take my meds soon.” I answer, opening my car door and sliding into it.

I end the call and place my head on the car wheel.

It's throbbing again, that same headache in the front of my skull.

I remember the morning tea Nagia had poured in my flash and I drink it down.

But the headache just seems to worsen. I'll give Riley fifteen minutes to get ready, then I'll drive over to the diner.

I still have my head on the wheel when I hear a knock on my window.

I lift my bleary eyes and see Cade standing outside my car.

He taps on the window again, and I open it. “What do you want, Cade? Not tired of humiliating me?”

Cade’s eyes roll almost into the back of his head. “You cheated first. You slept with Erden, in our bed. Do you know how that made me feel?”

“I was eighteen years old, Cade, and drunk. You slept with Nadia already, then with Penelope, then with Sadie my secretary, and now Cade? You don't get to use that excuse anymore!” I hiss at him.

I could explain to him that Erden had been in the house the night my family was murdered in cold blood. That I seduced Erden to get information from him, that I didn't know it would go as fast, and as far as it did.

But I would still be wrong, so I don't.

And Cade doesn't care.

“I didn't come here to argue the point. It's useless. Arch is going to get you fired this afternoon, and he'll make me the president. This is just a heads up. Save yourself the embarrassment and don't show up.” He says.

He doesn't wait for a reply, and I don't give him one.

He walks away, and I start the car and drive away.

If they think they can take my company from me, they're fucking joking.

I drive to the diner, and sit in a corner booth. The air is cool and I'm grateful for that. The chatter of the other customers keep my attention divided.

I have a doctor's appointment in a few hours, but for now, I sit here, and hope I don't faint. My fingers are shaking as I finish the last of the tea Nagia packed for me.

I call my lawyer, and ask her to file for divorce. Knowing I'm still married to that man irks me.

Riley arrives and slides into the chair beside me. She hugs me hard, the strawberry scent of her shampoo tickling my nose. “Tell me you're finally divorcing that man.”

I nod against her shoulder. “I am.”

She leans away and chucks my jaw up. “Perfect. Now I can cut his balls off.”

“Not his balls, I'm sure he'll need them, considering I caught him cheating on me with Arch!” I say bitterly.

I would get drunk if it wouldn't kill me. My system can't survive it.

Riley's wide eyed look of surprise only makes me feel worse.

Her jaw locks and she shakes her curls. “Shit. Arch Marvin? Isn't he like an ice god or something?”

“I don't want to talk about Arch, or my asshole of an ex-husband. I'm divorcing him. I need to get him off my board, I can't deal with seeing his face every single day.”

“So fire him?”

“I can't. Arch won't let me. He still owns majority shares.”

Riley's chain of curses is very colorful and very long.

Then she sits back, her eyes close for a second, and when she opens them, I can see they're brighter, almost feverish with excitement.

“I have an idea.”

I'm already shaking my head. “No. I'm not doing it.”

“You didn't even hear it.”

“When you look like that, it's usually a bad idea.”

She lowers her voice suddenly. “Still no word from him?”

“No, not since that night.”