Chapter one

ELOISE

“Honey! You left your files on my bedside table. I guess they’re important to you.” I had just woken up late again. I stretched my body and pushed the duvet off. 

Getting no response from him, I picked up the files and headed straight to the living room but didn’t find my husband there. It's barely 8:30 am, he doesn't leave for work until nine. 

“Ma'am, the boss left early today. He said something about the inauguration ceremony.” Mary said when I entered the kitchen to ask of him.

“Oh, dang! My miserable memory. I forgot about that.” Today was the inauguration ceremony, the day my husband would finally own the company. He’s been the acting CEO for the past few years. I should have been there for him too! This is a big moment in his life a moment he'd worked hard for the past years. 

I quickly had my  bath and rushed over to GED, one of  the biggest construction company in Italy.

However, I was refused entrance to my own husband’s company because I couldn't show an invitation tag?

“Excuse me?” My brows drew up in confusion.

“Sorry, ma’am, but only invited individuals are allowed in” the security guard apologized.

“I know that, but I’m the CEO’s wife. Won’t you be in trouble if the CEO finds out you kept his wife outside? Besides, I need to give him some documents he left at home. Who needs an invitation to visit her husband work place?”

The security guy scoffed “Don’t be like that, ma’am. The CEO came with his wife,” o

“What?”

“Yeah, I’m sure of it. The CEO came with his wife. She’s been visiting for a long time, and we’re all familiar with her face. You come here for the first time claiming to be the CEO’s wife? Can you stoop any lower to get what you want, ma’am?” another guard confronted me.

I was so embarrassed that my legs suddenly became wobbly. Still, I couldn’t move an inch from where I stood. It was raining heavily now so there's no way I'm going back home without seeing Damon. 

“Look. I mean Mr. Damon Huxley, the—”

“Are you okay, ma’am? We don’t have two CEOs at this company at the moment. Looking at you  someone would think you are actually right! I advise that you go back home or wherever you come from. Other guests are arriving, and... The CEO won't be happy having you interrupt his VIP guests”

“He’s my husband, and I need to deliver some important documents! Wait until he answers this call. And believe me, you both will be fired.”

I wasn’t going to back down. Those two would learn not to look down on anyone. I dialed Damon’s number, and surprisingly even after the  fifth attempts, Damon still declined my calls. The embarrassment was eating me up inside. Could they be telling the truth? Or was he just to busy to answer his wife's call? Damon has never ignored my call"

Come to think of it, Damon has never told me much about his company, he didn't allow me to visit . He said I didn’t need to  nor did I need to work.  I believed the only man I have ever loved and thought that  maybe it was because of my health. Damon cares so much for me that he won't even let me do any of the house chores or get a job  even after my cancer had been cured. Though he claimed it was because he had more than enough money, and it was unnecessary for me to get a job.

I was diagnosed of stage two cervical cancer a months  after our wedding, and the next two years of our marriage, , I’ve been from one medication and  treatment to another. Even though we barely had sex during this time, my husband was cool with it. He didn't cheat on me . He  never shouted at me or got angry that I’d become a liability instead of fulfilling the future we planned together. He was the best gift life has given me. He never gave up on me.

“Please Could you at least let me see Mr. Damon? He probably needs these documents, and what if he sends someone home to get them? That would be a waste of his time. God damn it, I promise I will leave once I'm sure he's okay and I give the documents to him” I raised my voice, I'd say I've finally lost  my patience and I  was ready to fight my way in.

“What’s going on here, madam?” A well-built, middle-aged man stopped in front of me, likely the leader of the  security team. 

“Oh, thank goodness. What a relief that you came here. If you’d just listen to me, let me in,  I have to give these documents to Mr. Damon my husband”

“Did you book an appointment, ma’am? Or you have an invitation tag? ”

I held my breath, biting my lip and clenching my fists in anger.  Damon won't take it likely with this folks “I don’t need to book an appointment to see my husband! And invitation tag? What do I need that for? ” I said through my  clenched teeth.

“Unfortunately, ma’am, I think you’re at the wrong...” I didn’t let him finish before I pushed my way through the entrance and rushed into the company’s event hall.

A large crowd had gathered, all dressed to impress. It was like a gala 

Sadly, I wasn’t wearing much. The only thing elegant on me was the gown my husband gifted me for our 3rd anniversary, which had been released at a boutique two months ago. I was still underweight, the gown should be body fitted but it looked a little big on me.

My eyes scanned the hall until they landed on Damon. At that moment, I heaved a sigh of relief. All that stress was worth it after all , I get to meet the smiling face of my handsome husband . A small grin appeared on my face as I waved to him and hastened my steps toward him.

As I got closer, I saw a pretty woman holding my husband, her head suddenly leaning on his shoulder with her hands holding his .

I ignored her and handed the files to damon

“Honey, you forgot this! in our bedroom” I smiled and gently untangled the woman who was glued to my husband.

“Did you just say honey? Who is this woman?” The flashy red on red gown asked Damon, her voice loud enough to attract almost everyone’s attention. Damon looked speechless.

“Why the hell are you here, Eloise?” Damon muttered.

I turned toward the fair, pretty homewrecker. “I should be asking that question, Miss. I don't know what's going on but this man might be your CEO, but that shoulder you just leaned on belongs to me. His wife!” I yelled 

She scoffed. “You look like you escaped from a mental hospital ma. Who are you calling your husband?  what the hell are you talking about, calling my husband yours?”

This woman was classy in every way. Her diction was perfect, and her style was top-notch. Somehow, I knew I looked like the fake one. Whatever was happening was beginning to overwhelm me and my head was beginning to spin.

Damon was the only one I could rely on.  I hugged him tightly " Tell this woman to stop making such an expensive jokes please" 

Instead of getting a warm pat of assurance in my back, I was pushed to the hard floor harshly. 

My body didn't feel any pain at all but my heart began to hurt like hell.  I couldn't wrap my head around it. When did he stop loving me? Or did I do something wrong or crossed the line? 

There's no way Damon could do this to me . I stood up and held his hands " it's me, Eloise. Damon it's me. You promised you will never let go of my hand. Did I do something wrong?" 

I immediately went in my knees with a shaky voice " I'm sorry Damon. I don't know what it is that I did but please give me a chance and I promise to be someone better" 

Cameras kept flashing in our direction, and I knew what that meant. The press wouldn’t miss an opportunity to make extra cash off this scene.

“Enough of this embarrassment, Eloise. How long will you keep dwelling on the illusion that I’m still your husband? Do you really consider yourself worthy of being part of our prestigious family? What you’re holding in your hand is the divorce paper that you signed yourself. Maybe you got dementia post-cancer also.” Damon’s voice echoed across the hall.

My world fell apart . His face blurred as I couldn't control the tears that has started to free themselves from the cage I kept them.

Something wasn’t right. Damon had never raised his voice at me. These couldn’t be the words from the same mouth that kissed me passionately the previous night. The look in his eyes had changed, they were no longer loving. 

"That asshole. Did he use me?" I wept in his shoes but he wouldn't even let me do that peacefully, he simply kicked me out of his way and walked to the press..

Damon turned to the cameras and bowed in apology. “I’m truly sorry for the trouble my ex-wife has caused today. I will take responsibility for this and personally escort her out.”

His hands gripped my wrist as he hastily dragged me out of the company’s entrance door.

“What was the meaning of that, Damon? Was that some kind of Joke because it was not funny” My voice quavered.

“Joke?" He scoffed " is that what this looks like, Eloise? Look  I’m fed up. I just wanted a marriage, and you turned me into your nanny”

“Damon!” I lashed out.

“What? Did I lie?" He asked

"I’m sorry, but everything is fine now. My cancer treatment ended months ago, and I’m perfectly fine now. I promise—”

“Fine? You think you’re fine now, Eloise? This isn’t the woman I married. What if word gets out that you can’t conceive? You’re barren now. Has that not registered in your thick skull yet? Or you also forgot that? ”

“Don’t be like that, Damon. We can...”

“Get your hands off me! There’s no ‘we’ anymore, Eloise. The only way to fix this is for you to be Reborn. There's no other way Eloise, I loved you, but your life is too complicated and quite unbefitting for my social class now. I guess your father hasn’t told you yet?”

Damon pushed my hands off his body.

“What hasn’t my father told me yet?” I mumbled through my tears. My heart was too weak to handle the pain I was going through at that moment. “I’m sorry, Damon, but please don’t do this to me. I know how much you love me, and I love you too. I can’t live without you.” I held his hands , even  as my tears fell, he wasn’t moved in the slightest.

“Let go, Eloise.” Damon pushed me to the floor. I didn’t care about the rain that had already soaked my clothes. I held onto his shoes and begged for his heart to beat for me once again, for one last time.

“That’s enough, lady. Don’t you dare touch my husband, or else you’ll pay for it with your life!” the other woman said. Damon kicked my grip away from his shoes and held the other woman by the waist.

I watched their footsteps as they headed back inside together..

I had been betrayed by the only man I loved, and now I wished the rain could wash me away into my grave. I sat on the cold, rain-soaked floor and cried my eyes out.

Being embarrassed by the flicking cameras or the many eyes that glared at me in pity was the last thing I thought about.